Twenty-one congregations and communities around the United States and in Europe have joined Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) to focus attention on LGBTQ+ people who have fled their homelands in search of safety. While the list of partners continues to grow, the following have made formal commitments:

These “Rainbow Initiative Congregations / Communities” (RICs) are working with EMM to build their knowledge base about LGBTQ+ immigrants, discern their best path forward in solidarity with them, and plan activities to take place during June 2023 and beyond. Many will direct attention to LGBTQ+ forced migrants in their Pride worship services and Pride March activities. Others will focus on World Refugee Day, which takes place annually on June 20th. Yet others are considering activities such as bake-sales to benefit programs that provide housing and food, film screenings, and providing lodgings for LGBTQ+ forced migrant community members. All of these activities will emphasize the Christian responsibility to extend a radical welcome to those who are in need. A running listing of planned events and activities will be provided on the Rainbow Initiative webpage.

The Rainbow Initiative pursues the objectives of 2022 General Convention Resolution D045, which directs The Episcopal Church to focus attention on the plight of people who have fled their country of origin after having been persecuted for their sexual orientation or gender identity. Janet Day-Strehlow, who proposed the resolution and is involved with the Initiative as an advisor and as a parishioner at the Church of the Ascension in Munich, Germany, shares the following: “When the Committee on Social Justice & International Policy proposed this resolution at General Convention, we wanted to raise awareness to the plight of LGBTQ+ forced migrants. We were overwhelmed with the amount of support the resolution received at the time of the on-line hearings. But even more overwhelming is to see how EMM is putting feet to the resolution by the creation of the Rainbow Initiative, plotting a course for the future, to give not only visibility but tools for our congregations and other groups to work with. I am excited to see where the Rainbow Initiative will go and filled with gratitude to EMM.”

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Episcopal Migration Ministries is a ministry of The Episcopal Church and one of 10 national agencies responsible for resettling refugees in the U.S. in partnership with the government. In addition to its longstanding work in refugee resettlement, EMM is The Episcopal Church’s convening place for collaboration, education, and information-sharing on migration.  

Learn more: Those interested in learning more about EMM’s work can find information and resources at episcopalmigrationministries.org. Sign up for the EMM newsletter or Weekly News Digest here. 

To give: To directly support EMM in its work with refugees and asylum seekers, visit episcopalmigrationministries.org/give, or text “EMM” to 41444 (standard messaging and data may rates apply). To donate by mail, send checks to DFMS-Protestant Episcopal Church US; P.O. Box 958983; St. Louis, MO 63195-8983 (include Episcopal Migration Ministries – in the memo line).