Dear friends,
In the summer of 2022, The Episcopal Church passed General Convention Resolution D045: “On Supporting LGBTIQ+ Refugees and Asylum Seekers.” The resolution called on the Church to focus attention on “persons forced to seek refugee or asylee status because they fear being persecuted based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and/or sex characteristics” through advocacy and also asked Episcopal Migration Ministries to “highlight the issues surrounding LGBTQI+ refugees and asylees and offer information on ways of support, including … for example, in their Toolkit for Congregations.” Honoring that request, we are offering this resource, The Rainbow Initiative Toolkit for Congregations, to Episcopal congregations and the broader community of individuals and organizations that work with and for people who have been forced from their home countries in search of safety.
The statement The Episcopal Church made with resolution D045 is important and timely. In 2023 and continuing into 2024, it is illegal to be LGBTQ+ in about 70 countries, and 11 of those prescribe the death penalty. In many more countries, attacks against and murder of LGBTQ+ people go unprosecuted. Religion is used to justify much of the persecution that LGBTQ+ people face worldwide, including in countries in which member churches of the Anglican Communion are present. Here at home, various U.S. state governments are passing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, causing members of the LGBTQ+ community to consider and take steps to move to different parts of the country so they can live safely and access the medical care they need and deserve.
As the migration ministry of The Episcopal Church and a refugee resettlement agency since 1988, EMM serves newly arriving refugees and other forcibly displaced persons, and the local organizations and churches that welcome and support them. Some individuals who arrived in the country as refugees, and those who come to the country seeking protection through the asylum process, have fled persecution because of their LGBTQ+ identity. EMM’s responsibility to support and welcome this population is twofold: 1) As a refugee resettlement agency, we equip our resettlement partners to provide culturally appropriate services and orientation to all newcomers, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 2) As a ministry of the church, we are called to provide education, worship and prayer resources, and opportunities for service in migration ministry to all congregations. Through the Rainbow Initiative and this toolkit, we aim specifically to increase awareness, understanding, sensitivity, and ability to take action to advocate for, welcome, and support LGBTQ+ forced migrants.
This toolkit is merely a starting place for personal and congregational learning, prayer, witness, and service. We hope you find the materials meaningful, and that they inspire you and others to take additional steps. Please feel free to contact us at any time with questions, and to discuss opportunities for welcome and sponsorship of LGBTQ+ forced migrants and other newcomers. We look forward to working with you.
Faithfully,
Sarah Shipman
Director, Episcopal Migration Ministries
