What RGBM is Thankful For: A Thanksgiving Borderland Update
In this season of thanksgiving, we want to express our gratitude to the many people, organizations, and places that support the work of RGBM and allow us to continue our work of welcoming the stranger. This week’s brief borderland update on what RGBM is thankful for comes from The Rev. Canon Lee Curtis. From all of us at RGBM, Happy Thanksgiving.
We hope you had the chance to watch the video announcing our parish partnership program! We look forward to walking alongside you as you discern your call to welcome the stranger and support the work of RGBM. Questions? Connect with our project coordinator Nellie Fagan (admin@riograndeborderland.org). Click the button below to learn more about parish partnerships and download our sample covenant
RGBM Cycle of Prayer
We want to pray for the thousands of Border Patrol represented by those in our Diocese and along our borders. We pray for peace amidst the loss and hardships they endure, that they would have the resources they need to do their jobs well, and for strong and compassionate leadership as they seek to keep their country safe.
We thank God for the way the Holy Spirit is moving many to compassion for Afghan refugees. We pray specifically for the little touches of home, like the quilts donated by women in Marble Falls, Texas, to bring comfort in a stressful transition. We pray for hearts and homes ready to receive refugees and immigrants across the country this week as so many are looking for a safe and welcoming place. We pray for those still in transition, separated from loved ones. May God bring them to a place they can call home.
There is a difference between peace-making and peace-keeping. Many of us were taught to value the second one more than the first, but Matthew 5:9 says, "Blessed are the peaceMAKERS, for they shall be called sons of God." A peacemaker creates peace where peace doesn't exist. This is not surface-level work. It takes time, commitment, and effort. As we see the holiday season approaching, many of us are already praying about how we can cultivate peace in our families. We are praying with you that we can individually and collectively be peacemakers in our families and communities this season.
It may feel overwhelming or intimidating, but we cannot walk away from the calling to participate in peacemaking.
We pray for our leaders as they continue to negotiate and try to find a way forward on the reconciliation package, part of which includes steps toward immigration relief and reform. May they work together with wisdom toward the common good.
As we look at statistics and see the news about people coming to the southern border, let us remember that each number represents a life, a family member, and a story. Let us not forget to pray for those in need of a safe place and all those who step out to advocate for them and welcome them along the way.
So many of us know grief and heartbreak intimately. Coming alongside immigrant and refugee families often means encountering heartbreak. It can lead us to ask why, but we love this reminder from Ann Voskamp that God allows His heart to break, too.
When we talk about our commitment to welcoming immigrants and refugees, one common pushback we hear starts with this phrase, "What about..." People share their concerns about U.S. children in foster care, veterans who are homeless, and other vulnerable populations inside of our borders. Shouldn't we be caring about those groups before dedicating our time and energy to those outside of our country?
Some people develop the idea that we have to prioritize one vulnerable population over another or that these populations must be in competition with each other. RGBM believes every person is made in the image of God and all are of equal importance to him. This truth gives us the freedom to advocate for anyone that we know of that finds themselves in need.
It can be hard to know where to start. We believe prayer is a great place to begin!
Ask the Lord to open our eyes to the people around us and the ways we may be equipped to help. The imagery of the Body of Christ reminds us that we all have unique callings, and this is a beautiful thing! We highly encourage you to get involved wherever you feel God is inviting you to serve.
Let's pray this week for the global body of Christ, that we would work together for unity. May we be united in our love for God and our love for our neighbors. May we support each other in our callings and may we ask God how we can be God's hands and feet in this world, starting with our own communities. Amen.