Our colleagues at Forward Latino have released new training videos in both English and Spanish that combine "Know Your Rights" and "Family Preparation" presentations.

We are living in challenging and chaotic times. As we bear witness to the unprecedented assault on our immigrant neighbors and friends in the streets of the Twin Cities, Chicago, and elsewhere, we recognize the need to be prepared in the event such action comes to Wisconsin. We, the undersigned leaders of faith communities in Wisconsin, call upon all elected officials, all people of faith and goodwill, and all who care about the future of our democracy to engage in concrete acts of advocacy, solidarity, and compassion. The constitutional rights and freedoms we hold dear are under assault, and the time for action is now.  

If you have been wondering what you can do to make a difference, amid the swell of violence and anxiety of this time, we invite you to specific efforts of community preparedness to protect vulnerable neighbors.

Will people receive SNAP benefits? Will the federal government reopen? Will people’s healthcare costs increase or remain the same? These are the questions that have been swirling for the past few weeks. While politicians play games and headlines scream, there are very real people on the ground who are unable to afford the basic necessities of daily life. 

This past weekend, my Facebook feed was filled with photos of friends across the country protesting. I laughed at protest signs and cheered on those who made it out. And I felt a little guilty. I’ve watched what is happening in our country and grieved the harm I see. The big ball of yuck we talk about seems to have gotten way yuckier. Like many, I feel compelled to respond. We talk a lot about Jesus and Justice in Public and being a prophetic voice for justice at the Council, and I wanted to join my community in publicly speaking out against harm. But as the parent of 3 young children, including a seven-week-old, life circumstances made it hard to be out on the street marching last weekend.

“How are faith and advocacy connected? What do they have to do with immigration? And what can we do to respond to the needs of our community?” These were some of the many questions that approximately 20 middle and high school youth from two different churches explored last week.

We are not yet done, so don’t look away. The flood waters have not yet fully receded. There are entire communities that are waiting for disaster assessment. Cleanup and demolition teams are still arriving. There is an ongoing need for respite and emotional/spiritual support, skilled and need-to-be-taught volunteers. Daily coordination meetings continue among all of the responding agencies.

Labor Day is almost upon us! That means that local faith communities will have the opportunity to participate in Worker Justice Wisconsin’s annual Labor in the Pulpits/On the Bimah/In the Minbar program. This month-long program brings together people of faith to learn about ongoing workplace injustices in our community, get involved in the struggle for worker rights, and support workers organizing for better working conditions.

Did you ever imagine that part of your call would be to stand up to one of the most well-funded policing systems in the United States? It can feel overwhelming. So where do you begin?

In May, the WCC Executive Director and ten other religious leaders in Wisconsin sent a letter to the Wisconsin Sheriffs & Deputy Sheriffs Association regarding their roles in community safety, including the safety of our immigrant neighbors.  The letter was transmitted via USPS and email, and we have neither received a response, nor an acknowledgment of our correspondence. We share the body of our faith and conscience letter here so that you may have a resource for discussing these matters with your local sheriff, whether you relate to them as a community leader, congregant, or friend.

For two decades, Rev. Matt Sauer has been a steady and courageous presence in Manitowoc and across Wisconsin. His ministry has always been rooted in the Gospel call to love God by loving our neighbors, especially those too often left behind.

It is time for you and me to be more like Jesus and to do Jesus' work.

Having been asked by multiple clergy colleagues about best practices for announcing, participating in and shepherding congregants to rallies, we have consulted some of our best sources and gathered their reflections into this brief document. May it help you remember your identity, be more effective, and be a bit safer, as you practice the work of Jesus and Justice in Public. 

"I am a human being. I'm not an animal." These powerful words, spoken by immigrant workers to Rebecca Meier-Rao, capture the heart of a crisis facing our communities—a crisis of dignity in the workplace.

Gun Violence Prevention Intern Zoe Scrivener offers her reflections and imaginations as her internship draws to a close.

Many people separate the words “immigration” and “justice.” The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) does not. For more years than we can count, FSPA sisters, affiliates, and partners in mission have carried out immigration justice work. FSPA is a community of vowed Franciscan women centered in Eucharist, committed to being a loving presence through prayer, witness, and service. It is written in the FSPA constitutions of Unity in Diversity #40: “True to our Franciscan calling, we commit ourselves to building Christ’s Kingdom of justice and peace.” The challenge is to see the image of God in others and to construct bridges to meet them, wherever they are.

It is Holy Week. We don’t know specifically what the news will bring – except we do know.

People will gather to share meals and share stories, to find commonality and maybe a measure of hope in being together. If not exactly hope, then a sense of stability. If not stability, then comfort by being in one another’s presence.