Educate and Activate: An Immigration Training for People of Faith

Saturday, January 31, 9:00 am to noon

This is a two part training presented by the United in Faith Coalition on our responsibility as Christians and people of faith towards the most vulnerable members of our community—immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Immigration Enforcement actions are increasing in our state and are expected to rise over the coming months. Our awareness and preparation as community members is critical in this work. In-person and online.

9-10:15 am - "ICE and the Immigration Crisis: A Faith Response" by Rev. Dr. Rick Rouse

Rev. Dr. Rick Rouse, author of the recent book on immigration A Journey Called Hope will speak on the horrific impact of the government's efforts to deport millions of immigrants and refugees from the U.S. We will explore how we got here and what people of faith can do in response. He is a Lutheran pastor, professor, author, and popular conference speaker. He served congregations in California, Oregon, and Washington where he assisted with the resettlement of immigrant families from Russia, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Ukraine.

Dr. Rouse was the Executive Director for Church Relations and Continuing Education at Pacific Lutheran University for 12 years. He also served on the faculty at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN and taught at the Evangelisch Fachschule in Nuremberg, Germany.  He is a member of the Advisory Board for Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and Seattle University’s Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement.  He is the author of numerous books, including A Journey Called Hope: Today’s Immigrant Stories and the American Dream (Chalice Press, 2024).

10:30-noon – A Community Action Training on ICE watch and response. Volunteer trainers from the WA Immigration Solidarity Network (WAISN) will guide us in how to be engaged and responsive community members with training in “Know your Rights, (both yours and the immigrant’s) how to document ICE actions, whistle alerts, how to make a report to the HOTLINE and what to do and not do as a bystander. You’ll also have an opportunity to sign up for training to be on a Rapid Response Team or an Accompaniment Team. Trainers are Leslie Brown, leader of the Snohomish County Rapid Response Team, and Merari K. member of the Snohomish RR Team.

Location: Edmonds United Methodist Church. 828 Caspers St. Edmonds, WA

The training is free of charge.

What is the United in Faith Coalition?

A new network of progressive churches and people of faith in Snohomish, King, and Pierce counties, and some folks in Ellensburg! 

Join as a lay leader in your church or as an individual member of the community.

Purpose: to unite people of faith to boldly speak against the tyranny of the current administration and work together for justice, the rule of law, and civil rights. By coming together, we embolden each other and our neighbors, our church leaders, our politicians, support our civic institutions, and bear witness to a God of justice and love in solidarity with people of faith across our state and country.

Coalition: Create a group of lay leaders from each church to work together to define the work and scope of the coalition, create a communication network for inter-church conversation and rapid response, set goals for the common work together, identify needs in the community, and prepare for possible future authoritarian actions that require a collective response.

Can Pastors Join? Yes, Pastors can join the coalition.

Possible joint actions for the coalition:

• Make statements to state and local legislators, to news agencies.

• Speak out against Christian Nationalism.

• Join together in community protests.

• Make contingency plans for possible future actions that could impact our community and vulnerable people when government funding runs out .

• Make an inventory of services each church is currently providing – learn how each service is being impacted by funding cuts or might be.

• Establish a rapid response network that can quickly be activated for:

  • ICE raids

  • To hide or transport vulnerable people

  • Network for Trans people who become targeted

  • Refugees, asylees, non-documented people