Refugees: what are we doing

The LCA has committed to welcome, host, advocate for and ‘actively support’ refugees.

Delegates at the church’s 18th General Convention of Synod last year in Queensland overwhelmingly supported the call by the Commission on Social and Bioethical Questions (CSBQ) and Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) to do just that (see The Lutheran, October 2015).

The proposal also called on the LCA to encourage congregations and individuals to work to understand the needs of refugees, charged all church members with providing hospitality and support to new arrivals, and issued a challenge to speak out against injustice.

CSBQ member and Lutheran Community Care (LCC) SA/NT Director Helen Lockwood, who presented the proposal to Synod, is also on the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce. Supported by the National Council of Churches in Australia, the taskforce is an avenue for churches to encourage the support of refugees.

Mrs Lockwood (hlockwood@lccare.org.au) is the contact person for congregations interested in providing practical assistance to refugees. LCC will work with ALWS to develop a resource to give guidance and help people connect with other denominations and settlement services already doing this work in their areas.

On 5 February LCA Bishop John Henderson wrote to members regarding the practice of churches offering sanctuary to asylum seekers (see pages 23,24) and dedicated part of his report for the last synodical term to the subject of refugees and asylum seekers (full report on the LCA Synod website).

In part, he said: ‘Many of us continue to be appalled … about the way refugees fleeing danger and death in their home countries are being treated when they attempt to arrive in Australia in leaky boats.

‘Many people in the LCA work tirelessly for refugees, helping them find a place in our church and in our society. I encourage you to join forces with like-minded people in your community, such as refugee advocacy groups, and work with them collectively for a better and more humanitarian approach.’

This feature story comes from The Lutheran March 2016. Visit the website to find out more about The Lutheran or to subscribe.