Agenda for Congregational Meeting
Sunday, December 22, 2024 11:15 am (in-person and Zoom)
Agenda
This was a special congregational meeting with one agenda item called by the leadership team to discuss a timely proposal to designate funds for refugee resettlement.
Proposal to Support Refugee Resettlement Efforts with up to $10,000
The State College Interfaith Group (SCIG) which includes representatives from UMC, University Baptist and Brethren Church, and the Brit Shalom Synagogue are currently working with Church World Service (CWS) to host another refugee family in the State College area. You may remember that the group worked successfully in the past to welcome and re-settle the Jalali family into our community. The group currently has $7,621 in funds that have previously been donated.
The group overseeing the Radical Hospitality Funds is recommending that we set aside $10,000 of those funds towards the future refugee re-settlement efforts, if needed. As you may know, our church received $30,000+ from the Allegheny Conference to be used for radical hospitality (so far, no other actionable proposals have been developed for the use of the hospitality funds). There is also the possibility that money could also be raised by asking for folks to donate directly to the refugee resettlement efforts, in which case some or all of the hospitality funds may not need to be redirected.
The SCIG group is uncertain if a family would be placed in our community. CWS is actively trying to place as many refugee families prior to the new administration taking over in January. However, having the additional funds committed would allow the group to move forward with confidence if the opportunity to resettle a family becomes a reality. The group notes that the financial burden to settle the Jalali family was significantly less than anticipated due to a member from Brit Shalom donating one-year rent free apartment.