Justice Ministries
Justice is what love looks like in public.” …Cornell West
A committed group of St. Mary’s parishioners has come together to live our Christian call to justice. As the Rev. David Erickson phrases it, the goal of justice ministry is “to address systemic evil with systemic good.” Justice goes beyond charity to address the systems that cause and support injustice. In addition to feeding the hungry, for instance, justice asks that we identify and address the sources of hunger. Justice invites us to recognize the incarnate Christ in everyone and actively live our Baptismal covenant to “strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.” If you wish more information or to be included on the Justice Ministry e-mail list, please contact David Crosson.
ST. MARY’S FAMILY HOSTS AFGHAN FAMILY
On Wednesday, November 3rd, Christine and I, with great assistance from St. Mary’s, welcomed Janmohammed, his wife Mashal, and their toddler, to a new home in San Francisco. Jan left Afghanistan with his wife and daughter a few months ago to seek asylum in the United States. They had left Kabul, with stopovers in Qatar and Philadelphia, then spent a month at an air base in New Mexico, sharing a tent with another family. Wanting a better climate for their child, they then came on their own to the Bay Area. New Anchor, which recruits, trains, and connects migrants to hosted housing, worked with Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Team (NEAT) to secure a 3-6 month housing arrangement for the family with us in Ashbury Heights. NEAT is a partnership between St. Mary’s and Congregation Sherith Israel.
St. Mary's Youth Group and others moved a sofa-bed down a precarious set of outdoor stairs. Out of concern for family members still in Afghanistan, the guest family prefers not to post photos of themselves on the web.
The NEAT team has worked with us to help Jan and Mashal secure everything from kitchen and tableware to a sofa bed and highchair, and assistance with the local transportation system. Special thanks are due to the St. Mary’s Youth Group members who came out on a proverbial dark and drizzly night to deliver furniture!
The family is now settling in, and Jan is preparing to seek work, hopefully in accounting, his profession in Kabul. Jan speaks excellent English. The family may not need legal assistance with the immigration system, but if they do, we have located counsel to provide advice pro bono.
This entire arrangement came together in a two week period through the generous and strenuous efforts of the NEAT community, and we were overwhelmed by the outpouring of physical support and good wishes from friends and neighbors. We all thank David Crosson and St. Mary’s for their leadership and support in welcoming this wonderful young family among us.
--Gerald George
St. Mary's Accompanies Venezuelan Asylum-Seeker
On Saturday, October 2nd, St. Mary’s migrant accompaniment team—comprised of Anne Williams, Nancy Clark, and Marcony Bolvito Grijalva—welcomed Rodnoel (Noel) José Arangueren-Flores to h…
Tang Family, Refugees in 1979
ST MARY’S ACCOMPANYING MIGRANTS FOR OVER FORTY YEARS
Migrant accompaniment is nothing new to St. Mary’s. We have been doing it for as long as we have been worshiping from the current Book o…
