December 10, 2025
Friday morning, Congresswoman Doris Matsui held a press conference with NorCal Resist and the Council on American-Islamic Relations Sacramento Valley Central California (CAIR-SVCC) pushing back against the Trump Administration’s targeting of the Afghan community in the Sacramento region and across the country.
The Congresswoman shared her personal experiences about her family members being racially profiled, detained and incarcerated during World War II. Other advocates spoke about driving an Afghan family to a “check-in” point with ICE, the family in the car crying with fear that they may not see this family member again.
In our scripture readings this Sunday we hear “Welcome one another therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you…” (Romans 15:7) This is in sharp contrast to the regular announcements we hear that target immigrant communities in our midst, including those from Afghanistan and Somalia.
We cannot accept the targeting of any portion of our nation’s population. We cannot allow ourselves to drift onto the road that leads to dehumanizing another group. It is a slow road but its far end is terrible.
It denies our history as a nation – we have never, ever, been just one sort of people in this land. We are always a diverse group of people. Therein lies our greatest strength. And there also lies our calling as Christians.
From Cain and Abel, we have been called to find out a way to live together peaceably with each group building up the whole and all of us receiving benefits. When we live well and struggle well, it is a crowning gift. And if we fail or give up, it is our greatest sorrow.
Living together takes work; as is true in any family, hating one another cannot move us forward into any good future. If we hang onto hateful feelings for very long, we ourselves become personally infected. Because this is true, God has given us another way – the path that Jesus himself took – this is the path of reconciling love. I urge us, that, for every incitement to dividing anger and dehumanizing indifference, we take a small action of love, or gentleness, or listening, or forgiveness. Anything approaching a one to one match of love to hate; this will convert our hearts and our seeing. Our time hearing the negative will be more than balanced by the good God is planting in his world, in our daily conversations and decisions.
Because Christ has first loved us we stand for a fierce caring that leads to peace.
The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California aligns with the broader church’s advocacy for comprehensive immigration reform, including protections for DACA recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and refugee admissions.
What can you do?
Parishes and interfaith groups throughout our diocese have opened their arms and welcomed many immigrants to their communities in recent years. They have rolled up their sleeves and done what people of Faith do – welcome the stranger and assist them with their needs. In the current season, these same dear people that we now call neighbors and friends are facing challenges to their legal refugee and asylum-seeker status.
There are many ways to support our neighbors:
- Visit our Migrant Support network website- we add resources here, weekly. Share with others that are interested.
- One way to assist our neighbors is to accompany them to legal proceedings. Our accompaniment provides them comfort and companionship. If you are interested in learning about accompaniment, please attend a virtual training course by NorCal Resist. They will host a training on December 15, 2025 at 6:30 pm, join usng this link : https://tinyurl.com/NCRDec15
- Sign up for the Episcopal Church Immigration Updates
- Episcopal Migration Response Network will host a Prayer Vigil on Monday, December 15, 12 PM Pacific – Register Here
- La Ventana – podcast by the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. This podcast shares Advent stories of movement and migration, plus they will host online gatherings and live discussions.
- If you are in the Sacramento area, you may wish to take part in the interfaith La Posada next Thursday, December 18 at 2 p.m., hosted by the faith-based organizing group, SacACT. (See elsewhere in the E-News for more information.
Best wishes, friends,
Bishop Megan
