{"id":7803,"date":"2021-02-23T09:59:01","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T14:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/bishop\/?p=7803"},"modified":"2021-02-23T09:59:01","modified_gmt":"2021-02-23T14:59:01","slug":"connections-welcoming-the-stranger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/bishop\/2021\/02\/connections-welcoming-the-stranger\/","title":{"rendered":"connections: Welcoming the Stranger"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"connections: Welcoming the Stranger\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/515362012?app_id=122963\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Bishop Ward invites us to join the event &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/welcoming-the-stranger-with-the-nc-conference-of-the-umc-tickets-140224379895\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Welcoming the Stranger<\/a>&#8221; as she and Mike Frese read stories from persons fleeing violence and danger in their countries, hoping to relocate to the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ.&nbsp;<br><br>I invite you to an event Thursday evening this week, that will enrich your Lenten journey. The North Carolina Annual Conference in partnership with Motus Theater is presenting an on-line program, &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/welcoming-the-stranger-with-the-nc-conference-of-the-umc-tickets-140224379895\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Welcoming the Stranger.<\/a>&#8220;<br><br>Just one year ago, those in the Residency in Ordained Ministry journey, the Cabinet, and I were in McAllen, TX, and in Reynosa,&nbsp;MX &#8211; EM and in&nbsp;Brownsville, TX, and Matamoras, MX. We learned about the ministries of The United Methodist Church with those on the border and we were privileged&nbsp;to hear the stories of people who had come to the border, fleeing violence and danger.<br><br>The Motus Theater helps us hear stories that clarify for us the realities in our world. Mike Freese, the district superintendent in the Corridor district, and I will have the privilege&nbsp;of reading stories written by those who cannot speak their own stories due to their undocumented status. These stories are urgent. We need to hear them and I hope you will be a part of the virtual gathering this week as we seek to grow in our capacity to follow Jesus who said to welcome the stranger. When we do, Jesus said, we are welcoming Christ.&nbsp;<br><br>May your Lent continue to abound in opportunities to grow deeper in our shared faith and to become stronger and more vigilant in Christian witness in all the world.&nbsp;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bishop Ward invites us to join the event &#8220;Welcoming the Stranger&#8221; as she and Mike Frese read stories from persons fleeing violence and danger in their countries, hoping to relocate to the United 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