09/01/07: Local Immigrants Invited to Speak in Area Pulpits - Mennonites and University United Methodist churches and others....

Workers In The Pulpit

Immigrants To Talk At Churches, Synagogues

The Capital Times :: METRO :: B2

Saturday, September 1, 2007
By PAT SCHNEIDER The Capital Times

Many people in the Madison area may never get the chance to hear for themselves what the experience of today's immigrant workers is like, says Rabbi Laurie Zimmerman.

Some of them will get that chance this weekend.

"Immigrant Workers in the Pulpit" is bringing local workers to 15 area churches and synagogues to share at worship services their experiences as immigrants on the job.

In a variation on the Interfaith Coalition for Workers Justice of South Central Wisconsin's annual Labor in the Pulpits, the organization is focusing on immigrant workers to give them a voice in the midst of red-hot political controversy over the status of immigrants in the United States.

"This is important because of the tenor in American society," Zimmerman said. "There is such vicious discourse on the immigration issue. It is important for people of faith to hear people who are immigrants and really struggling in society."

One worker scheduled to speak, Mexican immigrant Ricardo D., said he wants people to feel the humanity of immigrant workers.

"It's like a form of terrorism, the fear we are facing. Families today sit around the table not knowing if tomorrow they will be separated or deported," he said in a statement.

Participating congregations include Temple Beth El, Beth Israel Center, Community of Hope United Church of Christ, First Baptist Church, First Congregational Church of Christ, James Reeb Unitarian-Universalist, Madison Mennonite, Sherman Avenue United Methodist, Trinity United Methodist, Unity of Madison and University United Methodist.

Zimmerman's congregation, Sha'arei Shamayim, hosted a worker speaker last week. "The person who spoke to us was really moving," she said. "It was the first time he shared his story with people different from him. It was valuable on a deep level, there's definitely been discussion around it."

Rev. Jakes Voker, pastor at Sherman Avenue United Methodist Church, said his congregation has been involved in the annual worker talks. Participating in the immigrant worker program was a natural progression.

"It's not a new thing for us to be involved with social issues," he said. "Our congregation is very open-minded."

The coalition wants to expand the program beyond "the choir" of congregations dedicated to social justice to faith communities for whom taking on a potentially divisive issue during services would be a stretch.

"This is to begin the process of getting faith communities more involved," said Rabbi Renee Bauer, who organized the program. "Our goal is to keep the conversation going and expanding."

Zimmerman said communities of faith must take on a bigger role in the immigration issue.

"If religion means anything, we must apply our values to the world," she said. "That means getting involved in political issues."

\ pschneider@madison.com