In light of refugee resettlement policy changes, Rev. Jack Amick, director of UMCOR’s Global Migration program, invites congregations to pivot in their approach to migrant ministry and then apply for a Mustard Seed Migration Grant to help fund their new project.
REV. JACK AMICK
Director of Global Migration and Special Assignments, UMCOR
Thanks to Mustard Seed Migration Grants from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), five United Methodist congregations in Michigan launched brand-new ministries for refugees settling in their communities in search of a safer, better life.
Last year, the Latinx Community Ministry of the Greater Southwest District, Melvindale: Centro Familiar Cristiano UMC, Monroe: St. Paul’s UMC, Kalamazoo: Westwood UMC, and Troy: First UMC each felt the call to care for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, given they are some of the most vulnerable populations in our communities.
Would your congregation like to follow their lead? UMCOR just opened the application window for this year’s grants. The Mustard Seed Migration Grant program was created in 2021 to support United Methodist congregations in the United States that are eager to assist migrants in their communities. Click the link below to apply for a $2,000 grant.
Some churches have expressed their frustration with the current administration’s effective closure of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, saying that they now won’t be able to “welcome the stranger.” Thus, many churches with ministries that receive refugees into their city or town have had to pivot in their approach to migrant ministry. Migrants are in every community in America, and some of those migrants likely feel vulnerable right now.
A good Mustard Seed Migration Grant project starts with prayer and listening. Get to know the migrants in your neighborhood, and don’t embark on a project to assist migrants without hearing from migrants themselves. The best projects begin with a discovery phase, in which the church learns from migrants about their greatest concerns and needs. Generally, a good rule of thumb for churches wishing to work with migrants is to pray, listen, learn, and be creative. A good project will also engage the congregation in the implementation so that relationships and bridges of trust can develop between congregation members and migrants.
Ultimately, the hearts of those of us welcoming the stranger can be transformed so that we see the world in a new way through the relationships and bridges of trust we build with migrant communities. However, this may need to be done slowly in these fearful times, with migrants setting the pace.
From personal experience, I know that the Michigan Conference has a big heart for mission, specifically for migrants. A $2,000 Mustard Seed Migration Grant might be a perfect fit for congregations seeking to become active in migrant ministry.
In conclusion, I celebrate the five United Methodist congregations awarded Mustard Seed Migration Grants last year. Let their stories inspire you, and join them in following Christ’s call.
Latinx Community Ministry of the Greater Southwest District
“Support to migrant camps and summer school for children”
This grant aided families in Van Buren County’s migrant camps. The funds were used to support and enhance the functions of migrant camps in the area. This grant resourced migrants by offering them and their families “welcome kits” equipped with personal hygiene products, connecting them with government agencies to support their transition, providing meals at the migrant camps, giving reusable water bottles, backpacks, and other necessary items to the children enrolled in the migrant school program, and even offering English as a Second Language (ESL) courses to the seasonal workers.
Melvindale: Centro Familiar Cristiano UMC
“Welcoming our new neighbors!”
This grant provided services that reduced the barriers faced by many Hispanic migrants who recently arrived in the United States. For four months, this church and its members offered workshops and personalized their support to migrants who may have found the transition into a new country challenging. They offered translation services for Spanish speakers and cared for the financial and legal needs of 30 families and 20 individuals, ensuring the immigration process progressed smoothly.
Monroe: St. Paul’s UMC
“I stand with migrants”
This grant allowed St. Paul’s to cultivate the “I Stand with Migrants” project in Monroe County. Partnering with the nonprofit Monroe Puente, the two organizations shared goals of bridging gaps between the Hispanic/Latinx community and the broader community of Monroe County. Funds went towards providing food and essential items to migrants, purchasing school supplies for their children, and even providing those children with the necessary equipment that would allow them to participate in extracurriculars. Overall, this grant supported 50 migrant families.
Kalamazoo: Westwood UMC
“Summer program for health education and teaching English”
This grant provided education and support to 57 refugees and migrants learning English. The church’s literacy center developed a summer program for English learners that intentionally addressed gaps noted in others. These areas of discrepancy include the setbacks that summertime recesses often produce among language learners, the lack of health-related language and information covered in the programs, as well as childcare needs. Funds supported classroom and administrative needs, the instruction of health, newcomer English, and traffic curricula, childcare supplies, and other resources that ensured learners received as much education and support as possible.
Troy: First UMC
“Partnership with Samaritas in resettling refugees in Metro Detroit”
Troy: First UMC partnered with Samaritas, the lead organization in the Greater Detroit District’s refugee resettlement program, and the U.S. State Department in offering a resettled family a furnished and comfortable home in Michigan. The church aimed to match the Mustard Seed Migration Grant through donations from congregants and community partners. This way, they could continue supporting families being resettled through the program. Volunteers gathered to prepare the home for the family by collecting furniture and household supplies to install. This grant made it possible for a refugee family of five to live in a safe, supportive space.
Last Updated on February 26, 2025