Sanctuary and Immigration Advocacy

First & Summerfield is a diverse church that believes in treating all human beings with dignity and respect.  As a reconciling and sanctuary church, our responsibility is to care for one another during times of hardship.

In 2017, as the United States government started escalating its efforts to close the borders to immigrants and refugees, neighbors in our midst were being picked up at increased rates by ICE from their homes and being told that they must separate from their families. At that time, First & Summerfield’s pastor prayed about the situation of our immigrant neighbors and asked the church to consider becoming a sanctuary congregation.  A delegation from First & Summerfield attended the United Methodist Church sanctuary training program and then presented the facts to our governing body (Church Council). The Church Council took a vote and it was an unanimous decision to join the sanctuary movement. Soon after the vote, the church welcomed an Ecuadorian immigrant into physical sanctuary, and we have continued this work ever since.