Clergy: Meet with us Rep. Hinson

Dear Congresswoman Ashley Hinson. Grace and peace to you.

We write as a caucus of clergy and faith leaders from across Eastern Iowa, speaking from our shared pastoral responsibility to care for immigrant families who are part of our congregations and communities.

We are deeply troubled by your recent public attacks on Escucha Mi Voz Iowa, including questioning the organization’s 501(c)(3) status following its legal observer trainings. These trainings have equipped more than 1,000 community members to understand their constitutional rights and to respond peacefully and lawfully during increased immigration enforcement activity. Faith communities have long played a role in educating people about their rights and accompanying those facing injustice; this work reflects our religious calling and long-standing American traditions of civic engagement.

We are equally concerned by continued congressional support for expanding funding for the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, even as immigrant workers and families in our congregations experience detention, family separation, and violence that undermine the God-given dignity of every human person. Across Christian traditions and many faith communities, we affirm the sacred worth of every person and the moral obligation to protect families and welcome the stranger.

In our pastoral ministry, we are witnessing the real human consequences of these policies in the lives of people we baptize, marry, counsel, and bury. As clergy, we cannot remain silent when members of our congregations are harmed or when organizations working to educate and accompany them are publicly targeted.

For these reasons, we urgently request a meeting with you during the February congressional recess, the week of February 16, so that clergy and immigrant families in your district can speak with you directly. Listening to those most affected is essential to faithful and responsible public leadership.

We ask your office to respond promptly with available times during the recess period. We stand ready to convene clergy and families from across the district to meet with you.

We offer this request in a spirit of pastoral responsibility and public accountability.

This letter is signed by Jonathan Heifner, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (Cedar Rapids); Rev. Carin Bringelson, Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist (Cedar Rapids)l Pastor Emma Peterson, Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists (Cedar Falls) and 38 other Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Unitarian, and UCC clergy in Eastern and Northeast Iowa.

Signing the letter are:

Rev. Jonathan Heifner St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (Cedar Rapids)

Pastor Alison Dix, Asbury United Methodist Church & Kenwood Park United Methodist Church (Cedar Rapids)

Rev. Carin Bringelson Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist (Cedar Rapids)

Pastor Nick Detweler-Stoddard, Washington Mennonite Church (Washington)

Rev. Scott Keele Kober Northeast Iowa District Superintendent United Methodist Church (West Union)

Rev. Brian K. Gross Christ Episcopal Church (Cedar Rapids)

Rev. Jay Amundson Bertram United Methodist Church (Cedar Rapids)

Rev. Rachel Lamparek Coralville United Methodist Church (Coralville)

Pastor Kathryn A. Newhall, Anamosa United Methodist Church and United Church of Monticello (Anamosa)

Rev. Peggy Garrigues, Solon United Methodist Church (Solon)

Rev. Katie Lowe Lancaster, First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Rev. Bonnie Koeppen, St.Mark’s United Methodist Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

The Rev. Nora Boerner, Trinity Episcopal Church (Iowa City)

Rev. Timothy Smith, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, North Liberty

Rev. Heecheon Jeon, First United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation of Iowa City

Rev. Jessie Lent, Hope United Church of Christ, Hiawatha

Rev. Ryan Downing, Faith United Church of Christ (Iowa City)

The Rev. Nathan Willard, First Presbyterian Church (Iowa City)

Pastor Marc Schlegel-Preheim, First Mennonite Church (Iowa City)

Pastor Carla Burge, retired

Pastor David Borger Germann, Sanctuary Community Church

The Rev. Dr. Brenda Peconge, Zion Lutheran Church, Iowa City

Rev. Mary Kay Kusner, Full Circle Catholic Community

Rev. Scott Meador, Lovely Lane United Methodist Church, Cedar Rapids

Pastor Adey Wassink, Sanctuary Community Church (Coralville)

Pastor Thomas H. Wassink, Sanctuary Community Church (Coralville)

Pastor Terra Amundson (retired). St Paul’s United Methodist Church ,Cedar Rapids

Rev. Stephanie L. Schlimm, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church (Dubuque)

Rev. Tyler Walker, Trinity-St. James United Methodist Church (Cedar Rapids)

Madison Colquette, Ministerial Intern, Unitarian Universalist Society (Coralville)

Rev. Gary W. Sneller (retired), member at Marion Christian Church

The Rev. Dr. Steven J. Knudson, First Lutheran Church (Cedar Rapids)

Susan Liddell, Licensed Unity Leader. Unity Center of Cedar Rapids

Pastor Emma Peterson, Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists (Cedar Falls)

Rev. John H. Greve, Rector, Grace Episcopal Church (Cedar Rapids)

Rev. Julie A. Wehner, Extension Ministries, Meth-Wick Community (Cedar Rapids)

Rev. Vicki Fisher, The United Methodist Church of Mount Vernon

Rev. Matt German, Salem United Methodist Church (Cedar Rapids)

Bishop Amy Current, ELCA Southeastern Iowa Synod (Mount Vernon)

Pastor Andrew Webber Community of Christ (Hiawatha)

Pastor Sarah Goettsch (Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, North Liberty)