INVITATION: Migration Workshop: The Word becoming Flesh

  • DATE

    29 October 2021

  • TIME

    10:00 - 13:00

  • VENUE

    University of Pretoria, Hatfield Campus

The Centre for Faith and Community in collaboration with Kerk in Actie and GZB in cooperation with the University of Pretoria invite you to a physical workshop on Friday 29 October 2021, where we would like to reflect, with practitioners, academics and church leaders on these three objectives with the purpose of creating a more sustainable response to the constant recurrence of migrant victimisation and xenophobia. The expectation is that participating churches and organisations will be inspired and encouraged to engage with migrants, in order for migrants to live dignified lives because of our presence, and that churches are enriched by this interaction.

Every minute of the day, 20 people in the world leave everything behind to escape war, persecution, or terror. As people of faith, we cannot and dare not be silent in the face of such human pain. As South Africa moves towards its local municipal elections, the plight of migrants comes into sharp focus and people may be tempted to make migrants scapegoats for larger social ills. 

Response

The topic of 'Churches, Migrants, Bible' has become urgent due to this precarious context we are living in which is compounded by COVID-19, giving rise to growing unemployment, poverty, scarcity of vaccines, etc. This exacerbates the risk of growing xenophobia.

Migrants and refugees could bring us closer to the question of what the relevance of Church is in this context. The Bible constantly reminds us that we know our city is just by the way we treat “the woman, the orphan and the stranger”.

The Centre for Faith and Community of the University of Pretoria, in collaboration with GZB, Kerk in Actie and other partners, are seeking to look at the migrant issue from the lens of the Bible and in conversation with communities and practitioners.

We want to explore if churches, migrants and other engaged organisations and institutes can create a network for coordination, collaboration and reflection, in order to strengthen local communities and diaconal service to those who are left behind? 

Objectives:

  1. Better understanding of the Biblical call of the Church amidst Migrants.
  2. Joint advocacy for migrants' rights and dignity.
  3. Church-related network for coordination and collaboration on migration

Proposed Programme:

  • Opening
  • Reflection on where we are now in our process
  • Bible Study and a short reflection on Migrants and Refugees: Reflection on Biblical Contextual narratives
  • Sharing current policy and legislation highlighting the abuses and gaps that currently exist in Gauteng, in relation to migrants
  • The need for partnerships in order to make a meaningful impact
  • Introduction of three workstreams
See attachment to RSVP and for more information.

Attachments

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