Bishop Dan Schwerin sent this letter to Staff-Parish Relations Committees and other leaders on Oct. 11, 2024.

If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored,
all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ
and individually members of it. (I Cor. 12:26-27)

I write in deep appreciation of our life together in covenant community, and to ask for your help.

As our news media and social media outlets report an increase of white Christian nationalist rhetoric and some call for mass deportations, we are seeing that inhospitality toward people who were not born in the U.S. and clergy serving in cross-racial appointments is increasing.

I write to make clear that racism is incompatible with Christian teaching. While immigration reform is an important policy conversation, we proclaim that love of God is lived as love of neighbor. The increase in race-based taunting at schools, some people telling our clergy who are here lawfully to go home, harm done to parsonage property, and the backdrop of racist rhetoric impacts all of us, particularly persons of color and especially children. Many of our cross-racially and cross-culturally appointed clergy and parsonage families are experiencing this as trauma and some are reliving previous traumatic experiences in their current context.

I write to seek the help of Staff-Parish Relations Committees and lay leadership more broadly to develop a plan for how we might support and protect our clergy and clergy families as this rhetoric increases anxiety. If mass deportation rhetoric becomes vigilante action, what plans might be in place for safety and security? Many of our clergy have experienced this trauma from previous cross-racial appointments and the current reality is bringing those experiences to the surface. What can you do?

• Be in prayer for healing solutions to systemic societal issues.
• Have a conversation with the cross-racially appointed clergy at the Staff-Parish Relations Committee level. Bring in the administrative council chair and/or trustees chair to hear about this reality.
• Plan for how to shelter your clergy family if the need would arise.
• Ask for help from a district superintendent, elder, deacon, or local pastor to accompany a conversation or plan of action.
• Pray for a spirit of hospitality in your context through your congregational prayers.
• Show appreciation for your clergy person and clergy families of color.
• Decide not to be a silent bystander in the face of bullying.
• Be an ally for the stranger in your communities by means of your mission and ministry.
• Study the larger systemic and structural elements that maintain racism.
• Reach out and support each other.
• Are there vulnerable laity in your context who also need support?
• Clergy: create a support plan for you and your loved ones.

I believe the body of Christ is the hope of the world. With multiracial leadership, The United Methodist Church is particularly ready to lead evangelically for our time. We are blessed to be in mission with Christ for the transformation of the world in these days.

Thank you.

May grace be in our steps. 

Peace,

Daniel W. Schwerin, Bishop
Northern Illinois–Wisconsin Area
The United Methodist Church