An hour-long webinar to explore the current status of Syria’s refugees will be presented on Monday, December 8 at no fee.

Facilitated by Allison Duvall, Church Relations Manager for Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), the Church’s refugee resettlement agency, and Katie Conway, Episcopal Church Policy Analyst for Immigration and Refugees, the free churchwide webinar on Monday, December 8 begins at 7 pm Eastern (6 pm Central/5 pm Mountain/4 pm Pacific/3 pm Alaska/2 pm Hawaii). The webinar will be available on-demand following the event.

Participation is via registration here

Questions are welcomed and encouraged and can be submitted via the webinar chat room or on social media using #ShareTheJourney.

The facilitators will provide an overview of the conflict, the current status of Syria’s growing number of refugees, an update from the region, and what can be done in communities to prepare the way to welcome Syrian refugees as they arrive in the United States.

“Over 3.2 million Syrian refugees have fled their homes since the outbreak of civil war in 2011,” Conway said.  “Most have fled to the neighboring countries of Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and Iraq.”

Duvall added, “As the conflict continues to create new waves of refugees, neighboring asylum countries have been stretched beyond the breaking point as they try to provide protection and assistance.”

To serve these refugees and to enable countries within the region to continue providing sanctuary, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has asked resettlement countries, of which the United States is the global leader, to increase admissions for Syrian refugees.

Resources

The webinar is ideal for Sunday forums, discussion groups, youth groups, and formation classes.  A discussion guide isavailable here

For more information contact Duvall, or Conway

Episcopal Migration Ministries

Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) is the refugee resettlement agency of The Episcopal Church. Each year EMM works in partnership with its affiliate network, along with dioceses, faith communities and volunteers, to welcome refugees from conflict zones across the globe.

#ShareTheJourney as EMM celebrates 75 years of The Episcopal Church resettling refugees in the United States. #ShareTheJourney is a multi-media effort to educate, form, and equip Episcopalians to engage in loving service with resettled refugees and to become prophetic witnesses and advocates on behalf of refugees, asylees, migrants, and displaced persons throughout the world.

The Episcopal Public Policy Network

The Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN) is a grassroots network of Episcopalians across the country dedicated to carrying out the Baptismal Covenant call to “strive for justice and peace” through the active ministry of public policy advocacy. EPPN is part of The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations located in Washington, DC. The actions, programs, and ministry of the Office of Government Relations are based entirely on policies approved by the Church meeting in General Convention or by the Executive Council. As Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori reminds us, “The voices of the people of faith must be a prophetic impetus for lasting change, toward healing the body of God.” http://advocacy.episcopalchurch.org/home