Inter-Religious Council of Cedar Rapids plans ‘Show of Unity’ for immigrants and refugees

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Inter-Religious Council of Linn County hosts a Show of Unity event Thursday to pray and meditate for immigrants and refugees.

The event takes place at 7 p.m. at Community of Christ Church, 1500 Blairs Ferry Road, Cedar Rapids.

Charles Crawley, president of the Inter-Religious Council, said this is a way for people of all faiths to show support for immigrants and refugees who may have been affected by President Donald Trump's executive order barring immigrants from seven majority-Muslim nations for at least 90 days and putting a hold on refugee immigration for 120 days.

'From the standpoint of the Inter-Religious group, the one thing we have in common is prayer - and meditation. The most appropriate response that we as a group can make to the concerns is to have a prayer service,” Crawley said.

Crawley said that though Linn County residents have differing opinions about the executive order, those in various faith communities are still affected.

'There's a religious side to this issue,” he said. 'In almost all of our traditions, there's a concept of welcoming the stranger.”

Nine religious groups plan to take part in the event, including Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Humanist, Muslim, Jewish, Native American and Unitarian Universalist. Anne Dugger, immigrant and refugee coordinator for the Catherine McAuley Center, plans to speak, and a collection will be taken for the Catherine McAuley Center, which is a primary refugee settlement organization.

Crawley said he believes a prayer service serves purposes a protest cannot.

'I think it actually can make people more sympathetic,” he said. 'It can arouse people's hearts, whereas protests don't always get to the heart. They get to some of the feelings that allow people to express anger. What happens with prayer, it allows people to feel love for immigrants and refugees and want to protect them, as opposed to just be angry at the government.”

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If you go

' What

: Show of Unity service for immigrants and refugees

' When

: 7 p.m. Thursday

' Where

: Community of Christ Church, 1500 Blairs Ferry Road, Cedar Rapids