From Episcopal Life Online-
The Episcopal Church's House of Bishops will meet Sept. 15-21 in Phoenix for its regular fall meeting as planned, including an optional pre-meeting trip to the U.S.-Mexican border, despite public outcry over Arizona's recent enactment of the nation's toughest immigration law and calls for a boycott.
"It's an opportunity to be educated, to be informed and to make a public statement about solidarity with people that are victims in this, and there are victims on both sides, which is important to emphasize," said Arizona Bishop Kirk Smith in a telephone interview. "We will accomplish a lot more by being here, learning, hearing and responding about it and standing in solidarity with people suffering instead of taking the easy way out by saying 'Let's go meet someplace else.'"
The Arizona law aims to identify, prosecute and deport illegal immigrants. Smith has joined state ecumenical leaders in protest of the law and has voiced support for court challenges to it.
The meeting's agenda had already included time for the bishops to discuss immigration, border issues, and evangelism, stewardship and congregational development among Hispanic populations, Smith said. After the law's passage, the meeting was expanded to include the optional border trip and the opportunity to hear from Arizonians on both sides of the issue. The diocese also hopes to schedule a meeting with the Coalition of Episcopal Latinos, which will be meeting in nearby Scottsdale.
Smith added that he hopes at the close of the meeting bishops will issue a public statement in solidarity with those most affected by the law.
More here-
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79425_122199_ENG_HTM.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment