Hometown Season 7, Episode 6: An Interview with members of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Ocean Springs, Mississippi

Members of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi felt called to welcome refugees to the community they know and love. On this episode of the Hometown podcast, we talk with three members of the steering committee that leads the congregation’s refugee welcoming team: Cynthia Ramseur, Lena Melton, and Peggy Butera. On behalf of the wider team and the parish, they shared with us the experience of stepping up to serve as a Remote Placement Community Partner with EMM, and welcoming a family who came to the U.S. as refugees in the fall of 2023. 

Remote Placement Community Partners or RPCPs are groups of at least five people located in areas at least 100 miles from established resettlement affiliates. Remote Placement provides groups an opportunity to build bridges within their communities by welcoming newcomers who arrive through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. RPCPs provide on-the-ground services for 90 days to ensure that refugees have a smooth transition as they settle into their new home in the U.S. Some of those services include welcoming individuals at the airport, securing housing and necessities, assisting with school enrollment for children and English classes for adults, providing medical and employment support, and orienting new neighbors to the community. All RPCPs receive federal funds, virtual training and coaching from staff at the national refugee agency that oversees the newcomers’ resettlement – in this case, EMM.  

Our conversation with Cynthia, Lena and Peggy was lively and wide-ranging, as they told us about Ocean Springs and St. John’s Episcopal as communities; recalled how they became interested in the opportunity to welcome refugees; and described the specific steps their team took to prepare to welcome and support a new family. They also shared some of the lessons they learned along the way: about what compels forced migrants to leave their homes and to endure adversity in their search for safety; how to work as a team to support a family during this crucial transition; and the many things that newcomers bring to the communities where they are welcomed.  

Perhaps most significantly, Cynthia, Lena and Peggy kept coming back to the notion of abundance. They witnessed deep generosity as their congregation warmly embraced the new family; as members of the team shared their connections, time and resources; and as their new neighbors reminded them of the wealth that comes not from material possessions, but from simply being with each other and recognizing our common humanity. This experience of abundance, and the desire to continue to grow by welcoming newcomers to their community, has not surprisingly led the St. John’s team to commit to serving again as an RPCP in fall 2024. 

We invite you to listen in on this conversation. We think you’ll find it as delightful and inspiring as we did. And if it sparks in you an interest in welcoming refugees to your own community, EMM is here, ready to accompany you as you discern your next steps.