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| Fadia, who escaped fighting in Aleppo, Syria, stands with three of her children in front of her family’s shelter at a refugee settlement in Lebanon. Two of her children were killed in Syria’s civil war. Credit: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance Want to know how the United Church is responding to the plight of Syrian refugees and the desperate situation in Syria. Look at the link to "Three Ways You Can Help Syrian Refugees" on the United Church of Canada website: http://united-church.ca/communications/news/response/150911 |
THE RIGHT REV. JORDAN CANTWELL
Moderator’s Message: Syrian Refugee Crisis
11 September 2015
Sisters and brothers in Christ,
I bring you greetings in the name of Jesus, Comfort and Guide—and also once a refugee.
We are called at this particular moment in time to witness in a concrete way to our Christian faith in response to the needs of millions of desperate people seeking refuge and compassion. The plight of Syrian refugee children washing up on Mediterranean shores has struck at the core of Canadian self-perception as generous and welcoming people. As we have done in the past, we are responding once again with an outpouring of concern and compassion.
For decades, churches have been sounding the alarm
 about a deepening global crisis for forcibly uprooted people. We know that these are not the first tragic deaths among refugees fleeing danger, nor will they be the last. We must act immediately to turn the tide on this horrific reality. Right now, thousands of people from all over the world are risking their lives every day in search of safety. Some have been offered sanctuary; millions more have died en route at the hands of human traffickers or are held in detention camps, where they are treated primarily as dangerous security threats, or are ignored as if they do not exist.
Since the crisis in Syria began, the United Church has been actively contributing to humanitarian relief and sponsoring refugees. We are once again amplifying our appeal because the church wants to do all that it possibly can to help those in need of assistance and seeking refuge.
With a renewed sense of purpose, The United Church of Canada joins others in stating that we must respond urgently, compassionately, and comprehensively. United Church congregations have a long history of supporting refugees. Many of our communities of faith are already in the process of sponsoring refugee families to come to Canada. However, the need is great and it demands an even greater response from all of us.
As Moderator, I urge communities of faith to:
Together, we have the capacity to make a profound difference in the lives of thousands of refugees. The time to act is now. Please consider how you and your faith community can best support the ongoing efforts to address this desperate refugee crisis, and please continue to hold the people of Syria and the surrounding region in your prayers.
In faith and hope,
The Right Rev. Jordan Cantwell
Moderator The United Church of Canada |
