Thousand Islands Meeting Supports Refugee Family

After considerable soul-searching and meetings for discernment, Thousand Islands Monthly Meeting approved a Minute authorizing a group of seven Friends to apply for a family of displaced persons under the sponsorship agreement of the Anglican Diocese of Ontario. We are grateful for this collaboration.  The Meeting is also in communication with the Kingston Unitarian Fellowship and will engage with the immigrant’s faith community as required. Highlights of the Minute follow:

“We reviewed the last meeting’s minutes on the subject of refugee sponsorship and sought clarity on options to develop our own group or to share a sponsorship with others.  A Friend described her experiences with 5 previous sponsorships and another Friend reported her experiences with 2 other families.

We agree to sponsor an immigrant family and [name] the start up group. They will report regularly and seek further detailed decisions and help as needed.  Because choosing a family to help needs to be done on very short notice, the group is authorized to make this decision without consulting the Meeting further. They are free to add to their numbers as need and opportunity direct.  [Other Friends] offered assistance as able when called on, or promised start-up financial support.

A Friend noted that at the same time we need to pay attention to the root causes of so many families being displaced and resist our country’s military efforts and foreign policies which make the situation worse.”

Further information is available from the Clerk

Submitted at the request of the Meeting by Bert Horwood, Recording Clerk