Central Baptist Church's affiliation with the Philadelphia New Sanctuary Movement is a renewal of CBC's prophetic engagement in the original Sanctuary Movement, declared in a congregational vote in 1984. This reaffirmation today of our historic commitment is grounded in our congregation's vision of “justice rooted in spirituality” and “making a difference in community.”-Congregational Meeting April 25th, 2010.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Direct Action Training

Register for a special training re: direct action / civil disobedience Saturday, July 10th from 10 AM - 3PM at Project Home, 1515 Fairmount, in Philadelphia.  More information and register online at this link -- register now. We'll be learning more about options for organizing nonviolent, direct action tactics to intensify our local campaign for immigration justice. As part of the training, we will be learning why direct action can be useful, talking about planning effective actions, and generating ideas for specific creative tactics to use here in Philadelphia. The training has been planned by a group of people working with Reform Immigration For America.  The training will be led by "Training for Change" coordinator Daniel Hunter-- an excellent facilitator with international experience. For more info: www.trainingforchange.org. Training for Change provides activist training for groups standing up for justice, peace, and the environment through strategic non-violence, including state-of-the-art direct action trainings -- in nonviolence, campaign strategy and other basic skills. Lunch will be provided.

Thursday, June 10, 2010



Call to Action for Immigrant Justice from the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia

What:  Philadelphia Safe Communities Forum with the Deputy Mayor in Charge of   Police Affairs!
When:  Sunday, June 27th, at 2pm
Where:Annunciation Catholic Church / 1511 S. 10th St. / South Philadelphia
New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia
New Sanctuary Movement, in conjunction with JUNTOS and the Philadelphia Storytelling Project, is organizing an important forum to share testimony with city officials concerning collaborations between the Philadelphia police department and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officials and the impact on immigrants in our communities.  NSM has a verbal commitment from the deputy mayor to attend, and is working on a commitment from the Philadelphia District Attorney, as well.  We need to show District Attorney Seth Williams and other public officials that these issues are concerns for undocumented and documented community members alike. 




The goal is to have 400 people turn out for this event.  


Please join us!  


*** CBC will arrange carpools to leave after worship.  Details to follow. ***

SB1070 Do I Look Illegal?

Wednesday, June 2, 2010



Updates on Local Actions for Immigration Reform

Since last month’s passage of Arizona’s law, SB 1070, criminalizing immigrants and creating state sanctioned racial profiling, ten other states have introduced similar anti-immigrant legislation, including PA, where Sen. Metcalfe has introduced the HB 2479.  Simultaneously, policies such as Secure Communities, that encourage police and ICE collaboration, are spreading across the country, and is happening here in Philadelphia, under the radar.

From Philly to Phoenix”   Gay Marshall, Dan Burnam, Caroline Cargo, Katy Friggle-Norton, Doug Norton, and Ray Schellinger represented Central Baptist Church  at the May 26th “From Philly to Phoenix” rally for immigration reform at Constitution Center, followed by a march ending at the federal building.   Speakers at the event called for an executive order from President Obama to reverse SB 1070 and an end to copycat legislation in our own state.  Community members shared personal stories about families torn apart by the broken immigration system.  A local leader in the national organization of  Dream Activists  introduced herself as “undocumented and unafraid” as she spoke boldly about the need to ensure passage of the “Dream Act” for college students.  (To learn more, see www.dreamactivist.org.)  And there were prayers to bless Philadelphia representatives heading to Arizona to take part in the mass demonstrations there.


500 Petition Signatures – Thank you to Juan DeAngulo!  
As of last week, more than 2000 signatures of Philadelphia residents had been added to a New Sanctuary Movement petition calling for Deputy Mayor Seth Williams to end collaborations between the Philadelphia Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  CBC member Juan DeAngulo was responsible for gathering 500 of those signatures through his work at Congreso in Philadelphia!

The petition highlights Philadelphia police and ICE collaborations through the “Secure Communities” program and through permitting ICE access to the PARS database.  These policies harm community safety because:
·         Immigrants in Philadelphia live in fear of any police encounter, eroding public trust and compromising community policing. 
·         Victims and witnesses do not report crimes due to fear of deportation.
·         Due process is violated as immigrants brought into police custody are transferred to ICE custody before conviction.
·         These policies have no mechanisms to prevent or monitor racial profiling.
·         And they undermine Mayor Nutter’s executive order of non-inquiry.  

Although the primary call is for Philadelphia residents to sign, others concerned about these policies can also continue to add their names by signing an online petition at www.ipetitions.com/petition/safecommunities.


Call to Action from the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia
What:   Philadelphia Community Forum with the Deputy Mayor in charge of police affairs!
When:  Sunday, June 27th, at 2pm
Where:  Event to be held at Annunciation Catholic Church / 1511 S. 10th St. / Philadelphia
New Sanctuary Movement, in conjunction with JUNTOS and the Philadelphia Storytelling Project, is organizing an important forum to share testimony with city officials concerning collaborations between the Philadelphia police department and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officials and the impact on undocumented people in our communities.   NSM has a verbal commitment from the deputy mayor to attend, and is working on a commitment from the Philadelphia District Attorney, as well.  We need to show Deputy Mayor Seth Williams and other public officials that these issues are concerns for undocumented and documented community members alike.  The goal is to have 400 people turn out for this event.   Central Baptist Church will be represented in the audience  – and we hope a good group of us will consider attending as a show of support for local immigration reform!  Watch for further details by email and in the Sunday bulletins.

Central Baptist Church Stands with Arizona - Prayer Vigil

Central Baptist Church Stands with Arizona
Public Prayer Vigil to Call for Immigration Reform
7pm to 9pm this Sunday evening, June 6, 2010
Come with your family and friends on Sunday evening, June 6, from 7 – 9 p.m., or any part of that time. Together we will light the vigil candles as we renew our commitment to tend the flames of hope, justice, solidarity, and unity for and with our immigrant brothers and sisters.  Our gathering time opens with prayers, songs, stories, and reflections on the issue of immigration justice. Moving into a creative response time, we will have opportunities to travel among several learning, reflection, and action stations. Options include:
  • Reflect on visual images of displaced people around the world
  • Write a note of encouragement to Arizona advocates
  • Play an immigration board game designed for learning
  • Paint a banner and create posters to use in the closing vigil
  • Focus on the reality of immigration journeys through meditative sand play in a desert box
  • Explore resources and fact sheets about immigration 
 And as a public witness, we will close with a candlelight vigil expressing our solidarity with immigrants across the United States.

Our vigil begins a broader nationwide, 8-week effort called the Isaiah 58 Summer, a nationwide vigil and fast for Arizona organized by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition.The Isaiah 58 Summer, a “rolling” prayer vigil and fast, will move from region to region from June 6 to July 28, culminating with a three-day fast July 30-August 1, in Arizona and across the country. Each week, groups in different states will lead constant prayer and public witness in support of the people of Arizona, to denounce the anti-immigrant law there, and to send the message to state and national leaders that we need humane, just comprehensive immigration reform this year – and that no other state should face legislation like Arizona’s.