Partnering this winter and spring, Episcopal Migration Ministries and the United Thank Offering invite special donations to support forced migrants and offer Lenten materials centered on “40 Days of Welcome and Gratitude.”
Year-end donations made to the United Thank Offering—and marked for Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM)—will go 100% toward the work of the church’s refugee resettlement and migration ministry. In 2024, EMM and its network of local affiliates welcomed 5,396 refugees and 1,137 individuals with Special Immigrant Visas from 48 countries.
“Each December, our thoughts turn toward the experience of the Holy Family, first as migrants to be counted in the census, and then as refugees fleeing to Egypt,” said Karin Elsen, United Thank Offering board president. “As we consider and give thanks for our blessings this year, we are especially aware of the plight of forced migrants and refugees around the world.”
In addition, the two ministries offer a variety of Lenten materials for individuals and congregations, all available online. These include daily gratitude prompts, children’s activities, Prayers of the People for Lent, and a five-session book club on “The Ungrateful Refugee: What Immigrants Never Tell You” by Dina Nayeri. Zoom discussions will be held at noon Eastern on Tuesdays from March 11 through April 8.
“Our Lenten theme of ‘40 Days of Welcome and Gratitude’ is a call to give thanks for the ways we are welcomed in the world and to consider ways we can provide welcome to others,” said the Rev. Heather Melton, the church’s staff officer for the United Thank Offering. “Our hope is that during Lent we can all use gratitude and welcome to help us be more present in our daily lives.”
The United Thank Offering, a ministry devoted to the mission efforts of The Episcopal Church, has supported EMM over the years through challenge grants and other creative ventures.
“The partnership between Episcopal Migration Ministries and the United Thank Offering reflects the heart of who we are as a church—rooted in gratitude and called to extend welcome,” said Kendall Martin, senior communications manager for EMM.
Learn more about Episcopal Migration Ministries, which has resettled more than 100,000 individuals over 40 years of ministry.