Immigrant Welcoming Committee

immigrant art

As an IWC, we have:

  • Hosted monthly meetings of IWC churches to coordinate advocacy and support efforts and represented IWC congregations in biweekly meetings of the Green Valley-Sahuarita Samaritans. Administered news and reference materials for IWC network.

  • Distributed immigrant-rights “Red Cards” among local UCC churches.

  • Attended “Common Ground on the Border” annual conferences on border and immigration issues in Sahuarita, Arizona.

  • Supported an ecumenical delegation to learn about immigration issues at the South Texas border.

  • Volunteered at a food pantry supporting immigrant and farmworker families.

  • Hosted exhibits and a reception celebrating Iranian art, music, poetry, and calligraphy.

  • Launched the Bienvenidos Quilt Project to make and deliver over 800 quilts for children and families at the border or locally.

  • Served as fiscal intermediary for an English-language training grant for Afghan women refugees through the UCC.

  • Attended vigils at Sheridan Federal Prison, ICE holding center in SW Portland, NORCOR in The Dalles, the ICE Regional Detention Facility in Tacoma, and the Washington County Courthouse.

  • Hosted church and conference meetings to learn about Immigrant Welcoming and hear immigrant stories.

  • Hosted members of the ‘Sheridan to The Dalles’ caravan for dinner and overnight and an 2018 election night party for the No on 105 campaign

  • Attended Advocacy Day at the Oregon State Capitol with the Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice (IMIrJ).

  • Supported a campaign to distribute LifeStraws to migrants crossing the desert.

  • Visited the SW border near Tucson in late 2015 for firsthand information about the plights of those crossing the border and supporting humanitarian aid providers.

  • Distributed “Know Your Rights” cards to immigrants and citizens who might be subjected to intervention or detention by ICE.

The Immigrant Welcoming Congregation (IWC) movement, which started in Portland, is growing, both within the UCC and in other faith communities. In 2016, the UCC Central Pacific Conference declared itself an Immigrant Welcoming Conference and encouraged local congregations to do likewise. In 2017, the national UCC formally adopted an IWC resolution paralleling the Conference’s. Today, there are about a dozen UCC congregations in the CPC that have formally declared themselves either Immigrant Welcoming or Sanctuary churches. In 2019, Portland First Congregational. UCC members unanimously approved our Immigrant Welcoming declaration.

Four themes support our declaration: connecting across barriers, educating ourselves, advocating for human rights, and accompanying our immigrant neighbors in times of need. Specific activities flow from these themes to activate the declaration.

committee

We invite old and new members, friends, and families to join us in making immigrants welcome at Portland First Congregational and in the community.