60 Ottawa County clergy call for 'faithful response to immigration enforcement'

Below is an article in today's edition of the Grand Haven Tribune that involves the ministry of our parish and the work of our rector.

Sixty Christian clergy from across Ottawa County issued a unified public statement Thursday expressing concern over the human impact of current immigration enforcement practices and calling for a response “grounded in faith, compassion, and nonviolent justice.”

The list of pastors who contributed to the statement includes Rev. Louis Grettenberger, United Methodist Church of the Dunes in Grand Haven; Rev. Kristine Aragon-Bruce and Rev. Dr. Troy Hauser-Brydon, First Presbyterian Church in Grand Haven; and Fr. Jared Cramer and Rev. Daniel Snyder, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Grand Haven.

The pastors urge local communities and leaders to “prioritize human dignity and mercy.” The statement emphasizes that the pastors believe this call is not partisan, but a matter of “faithful Christian witness rooted in Scripture and the historic tradition of the Church.”

The group also released a video alongside their written statement, in which several pastors quoted scripture and spoke out against current immigration enforcement practices.

“We call on those with power in our government and in our communities to reject the path of violence and to resist narratives that rely on fear to divide us from one another,” Rev. LuAnne Stanley Hook, First United Methodist Church of Holland, said on the video.

“We explicitly reject the brutality of the current immigration enforcement practices and encourage the immediate withdrawal of federal forces from local communities until a reformed system with capable and properly trained individuals can take on this work,” added Rev. Sarah Juist, Parkwood Presbyterian Church in Jenison.

The clergy also made specific calls to local leadership.

“We urge the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department to publicly refuse to participate or support the current model of federal immigration action in our local community,” Aragon-Bruce said on the video.

Beyond these specific requests, the statement additionally encourages people of faith and community members to listen to those impacted, engage in compassionate dialogue, participate in nonviolent action, and support organizations serving immigrant neighbors.

The full statement, along with the names of the 60 clergy signatories representing multiple Christian traditions, is included with the digital copy of this article and can be viewed online here. Those who want to sign the statement as individuals can do so online here.

The clergy emphasize that their shared witness seeks to build what Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called the “Beloved Community,” grounded in justice, mercy, and unconditional love.