Refugees in Crisis: Where Is the Church?

Spectrum Editors | May 28, 2022 | Analysis | Reports

An ADRA International & Adventist Peace Fellowship Presentation

More than 82 million forcibly displaced people currently wander the world. Among them are 26 million refugees—from Ukraine and Afghanistan, Syria and Venezuela, Myanmar and Somalia, Iraq, South Sudan, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Chad, Haiti, to name only a few—and about half are children under the age of 18. Where is the Adventist Church during this overwhelming disaster?

Please join a virtual townhall featuring several experts focused on raising awareness to varied levels of the global refugee crisis. This virtual townhall takes place Saturday, June 4, 5:00-6:30 p.m. EST and will be livestreamed and recorded. To join Saturday’s session, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxaVFCQ4uD8

Panelists include Dr. Herma Percy (moderator), Director of Advocacy, (ADRA) International;
Isabela Cunha, Civil Society Advocacy Specialist at UNICEF; Jennifer Woods, Esq., Director of Government Affairs of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church; Gabriella Phillips, Coordinator for Adventist Muslim Relations in the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists; Pastor Doug Hardt, Ukrainian Relief Coordinator, Markham Woods Seventh-day Adventist Church; and Pastor Moe Stiles, Masters Applicant in Refugee Studies, Melbourne, Australia.

World Refugee Sabbath has been designated for June 18, 2022. This year the Adventist Development & Relief Agency (ADRA) has partnered with Adventist Peace Fellowship to provide some resources, along with this townhall, to Adventist churches and ministry leaders for use in Sabbath School or during a worship service. Resources include brief videos of local Adventist congregations who are responding with creative and inspiring actions; an Advocate newsletter, sermon ideas for Sabbath worship; and an overview of practical ways church members can become involved. Resources can be found at http://adventistpeace.org and https://adra.org/worldrefugeesabbath

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