Rev. Ron Degges with Syrian Asylee Qusai Zakarya on Capitol Hill.

Yesterday, September 28th, Disciples Home Missions President Rev. Ronald Degges joined other faith partners on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to express the urgency for increased U.S. response and support for Syrian refugees.

Degges commented, "I am grateful to be a part of a faith tradition that has spoken again and again-over the years through denominational resolutions, in recent months in a letter to the President, and just weeks ago as a national interfaith team of religious leaders-of our key faith value of welcoming the stranger despite religious or cultural background. We must welcome without exclusion, because we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves....America today is being called to fish from a different side of the boat-the side of abundant generosity and welcome-for the sake of all our sisters and brothers fleeing persecution and loss of life in Syria. Let us cast our nets over to this other side and be blessed as a world leader whose compassion reaches from the halls of government out to the streets where fleeing refugees are crying for help. There is a moral challenge directly before us. What are we waiting for?"

Speaking with Degges were ecumenical faith leaders, a Syrian refugee who survived horrific chemical poisoning, and Congressman David Cicilline (RI), who authored a recent congressional letter of 71+ leaders to the President requesting the U.S. resettle 100,000 Syrian refugees, in addition to 100,000 additional refugees, by the end of 2016.

See the full text of Rev. Degges' statement, our Disciples Refugee Advocacy Alert (including a sign on letter with deadline of end of day this Wednesday) and continue to respond to help refugees nearest to your area through the Refugee Emergency Alert.