Local Immigration Prayer Vigil Attracts National Spotlight

GRAND RAPIDS (February 20, 2009) -- The prayer vigil for immigration reform held on Monday, February 16, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has caught the attention of leading justice advocates nationwide.   Sojourners, the nation's premier social justice periodical, mentioned the West Michigan gathering in its blog feature on "Prayer, Renewal, and Action on Immigration Week." The feature can be found on "God's Politics," a weblog managed by Jim Wallis and others at Sojourners, and it offers readers a link to the vigil article posted on the Micah Center's blog.

The vigil, which was co-sponsored by the CRC Office of Social Justice, Michigan Organizing Project, the Micah Center, and Justice for Our Neighbors, drew a multi-ethnic crowd of more than 100 people of faith from West Michigan. A great amount of energy and hope circulated through Grand Rapids' La Iglesia Metodista Unida La Nueva Esperanza on Monday night. It represented a small step in the long journey toward immigration reform and justice for the sojourners in our midst, but it was nevertheless a significant one.

Those interested in contributing to West Michigan's efforts to bring resolution to the immigration crisis can find more information from the CRC Office of Social Justice, Michigan Organizing Project, the Micah Center, or Justice for Our Neighbors.

Brian Paff, The Micah Center