As the Opening Doors Campaign introduced its vision “to create vibrant, inspiring, flexible spaces to welcome spiritual seekers of all ages, foster intergenerational community, and grow future generations of moral leaders who work for social justice and cherish the living earth,” a question emerged: How might we add a clear justice-focused element to the campaign?
In April, we posed–and eventually distilled–a question in response: What if we activated one of our spaces–the parsonage–to provide urgently needed temporary housing to refugees?
That question drew in a team of volunteers (Pam Hurd, Edwin Elineema, Mary Helen Lorenz, Tom Haslett, Deborah Youngman, Jennifer Saffran, and Judy Casarella, with ministerial support from Rev. Nate). Together, we began researching, weighing, and debating.
Using our “what if” as a hypothesis, we interviewed several model churches and refugee resettlement agencies to understand the opportunities and challenges of this specific justice work at this time. The groups and individuals we interviewed include:
Hartford Street Presbyterian, Natick
First Lutheran Church, Waltham
Susan Winship, founder of South Sudanese Enrichment for Families, Lincoln
Fran Yuan, Belmont UU Church, refugee sponsors
In just a few weeks, we learned so much—but not enough to make a recommendation. Indeed, we need to continue our research and our discernment about just how to go about Opening our Doors for Justice, action which is central to who we declare we are as a community. We will continue to investigate some of the organizations and congregational examples we can learn from.
Going forward, our hope is to engage in that discernment with you in September. We are not in a rush to come to an answer about the “how” of opening doors for justice. But we are clear that there is a powerful “why”: To be a source of hope and positive impact in our communities, our region and beyond.
We wish to state clearly that using the parsonage for refugee housing is not necessarily what will be proposed at a special congregational meeting on September 29, but the “what if” of this hypothesis (some might even call it a lightning rod) is what we are working with to ground our debate, open our hearts, and stretch our imaginations.
So let us hear from you. You are welcome to contact Rosemary Lloyd with your questions, doubts, concerns, experience and enthusiasm. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and trust that open and rigorous discussion will guide us to a good outcome in the service of justice.
Opening Doors for Justice Team Working Proposal.
To use our parsonage to provide temporary* housing for refugees while also offering accompaniment support (in partnership with, and guided by, a refugee resettlement agency), with the goal of walking with the family towards sustainability in their new life in America.
*The recommendations for length of stay per family vary from several months to about a year.
Intention.
To provide transformational experiences for our congregation while engaging in meaningful hands-on support for a population that is threatened and degraded by our current administration. (Leviticus 19: “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”)
Pros and Cons.
We could meet an urgent need for refugee housing
In Massachusetts, appropriate housing is hard to find and expensive. Newly arriving refugees are often put up in a crowded hotel room for up to 90 days while they are connected with essential services and look for other housing. Some families are transferred to shelters.
An opportunity for direct engagement.
FPL annually gives away about $100,000 to non-profits through designated fund grants, helping people in need who nonetheless remain “outside” our daily interaction bubble. In Winter 2024, FPL joined Partakers, a prison mentoring program, which has already attracted over 30 participants, demonstrating the hunger for “hands-on” acts of service in our congregation. Housing refugees on our campus could provide a new opportunity for direct service while meeting an urgent need.
Transforming spaces to transform lives.
We could become the church that renovates a building and landscape but also enriches the purpose of our campus and our wider community:
Parsonage location challenges
The house is isolated without easy access to public transit and services. Location would necessitate assistance with transportation, from driving folks to medical appointments, job interviews, etc., to eventually assisting with getting a state license and perhaps acquiring a car plus some financial support for insurance, gas, etc.
Social capital investment
Entering into a partnership with resident refugees would require significant and sustained volunteer engagement. While resettlement agencies provide expert support connecting new arrivals with access to a variety of programs (food assistance, ESL and job preparedness), FPL would need to step up to assist with setting up the household, driving to appointments, fostering cultural acclimation, helping children enroll in school, facilitating health care connections, making employment connections, and assisting with finding housing after their stay with us.
Financial investment
The parsonage rental provides about $48,000 per year to the operating budget. While refugees receive modest stipends for housing costs (and we are advised that they should contribute to their rent to prepare them for the future), we would still need to raise a significant amount to fund a trial project for 5 or more years. Additional funds might need to be raised for other support. These numbers are still in development.
Return on these investments
The Ascentria website reports: “The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) provides evidence that refugees, despite initially facing challenges such as lower levels of education and language barriers, improve their economic outcomes over time. After six years in the country, refugees work at higher rates than native-born workers, contributing positively to the economy. Additionally, according to NBER, refugees pay taxes that exceed relocation costs and social benefits over the first 20 years in the U.S., demonstrating their long-term economic contributions.”
There are various ways FPL might provide refuge or support to those fleeing war, persecution and violence. The investigation into the question of using the parsonage has already begun opening doors for our hearts and imaginations and possible service avenues. We look forward to our continued exploration and discernment.