A special webinar highlighting the vital refugee work of Episcopal Migration Ministries featuring artist and iconographer Kelly Latimore in conversation with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.
“The Work of Your Church: An Evening in Support of Episcopal Migration Ministries” was held at 6 p.m. ET Wednesday, June 23, moderated by the Rev. Charles Robertson, canon to the presiding bishop for ministry beyond The Episcopal Church. Through the lens of religious iconography, the webinar focused on the past, present and future work of Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) in responding to the needs of refugees and asylum seekers.
An iconic poster produced in 1938 by the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, titled In the Name of These Refugees, guided discussion of EMM’s historic roots, which include serving new U.S. immigrants in the late 1800s and helping finance steamship passage in the 1930s for those fleeing Nazi Europe.
EMM’s current and future ministry will be depicted in a new commissioned work by the St. Louis-based Latimore, who has painted religious icons for 10 years. His works have featured prominently in recent years in Episcopal and Roman Catholic communities. In 2020, Latimore’s icon Mama, showing a Black Mary holding a crucified Black Jesus who resembles George Floyd, became a visible image at Black Lives Matter demonstrations, Christian Century magazine reported.
The 60-minute event included a moderated panel discussion followed by a Q&A. Participants were invited to donate to EMM’s life-saving resettlement and engagement work.
View the recording here.
