Dear friends,

In September the synod council, staff, and conference deans gathered in Tucson for a weekend of church business, worship, fellowship, and a border immersion experience. The experience comes out of our commitment to live into our strategic plan of communicating Jesus: “We will grow our public witness through advocacy, integrating our ELCA theology and engagement with current issues and contextual realities.”

The workshop included time to examine our perceptions and current knowledge and attitudes around border issues, to actually cross the border and visit our Lutheran-Episcopal ministry, Cruzando Fronteras, and worship with the GCS’s oldest Spanish speaking congregation, Iglesia San Juan Bautista and hear personal stories of their members. We also made commitments of how to share this experience with their congregations, conferences, friends and family. 

A few participants expressed the initial fears and concerns they had about crossing the border in Nogales. They feared gangs, drugs or guns—those things the media can play up. What they found, instead, were people—mothers, fathers, families who were shopping, eating out, playing in the park, visiting the cemetery. Our group visited two shelters where people are waiting to be interviewed by border agents. We learned about the violence they left behind and the hope that they would be chosen to enter the United States with the possibility of a new future. 

One participant said to me, “I was reluctant to come this weekend, but I’m glad I did. My fears were unfounded. I learned that we are on different paths and speak different languages, yet we want many of the same things—hope, safety, and stability for our families.”

Ministry is a team sport and we were able to do this with much assistance. My thanks to:

• Our Saviour’s and Iglesia San Juan Bautista for hosting the group;

• Planning team Pastors Jeff Kallevig, Mateo Chavez, and Miguel Gomez-Acosta, as well as Theresa Thornburgh and Brian Flatgard;

• Speakers Rev. Dr. Javier (Jay) Alanís, from Lutheran Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, Mary Campbell, Program Director with AMMPARO, and Heidi Ubina with Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest;

• Deacon Rodger Babnew who is also the primary leader of the shared Lutheran-Episcopal ministry of Cruzando Fronteras; and 

• The Synod Council and Conference Deans who made the time to participate. 

You can link here to view reports, resources, and reflections of the participants. Feel free to share them with people you know.

My hope and prayer is that through these experiences we can look into the faces of those who are living in fear and see the face of Christ, and be moved to act with what Christ has taught us of offering God’s love and compassion to all, no exceptions.

In Christ, 

The Rev. Deborah K. Hutterer
Bishop
Grand Canyon Synod of the ELCA