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It’s been a whirlwind of a week for those of us who work in and with the non-profit world! As you most likely heard, a freeze on federal grants and loans was initiated on Monday evening that was supposed to go into effect on Tuesday at 5 pm. A federal judge blocked the implementation of that freeze, and now the memo that announced it has been rescinded. It's still unclear what all of that means and whether funding for vital ministries/services that serve our communities will be halted or not. Crossroad leadership continues to keep an eye on what is happening and will do our best to assess, should it be necessary, where we, as the church, may need to step in and assist those in need. We will try to keep you  updated as much as possible on that front as this situation continues to develop. 

What you may not be aware of is there were other funding freezes this past week put on non-profit organizations that directly affect the work we do here as part of the wider Lutheran Church, and those freezes have not been blocked, nor were they lifted. One of those was a stop-work order that was implemented on Friday, January 24th, against Global Refuge (formerly known as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, or LIRS) as the US Government conducts a 90-day review of their policies and procedures. Global Refuge/LIRS is a Lutheran organization that was established in 1939 to help resettle refugees in the United States who are fleeing war, violence and persecution. Global Refuge/LIRS works in conjunction with the federal government, receiving money to help those who have been carefully vetted by the government and given legal refugee status in the United States find housing, employment, healthcare, etc. over a three-month period. Global Refuge works with local community organizations, such as Lutheran Social Services here in Jacksonville, to assist with the resettlement process. 

As of last Friday, there were nearly six-thousand vetted and approved legal refugees that have already arrived in the United States and are in the care of Global Refuge/LIRS. A large portion of those refugees are Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders who aided U.S. military and diplomatic missions, but are now being hunted by the Taliban.

With the freezing of the federal funds Global Refuge receives, this severely limits their ability to care for and provide the services these refugees need now that they are here in the United States. 

Global Refuge/LIRS is therefore looking for private donations in order to continue to be able to provide these services until the order is either removed via the courts, or after the 90-day review period. You can learn more about this organization and make donations via their website, globalrefuge.org if you feel moved to assist them. 

“The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the native-born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” (Leviticus 19:34)

“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25:35)

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:1)

In Christ,

Pr. Rebecca Craig
Steve Topp, Council President