From Crisis to Community: The Enduring Lutheran Commitment to Refugees

For over 85 years, Lutherans have lived out the call to welcome the stranger, providing refuge and support for those displaced by war, conflict, and oppression. This legacy, now carried forward by Global Refuge (formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service), is a testament to our enduring commitment to walk alongside those seeking safety and a new beginning.

From its early days responding to the needs of World War II refugees to welcoming Afghan evacuees in 2021, the Lutheran church has played a critical role in refugee resettlement. In 1939, the National Lutheran Council established a welfare department dedicated to helping displaced persons. By the end of World War II, Lutherans had resettled over 30,000 refugees from Germany and Eastern Europe. Since then, the work has expanded to crises in Hungary, Cuba, Uganda, Vietnam, the Balkans, Sudan, Afghanistan, and the U.S.-Mexico border.

Today, Global Refuge continues this vital ministry, providing resettlement, economic empowerment, mental health services, family reunification, and support for those displaced by climate disasters. This work is deeply rooted in our faith, as we are reminded in Matthew 25:35: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

As long as there are those in need of a warm welcome, we will be here to extend our hands and hearts. Learn how you and your congregation can be part of this ongoing mission by supporting Global Refuge at globalrefuge.org/get-involved.