Refugee Sunday at St. John’s Cathedral – April 3

So often we remember times spent with family, from going to Grandmother’s house for Easter Sunday lunch as a child to hosting family for Thanksgiving as an adult. We cherish the people we spend time with but also the places – the backyard for a family bar-b-que, the Southbank Riverwalk for good views of fireworks, an annual family pilgrimage to a favorite nature preserve or to a favorite restaurant, or our weekly refuge in the beauty and peace of the Cathedral nave. Our peaceful worship was slightly delayed a few Sundays ago when the implosion of the Berkman II building happened with a thundering rumble and reverberating explosives blasts. This delay was for all of a minute or two. We cannot even imagine living in a city where the explosions suddenly begin and are seemingly non-stop, where the buildings housing people and even a hospital are reduced to rubble, where power is cut off for days and weeks, and the food supply chain abruptly ends. We have been fortunate to not experience this in our city the way that countless Ukrainians have in Kyiv, Odessa, or Mariupol. We can find refuge in our own homes, our own place of worship, and our own city. We do not need to become traveling refugees.

Refugees are people who have been forced to flee their home country because of war, persecution, or violence. They must establish a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social or ethnic group. While at the present time we are very aware of the people leaving Ukraine, this is not the only nation with many citizens seeking refuge in another country. Here in Jacksonville, a coordinated effort continues to house more than 50 families who have fled Afghanistan since this past summer. Other nations with many people leaving include Syria, Venezuela, South Sudan, and Myanmar. As of January of this year, one-quarter of the total population of Lebanon consists of Syrian refugees. (https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org, January 18, 2022). Proportionally, that is the equivalent of 110 million people entering the USA in a brief period of time seeking refuge.

In challenging times, we ask, “How can I help? What can I do” It seems like the efforts of one person living in the relatively safe environs of Jacksonville will have a negligible impact on the enormity of the problem. Yet, if one person can contribute, and then many other people make a similar small contribution, our combined efforts can help address the problem for some refugees. We look at those people that we spend time with and think that if these faces of our loved ones were the people suddenly displaced from their home, their livelihood, and in some cases their family, what would I hope that others might do to help them. Here are some thoughts:

Locally, The Providence Center on Duval Street two blocks from the Cathedral accepts donations Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. of household goods and furniture that will equip an apartment or rental home for refugees coming to Jacksonville. Even as Afghan refugees are still being housed, Ukrainian refugees are expected soon in Jacksonville. The entrance for donations is at the back door of the building on the Church Street side with ample parking near the door.

Globally, Episcopal Relief & Development is on the ground in Ukraine and can turn your monetary contributions into food, clothing, and shelter for people who were suddenly and even violently displaced. Donations may be made online here. If you prefer, you may make a donation through St. John’s either by check or online, noting that the contribution is for relief in Ukraine. All the money donated with this designation will go to Episcopal Relief & Development to directly assist people in Ukraine.

Personal prayer, such as offering this one distributed by Bishop Howard: Almighty God our Heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they might become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Communal prayer, join the worshippers of St. John’s on Sunday, April 3 for Refugee Sunday – A day to learn, pray and act to support refugees.

Learning, Outreach Council kicks off a new series called Outreach Sundays with a program titled Helping the Most Vulnerable of God’s Children following the 10 a.m. worship service on April 3 in Taliaferro Hall. Speakers include a representative from Lutheran Social Services and a representative from Community Services of Catholic Charities. Both organizations have long-established programs in refugee resettlement. Outreach Sundays will highlight outreach programs at St. John’s Cathedral on the first Sunday of each month.

What form your participation or contribution takes matters far less than deciding to contribute and following through. It becomes far easier to enjoy the time we spend with cherished family and friends in places that hold meaning for us if we are also helping those who have suddenly lost their access to the same experiences. Thank you for your care and concern for displaced people.

~Michael Corrigan, Director of Christian Formation