{"id":109903,"date":"2025-02-11T22:45:42","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T22:45:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/?p=109903"},"modified":"2026-01-23T19:02:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T19:02:24","slug":"pastoral-letter-legal-action-protection-religious-liberties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/pastoral-letter-legal-action-protection-religious-liberties\/","title":{"rendered":"A pastoral letter regarding legal action for the protection of religious liberties"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Beloved sisters and brothers<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We call you to prayer for our siblings in the USA who are taking legal action that seeks to restore the rights of people of faith to gather, worship and serve without government interference. Mennonite Church USA joins more than 20 Christian and Jewish communities in this action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The current presidential administration of the USA has removed restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from conducting immigration raids, arrests and other enforcement actions at houses of worship. Today, those who are targeted by these changes are described as \u201casylum seekers\u201d or \u201cmigrants\u201d; in the Bible, they are called \u201caliens\/sojourners\u201d (Leviticus 19:33-34) or \u201cthe least of these\u201d (Matthew 25:40). God\u2019s people were regularly reminded to welcome and look after those who are vulnerable (Exodus 23:9, Deuteronomy 10:19, Hebrews 13:2). Today, some of that work is done through places of worship which are made unsafe by these policy changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cWe believe that because of Christ\u2019s call to care for those who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, or imprisoned (Matt. 25:31-36), we must join with Jesus\u2019 early followers in choosing to obey God rather than any human authority (Acts 5:29),\u201d <\/em>writes MC USA moderator Jon Carlson in a letter to the global Anabaptist-Christian family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cI recognize that Anabaptist engagement with secular authorities is a complicated subject\u2026. Even so, Anabaptists have, at various points in history, used legal means to prevent the state from encroaching on religious practice and to protect the free exercise of our faith\u2026,\u201d <\/em>writes Jon Carlson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cWe know that many of our siblings throughout the world have endured much harsher persecution and governmental intrusion into their communities,\u201d <\/em>says Jon Carlson. He invites the global communion to pray for MC USA, <em>\u201cbearing one another\u2019s burdens and fulfilling the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). We also welcome you to share your wisdom and insight into how we remain faithful in the face of governmental pressure. Please continue to hold followers of Jesus in the United States in your prayers, as we hold you in our prayers as well.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/MC-USA-JCarlson-letter-to-MWC-2-11-2025.pdf\">Click here to read the full MC USA letter<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mennoniteusa.org\/news\/mc-usa-joins-more-than-two-dozen-christian-and-jewish-denominations-and-associations-sue-to-protect-religious-freedoms\/\">Click here to read MC USA\u2019s news release<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-transform:none\">Pray with us<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-soft-blue-background-color has-background\">Mennonite World Conference calls on our members around the world to pray for the partners in this legal challenge, and all our members in the USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-base-background-color has-background\">We pray for the Spirit of God to embolden people to public witness and protective action for those who are vulnerable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-base-background-color has-background\">We thank God for the courage to oppose unjust actions, even from their own government.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-base-background-color has-background\">We thank God for partners in other religious communities, for solidarity in protecting religious liberties for all and rights of vulnerable people.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-soft-blue-background-color has-background\">We ask for prayer for all North Americans to find The Courage to Love in the midst of political uncertainty and economic fears of this moment. In Canada, Mexico and the USA, may our Anabaptist siblings see the image of God in all people from all places. May we have the grace to set aside fear and political ideologies and differences. May the church of Jesus Christ respond to threats and divisiveness with creative acts of compassion and love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.<br>In the name of Jesus, Prince of Peace, amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/general-council\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"480\" data-src=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Henk-Stenvers-1-Small.png\" alt=\"Henk Stenvers\" class=\"wp-image-108562 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 480px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 480\/480;width:200px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Henk-Stenvers-1-Small.png 480w, https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Henk-Stenvers-1-Small-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Henk-Stenvers-1-Small-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Henk-Stenvers-1-Small-400x400.png 400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p><em>Henk Stenvers, <\/em><br><em>president, <\/em><br><em>Mennonite World Conference<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" data-src=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cesar-Garcia-1.png\" alt=\"headshot: C\u00e9sar Garc\u00eda\" class=\"wp-image-109906 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/600;width:200px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cesar-Garcia-1.png 600w, https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cesar-Garcia-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cesar-Garcia-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cesar-Garcia-1-400x400.png 400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>C\u00e9sar Garc\u00eda<br>general secretary,<br>Mennonite World Conference<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-eyebrow is-style-green-eyebrow\">Urgent prayer &amp; pastoral letters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><ul class=\"wp-block-post-template is-layout-flow wp-block-post-template-is-layout-flow\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-124841 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-featured-items category-from-our-leaders category-urgent-prayers tag-cesar-garcia tag-ecumenism tag-pastoral-letter tag-peace tag-prayer\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-post-title has-medium-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/joint-ecumenical-statement-on-the-widening-conflict-in-the-middle-east\/\" target=\"_self\" >Joint ecumenical statement on the widening conflict in the Middle East<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-124516 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-urgent-prayers tag-deacons-commission tag-prayer tag-regional-representatives tag-the-caribbean network-commissions network-deacons-commission eventcategory-online-prayer-hour\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-post-title has-medium-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/urgent-prayer-cuba\/\" target=\"_self\" >Urgent prayer for Cuba<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-124066 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-featured-items category-urgent-prayers tag-asia-pacific tag-deacons-commission tag-peace-commission tag-prayer tag-urgent-prayer network-commissions network-deacons-commission network-peace-commission eventcategory-online-prayer-hour\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-post-title has-medium-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/urgent-prayer-bombing-in-myanmar\/\" target=\"_self\" >Urgent prayer: bombing in Myanmar<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-122938 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-featured-items category-urgent-prayers tag-latin-america tag-pastoral-letter tag-peace tag-prayer tag-venezuela tag-war network-deacons-commission network-peace-commission eventcategory-online-prayer-hour\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-post-title has-medium-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/pastoral-letter-venezuela\/\" target=\"_self\" >A pastoral letter regarding Anabaptists in Venezuela<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/resources\/pastoral-letters-urgent-prayer-appeals\/\">All letters<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Beloved sisters and brothers We call you to prayer for our siblings in the USA who are taking legal action that seeks to restore the rights of people of faith to gather, worship and serve without government interference. Mennonite Church USA joins more than 20 Christian and Jewish communities in this action. The current presidential [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":109920,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[294],"tags":[469,504,250,268,270],"network":[360,144,142],"eventcategory":[],"class_list":["post-109903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-urgent-prayers","tag-advocacy","tag-mc-usa","tag-pastoral-letter","tag-peace","tag-prayer","network-commissions","network-deacons-commission","network-peace-commission"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A pastoral letter regarding legal action for the protection of religious liberties - Mennonite World Conference<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We pray for our siblings in the USA who are taking legal action to 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