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Baptist Union of Great Britain

Rev Terry Jones, from the Baptist Union of Great Britain Mission Department, has been working on migration resources for churches for the past three years.  downloadable Mission File 'Migration: Challenge and Opportunity' followed extensive research into the new patterns of migration via government, trade unions and regional reports. This was followed by a mapping exercise in order to identify churches engaging with migrants and a series of visits to churches in order to see and develop models of engagement. An expanding series of web-based forum articles were added giving churches succinct information about migration. Research into the main port of entry, at Victoria Coach Station, highlighted the need for a partnership response to the needs of migrants arriving in the UK.

For more information call 01235 517712 or visit www.baptist.org.uk.

One Baptist church that is actively outworking the vision of 'integrated' engagement is Dereham Baptist Church in Norfolk. A small group of 10-12 Portuguese migrants, meeting for worship on a Saturday night, has developed into a joint congregation of around 80 meeting for a bi-lingual service on a Sunday with support and guidance from the church's missionary workers Jorge & Hermelinda Damascenos.

Church of England

The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England  works alongside and within networks and organisation dealing with issues facing asylum and migrant communities. The Council is a member of the Still Human Still Here coalition and its staff dealing with a range of migration issues from ministry, education, legal, and other perspectives. 

Briefings are regularly provided for Bishops speaking in the House of Lords and elsewhere. The 2006 Faithful Cities report called for a renewal of Christian hospitality in the context of difference and diversity.

Issues of concern are regularly brought before the Church's General Synod.

Parishes and dioceses in both rural and urban areas are engaging with migrant communities, providing material and spiritual support to destitute asylum seekers, migrant rural workers and hospitality to minority ethic congregations; as well as being part of ecumenical and local coalitions.

Many dioceses and parishes have responded to the needs of migrants in their local areas. Information on their substantial contribution can be found through contacting ecumenical bodies such as Churches Together in England; Churches Together in Britain and Ireland; Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe; The Arthur Rank Centre and South Asian Concern (Tel: 020 8770 9717).

One example of an Anglican church active in this area would be St Aldates, Oxford, which has a significant outreach to migrants and newcomers to the UK.

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland 

The Churches Refugee and Racial Justice Network (formerly CCRJ) of the national ecumenical organisation Churches Together in Britain & Ireland has published two papers on the subjects of migrants and asylum seekers. 'Migration Principles; a statement for churches working on migration issues' appeared in July 2007. It outlines principles and issues for churches to consider as they encounter and minister to migrants and refugee communities in  Britain. An earlier paper, 'Asylum Principles; A Statement for Churches Working on Asylum Issues' was drafted by an expert working group from member churches of CTBI. Puck De Raadt is the CTBI/CRRJN's spokesperson on migration and asylum issues.

CRRJN also services the Churches Refugee Network, i.e., it holds a substantial nation-wide contact list of churches and faith-driven or church supported local groups who minister to asylum seekers and migrants. This CRN list denotes a network which arose from the urgent practical and immediate needs for information and signposting expressed by locally active churches, groups and individuals who were already working with migrants and asylum seekers throughout the UK. It encourages further sharing by running an annual conference and occasional expert seminars.

For more information call 0207 654 7254 or visit www.ctbi.org.uk.

Churches Coordinating Group for Evangelisation

Churches Coordinating Group for Evangelisation (GfE) is part of Churches Together in England and 'Evangelisation and Migration' is a GfE priority in 2008. The national evangelism officers of our major churches have been considering the theology and praxis, issues and mission challenge of migration in England and how best local and national churches can respond. They also want to learn from those from overseas who share the Gospel in our midst.

For more information call 0207 529 8131 or visit www.gfe.org.uk.

Methodist Church in Britain

The Methodist Church in Britain (MCB) has, for many years, tried to respond to the needs of diaspora groups from all over the world; and at the same time enable churches in UK to understand the needs of such groups. A well-established 'World Church in Britain' programme of over twenty years is now being phased out in favour of a more responsive policy of invitation to ministers from specific countries to serve for short periods of time in UK e.g. from Portugal. These posts are often in response to needs identified by Partner Churches overseas and longer-term pilot programmes for Zimbabweans, Ghanaians, Koreans, Chinese etc are also in place: pastoring in a local British church for 50% of the time, and the other half looking after the needs of the particular diaspora group.

A Conference held in February 2007 called 'Ethnicity, Cohesion and the Church' demonstrated that for MCB the opportunities for the Church, in having migrants amongst us, is both an urban and rural issue. One direct result of the Conference was the setting up of a 'Belonging Together' programme for the next three years, enabling the whole Church to engage in conversations about diversity, produce materials to help congregations in their worship and ministry together, setting up and supporting regional groups with specific needs, and assessing what implications migration has for the training of all church workers.

Alongside and together with other Churches in UK, MCB is wrestling with the mission issues of sharing hospitality and grace in a context of constantly changing patterns and movements of people. 

For more information call 020 7486 5502 or visit www.methodist.org.uk.

Catholic Church

The Catholic Church has an Office for Refugee Policy. The Office for Refugee Policy (ORP) monitors information and prepares briefs on migration to enable the bishops to develop policy and respond to debates. The ORP represents bishops on the migration issue nationally and internationally and also acts as a catalyst for lay engagement in refugee work.

The Catholic Bishops' pastoral statement on the Mission of the Church to Migrants in England and Wales was published in April 2008. Collectively the Bishops' commented at that time, "Over the last few years, there has been a transformation of the social character of the dioceses in England and Wales. Across the country in all our dioceses, we have migrants from nearly every continent in the world, adding people and vibrancy to our parishes. We, the Bishops of England and Wales, have been considering this new social reality with a view to issuing a statement calling for a more visible culture of welcome, hospitality and solidarity with our migrant sisters and brothers in God's family. We recognise and celebrate their rich cultural and spiritual patrimony and the ways in which they are enriching us as they join us in our parishes and dioceses. This statement, 'Mission of the Church to Migrants in England and Wales' is the result."

For more information visit the Office for Refugee Policy website

The Salvation Army

Migration and multicultural ministries are increasingly recognised as vitally important by The Salvation Army and it is in keeping with The Salvation Army's decentralised culture for individual corps and its centres, of which there are 800 nationally, to determine the appropriate local action to take. In many areas including Boscombe, Chesham, Eccles, Luton, Margate, Newcastle and Northampton there are active programmes aimed specifically at reaching out to migrants.

There is no current centralised strategy or planning to address the issues raised. However, their Territorial Ecumenical Council met recently to consider migration in the context of racial justice.

For more information call 020 7367 4557 or visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk.

Hillsong UK

All Hillsong UK services are translated into four languages. Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian and Korean. They have a Welcome to London team of between 50 and 60 people who provide practical help and guidance to migrants on a one to one basis.

for more information call 020 7384 9200, or visit www.hillsong.co.uk.

Black Majority churches

Many Black Majority churches do a great deal to help new migrants, but most of this work is done on an informal basis. Pastors will often help with asylum applications and individual church members will give advice on finding a good local doctor or local school, for instance.

Katei Kirby, Chief Executive Officer, African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance commented, "Integration as a welcome, is the norm in African and Caribbean churches. Apart from the day they arrive migrants aren't called new, instead ways are found for them to be included. I think it is very important for churches not to think of migrants in a 'them and us' way. Perhaps churches should not think so much about how they can integrate or welcome 'migrants', but how they welcome people full stop."

For more information call 020 7735 7373 or visit www.acea-uk.org.

Evangelical Alliance

The Evangelical Alliance has met with numerous organisations working with asylum seekers, and in 2007 compiled a report using evidence from translators, pastors, asylum seekers and transcripts of asylum interviews and legal appeals.

'alltogether for asylum justice' highlights the difficulties faced by people claiming asylum on religious grounds. It says that a lack of understanding of conversion, translation problems and ludicrous questioning by Home Office staff or the judiciary has led to asylum seekers being refused asylum from dangerous home countries. The report includes advice for church leaders asked to give evidence of asylum seekers' religious faith and gives guidance for MPs and their case workers to give them a better understanding of asylum claims on religious grounds.

Enabling Christians in Serving Refugees

Enabling Christians in Serving Refugees (ECSR) is a network set up in 2004 and steered by representatives of Tear Fund, Salvation Army, Livability, CoE, grassroots practitioners and refugee representatives. We are a network connecting over 500 church projects and individuals working among refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.

We serve as an information hub and networking facility through the website www.ecsr.org.uk and through regular email bulletins and conferences. ECSR also serves as the UK representative on the Refugee Highway Partnership (WEA) with useful connections with other refugee focussed ministries particularly within Europe.

Embrace Northern Ireland

Embrace is an organisation of Christians from different denominations committed to creating a welcoming community for immigrants in Northern Ireland in the name of Jesus Christ.

Our main focus is on providing information and resources for churches. We also provide some direct support for immigrants who are facing particular challenges.

For more information visit: www.embraceni.org

Christian Solidarity Worldwide

CSW is a human rights organisation which specialises in religious freedom, works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and promotes religious liberty for all.

CSW provide reports to churches to help asylum seekers approaching them, these reports can be used as background information in support of appropriate applications where religious persecution is cited.

For more information visit: www.csw.org.uk

The Arthur Rank Centre

The Arthur Rank Centre (ARC) is the networking & resource hub for rural churches throughout England, and on our website we have a section dedicated to rural migrant workers in the UK. 

In this section there are a selection of resources related to -

1. migrant workers in general, and focusing on help & assistance for the workers themselves.
2. a selection of church-related resources including examples of good rural church practice in welcoming & ministering amongst migrant workers.

Our remit is broader than just issues of evangelism/evangelisation & church-planting amongst or alongside the migrant communities in rural contexts, but seeks to include all aspects of the Five Marks of Mission, e.g. justice, advocacy. We are keen to know of, promote & disseminate examples of good practices from churches and Christian organisations within the rural UK. Some of these examples end up featuring as articles in our magazine "Country Way: Life & Faith in Rural Britain" - four were in the last issue of 2008 which had the them "Hospitality & Welcome".

We are keen to network and make contact with others engaged in mission & ministry among migrants - especially migrant workers - in rural contexts.