Greeting the Crowd

Photo Courtesy of St. Paul and St. Andrew United Methodist Church

St. Paul and St. Andrew Building Manager Danny Aponte (back to camera) greets the arriving crowd on a recent Miracle Monday.

NYC Church Creates Miracles for Migrants on Mondays

by

A United Methodist Insight Special

Last Christmas Eve, an immigrant father and his two children came to St. Paul and St. Andrew United Methodist Church on New York City's West Side. In frigid winter weather, all that the father wore on his feet were a pair of hard-plastic, hole-punched clogs.

For the senior pastor, the Rev. K Karpen, the father's plea for help was the moment when his church's efforts to aid the months-long influx of asylum seekers came into sharpest focus.

"He walked all the way to the border in those clogs," the senior pastor called Pastor K told United Methodist Insight during an online interview. "That's all he had."

St. Paul and St. Andrew UMC's staff and members swung quickly into action, finding sneakers and clothing for the family along with locating other supplies and services to help them. When offered a second pair of shoes, the father declined.

"He said he had enough, that someone else would need the shoes," said Pastor K.

Making miracles since August 2022

Those are the kinds of miracles that St. Paul and St. Andrew UMC – known by its acronym SPSA – has been creating for immigrants since August 2022, when Republican governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Ron DeSantis of Florida began busing asylum seekers to so-called "Democratic" cities as a political ploy. In the United Methodist Church, the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministries plans a bilingual webinar May 31 to review how new anti-immigrant laws in Texas and Florida may affect church ministries with migrants.

SPSA's efforts to help immigrants are typical of its history. Founded in 1834 in New York City as the Second Wesleyan Chapel, the congregation has upheld John Wesley's social outreach tradition, especially among the city's most vulnerable populations. Its staff and volunteers say the congregation has a strong community theology centered on Jesus's teachings, especially his exhortations in Matthew 25 to care for those in need. The church began working for immigration justice in 2016 when it joined the Sanctuary Movement to shelter migrants. In 2018-2019 the church sheltered an immigrant mother facing deportation until her case was resolved.

By the second week of August, SPSA had sheltered five migrants. With the help of a United Methodist-related organization, Justice for Our Neighbors, SPSA was organizing meals, clothing, and immigration legal assistance.

Word of mouth spread quickly, as SPSA became known as a resource for both bused-in asylum seekers and immigrants already in New York City. Initially welcoming 30 to 40 people on Mondays, the ranks of those requesting assistance swelled. By November 2022, SPSA had organized its assistance into Miracle Mondays, serving 100 or more people weekly.

In May, Rev. Matthew announced that Miracle Mondays was making another adaptation to deal with the increasing numbers of people needing help.

"We were getting 300 people a day, and we became aware that there was inequity in our distribution," she said. "By the time people at the end of the line reached the help tables, we could be out of Welcome Backpacks, or clothing, or bagels for breakfast."

As of May 15, those who miss out on resources will receive "priority cards" that put them at the head of the line for the next distribution date, Rev. Matthew said in an email.

Community participation

From the first, SPSA's efforts to aid immigrants have caught the attention of its neighbors. In addition to JFON, now renamed Immigration Law and Justice New York (ILJNY), SPSA has partnered with Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the New York Annual Conference, and some three dozen local community services. Jewish and Muslim congregations in the neighborhood also have joined SPSA to help immigrants.

Rev. Matthew praised the Upper West Side faith communities that have joined Miracle Mondays.

"They have really stepped to make this a collaborative effort," she said. "An expansive network has developed, and we're only able to do this because of it."

When immigrants come to SPSA for help, a benefits table provides information on getting Metrocards for transportation and SNAP food benefits. Children's Aid registers youngsters for preschool and people can get medical checks and Medicaid applications.

One of the biggest successes for Miracle Mondays has been its distribution of Welcome Backpacks. The backpacks have contained water, snacks, clothing, information, Metrocards, and more in a form that helps immigrants navigate themselves around New York City.

The effort has had both financial and physical costs. For example, Pastor K said, Miracle Mondays has cost around $130,000 to date, sustained by SPSA members' donations and grants from UMCOR, the New York Conference and other sources.

"We're at a moment of re-assessing," Pastor K told Insight. "One day we polled about 100 folks for information on what they currently need. We're being super-overwhelmed by the numbers of folks who are coming for help."

U.S. immigration policies hit migrants hard

Pastor K and the Rev. Paul Fleck of ILJNY attributed the constant increase of those in need to U.S. immigration policies and practices.

"For example, people who come to us have to change their venue for immigration proceedings to New York City," Rev. Fleck explained. "They may have come into the U.S. from Atlanta or Milwaukee or Portland because of family connections or a job, but if they don't change their venue, they'll miss their hearing dates, and their asylum requests will be denied."

Rev. Fleck continued: "The real tragedy is we can't represent everyone. Not everyone has a strong asylum claim, and they have different situations (depending on what country they come from)."

The attorney also disputed popular views that characterize immigrants as criminals.

"The majority of folks want legal authorization to work to give their families a safer home," Mr. Fleck said. "What they go through to get here is just amazing. Unfortunately, we just don't have the capacity to serve everyone (with legal assistance)."

Communication with those in need proved to be another obstacle, said Rev. Matthew.

"We soon learned that our volunteers needed to learn Spanish and that the migrants needed to learn English," the associate pastor said. "Jessie Floyd, Pastor K's daughter, has become our resident teacher."

Across the United States, polls show resistance to welcoming immigrants. For example, The Marshal Project's May 17 newsletter linked to a New York Magazine article regarding immigration and the 2024 election with this quote: “The big question now is whether anti-immigrant sentiment has now spread throughout the electorate to the point where harsh nativist rhetoric will become a big asset for Trump (or whoever Republicans nominate) against Joe Biden, whose party is divided and on the defensive on the subject.” 

Surprisingly, given the U.S. political climate described above, SPSA staff and members say they've had no discernible pushback to the church's welcoming and aiding hundreds of immigrants.

A replicable model others can use

As news of Miracle Mondays has spread, SPSA has found itself becoming a resource for other faith communities that want to start similar welcoming ministries.

"Miracle Mondays is really a replicable model; all it takes to start is a table and a site," Rev. Matthew said. "It will quickly fill up with community partners."

Pastor K concurred. "We know these immigrant needs are happening all over. Conferences around the country all have an opportunity to engage in similar ministries."

So why would a United Methodist congregation step out in such a bold way to help people that some Americans consider a threat to U.S. society?

Pastor K had a quick answer: "We think Jesus would do this."

Rev. Fleck chimed in: "This is a real Matthew 25 moment. We've found community with these folks."

Rev. Matthew amplified their enthusiastic responses.

"Miracle Mondays is a response to immigrants' direct needs, but we are part of a bigger project for immigration reform," she said. "Other people are working to correct the system. U.S. immigration policy is corrupt and racist."

Rev. Matthew added that the current crisis didn't start when border states began sending immigrants elsewhere.

"This is a problem that's been a long time coming," she said. "We can deny these things in our own communities but it's something that could have been predicted long before now."

Mr. Fleck added: "Migration is a human right and it appalls me that people wouldn't be treated with dignity, compassion and love."

Pastor K concurred: "There's a narrative around that there is something illegal about seeking asylum. People have a right to apply for asylum, it’s legal, although the process itself is flawed. Our immigrants aren't a burden; they're an asset."

On May 22, Miracle Mondays will celebrate its six-month anniversary with a hot breakfast and live music. Rev. Matthew said she expects the celebration will be a loud, joyful, and slightly chaotic time filled with warm hospitality.

Veteran communicator Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, an online journal of news and views she founded in 2011 to serve as a media channel for marginalized and under-represented voices in the United Methodist Church. To reproduce this content elsewhere, please email for permission.