Bishop Ward and others celebrate the opening of a JFON Immigration Legal Clinic in Fayetteville which will help neighbors navigate the immigration legal process.
Bishop Ward:
As we celebrate the reign of Christ, the appointed text from the gospel is Matthew 25. Jesus welcomes those who have fed the hungry, who have clothed the naked, who have visited those in prison, who have cared for those who are sick. We celebrate Justice for our Neighbors and the opening of this amazing ministry in our midst. Surely, Jesus who reigns over all things smiles upon this effort. Thank you for your support for JFON and its ministry.
Scott Foster:
Well, we’re out here today in downtown Fayetteville to talk about the grand opening for Justice for our Neighbors, a non-profit immigration law clinic which is part of the network of The United Methodist Church. There are about 18 or 20 of these clinics across the country and through about two, two and a half years of work, through the church that I serve at Saint Andrew’s United Methodist and several others in the community, we’re getting this started and we’re very excited about it.
Brenda Bautista:
We’ve got beautiful offices here at 100 Hay Street, Suite 300 in a beautiful historic building. We chose this because it’s very accessible. People can get here by bus, they can drive, they can walk if they’re in the area.
Donna Akuamoah:
So many immigrants live in the shadows. That’s just the reality. There are many people who are here in the United States without the right status or don’t know what to do to be able to get their immigration documentation together, and our goal is to be that space where people can come to ask the questions and find the resources. So even if we don’t have the answer, we’re connected to a network, a national network of attorneys, immigration attorneys who can help connect us to a person who can assist. When you come here you are treated just like anybody else. We don’t care who you are, where you’re from, we love you, we support you, we’re here to listen to you, to learn from you, and to work together.
Scott Foster:
We’ve applied for some grants when it comes to Mission Seed Funds or from the Board of Church and Society or other funds from the Conference and we have gotten some of those grants and I think it was the Immigration and Refugee Committee too. They have helped us out to open up with three employees, two of them being part-time, one being full-time and no we wouldn’t be able to do it without those funds.
Brenda Bautista:
We are excited to get started and we invite everybody to come take a look but more importantly, get involved. If you have a skill you’d like to share, if you have a passion for immigration and you want to learn more, if you have a few extra dollars at the end of the year, please think of us. We are a not for profit and we depend on donations to keep this up and running.
Bishop Ward:
We celebrate Justice for our Neighbors and the new legal assistance clinic in Fayetteville as we approach the reign of Christ this Sunday. I hope you will join me in giving a gift so that this ministry might be sustained into the future. May Christ be with you as you celebrate the reign of Christ over all things.