Holston Statement
1/27/2025
There are members throughout our Holston Conference churches and communities now living in fear due to executive orders of the new federal government administration. Will they be deported? Will their children arrive home from school and find no parents? There is much uncertainty about the legalities and implementation of these executive orders, causing worry, stress, and anxiety across our Conference.
The United Methodist Church’s General Board of Church and Society recently issued a statement that it “vehemently opposes” the planned mass deportation policies, which are “not only antithetical to the foundational values of our democracy but also contradict the United Methodist Church’s Social Principles on immigration, and the Wesleyan theological tradition.” The General Board further stated, “Grounded in fear, hate and falsehoods, U.S. immigration policy calling for mass deportation of millions of people, is not an act of justice but a failure to recognize the sacred worth of every individual.”
These executive orders of the new administration exacerbate the suffering among our vulnerable—immigrants, marginalized communities, and the poor--and run counter to our shared humanity. We must remember the teachings of Christ, who calls us to embrace the stranger and defend the oppressed. In this critical moment, it is vital that we as Christians stand together as a voice for justice and mercy for those who cannot protect themselves. To remain silent or inactive now will only embolden injustice and make it harder to resist the harm that will follow.
In response to the needs of Holston Conference church members and clergy, the Conference’s Church and Society Committee is working to bring together needed training and to assemble pertinent information for those affected by these policies. We are actively looking to coordinate resources within our Conference, as well as search for other necessary expertise wherever we can find it, to assist our brothers and sisters in Christ.
If you have questions or would like to learn more about how your church can get involved, please do not hesitate to reach out to Holston Conference Church and Society members by emailing churchandsociety@holston.org.