Thread: Multilingual churches unite immigrants (Illegals)

These article really angers me. In the first place if these so called Ministers were truly Christian they would not be aiding and abetting criminals (illegals). They would not be undermining the English language. These so called Churches are no more Christian than the man in the moon. They if Christian would be abiding in the law and turning these illegals over to ICE.
This is a disgrace to the Baptist denominations everywhere!

http://www.newstimeslive.com/news/story.php?id=1027270

Multilingual churches unite immigrants


By Elizabeth Putnam
THE NEWS-TIMES


Pastor Ophir De Barros of All Nations Baptist Church is spearheading the renovation of the former Chase Manhattan Bank on Main St. in Danbury from to house his church. The congregation is one of nearly a dozen in downtown Danbury that cater to Spanish or Portuguese-speaking residents.

This is the first in a four-part series looking at immigration and its impact on greater Danbury.

DANBURY -- At first glance, the former Chase Manhattan Bank on Main Street seems an unlikely place for a church.

The grand limestone facade with an expansive lobby, a vault with walls 20 inches thick and a sign that reads "Please ring bell for vault custodian" recalls the building's former life as a financial institution.

But it's from within these walls that the Rev. Ophir de Barros, pastor of All Nations Baptist Church, plans to unfold his vision for a multicultural house of worship.

Within the next month, the dozen pews now pushed close together near the center of the 5,000-square-foot lobby will fan out and fill the space where bank teller stations once stood.

By Feb. 1, the 120-member church will move into the first floor and eventually will fill the entire church -- once renovations to two mezzanines and the bank's third floor are complete.

"It's ideal for a church, mainly because it's downtown. It will be a center of reference for the immigrant communities and for everyone," said de Barros, who has been leading his congregation in Sunday worship at New Hope Baptist Church during renovations.
Adblock

All Nations Baptist Church joins nearly a dozen other churches in downtown Danbury that cater to Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking residents. Over the past decade, these churches, including Igreja Koinonia and Iglesias Cristo LaRoca Mission, have filled in between immigrant-owned mom-and-pop shops and eateries on Main Street and side streets, helping to morph downtown Danbury into an ethnic hub.

That's part of the appeal for de Barros, who said downtown is the perfect place for churches devoted to immigrant communities.

"It's visible to our target people," said de Barros, a native of Brazil. "And we believe there is a growing need."

The growing number of these churches -- there are at least 15 in the Danbury area -- mirrors the growing number of foreign-born city residents.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data released in August, the number of foreign-born people living in Danbury increased 25 percent over the past five years. In 2005, Danbury was home to 25,279 foreign-born residents, or 35 percent of the population. That was up from 20,241, or 27 percent of the population, in 2000.

But it's not just the immigrant population that de Barros is trying to reach.

He hopes eventually to offer services in English and Spanish in addition to Portuguese. The church currently offers English translation through individual headsets to the 20 members and any visitors who do not speak Portuguese.

"We don't want to divide; we want to unite," de Barros explained.

Now, the majority of people who belong to All Nations Baptist Church are from Brazil. Some are in the United States legally, some are not.

"There are American citizens, legal residents, people waiting for their immigrant applications be finalized, and others with applications pending the approval of immigration reform," de Barros said.

Fabio Maia, 35, served as the church's finance director until he returned to Brazil earlier this month. Maia came to the U.S. on a six-month visitor's visa but ended up staying for nearly seven years. He decided to return to Brazil to obtain a master's degree in business administration and also because he "didn't want to be illegal anymore," Maia said.

Danbury officials estimate there are between 10,000 and 20,000 illegal immigrants in Danbury with thousands more here legally.

And although the Census Bureau survey did not distinguish between noncitizens who are here legally, such as students or guest workers, and those here illegally, it shows that of those 25,279 foreign-born people recorded in 2005, 17,141 were not U.S. citizens. That compares to 12,656 non-U.S. citizens in Danbury in 2000.

Paul Streitz, a founding member of Connecticut Citizens for Immigration Control, said illegal immigration is affecting Danbury more than any other community in Connecticut.

"I do not so much blame (illegal immigrants). If we are not going to be a country that enforces our laws, (illegal immigrants) do not see anything morally wrong with not following our laws," said Streitz, whose group wants the U.S. to close its borders, enforce existing immigration laws -- and send undocumented immigrants back to their homelands.

Maia said many people who are here without proper documents find comfort in a church community. All Nations Baptist Church is a place where everyone, whether they are here legally or illegally, can feel welcome, he said.

"It's about bringing Christians together," he said.

IN HIS OWN WORDS



De Barros said his spiritual journey continues to be influenced by immigration, and he finds himself ministering mainly to immigrants and their struggles.

"Immigration makes people dependent, in need of meaning, support and acceptance. In my opinion, faith helps them to cope with the burden of uncertainty and fills their hearts with hope for a better life," he said.

The Rev. Hector Leon, pastor of the Roman Catholic Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, agrees and said churches that cater to new immigrants find themselves at the crossroads of the immigration debate.

About 1,500 Hispanic families belong to Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Danbury, and Leon estimates that at least half are in the country illegally, mostly from Ecuador or the Dominican Republic.

"For a church, we don't see legal and illegal. They are all good people. They are not terrorists," said Leon, who is from Colombia and has been in the U.S. for eight years. "It's necessary for us to help them, to extend a helping hand."

Immigration's role in Danbury history

Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, which is launching new initiatives to meet the needs of all immigrants.

The Diocese of Bridgeport, which includes the Danbury area, hired a director of immigration services in the fall and is working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to obtain certification that will allow Catholic Charities to help immigrants navigate the legal system. The diocese won't necessarily provide immigrants with lawyers but will help file paperwork and answer questions about citizenship.

The diocese also has a staff person once a week at the Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury to counsel immigrants, said Bill Hoey, vice president of Catholic Charities.

"We are not advocating illegal immigration," Hoey said. "To paraphrase (Bishop William Lori), when people are in need and they knock on our door, we answer the door, regardless of their immigration status."

The Rev. Phyllis Leopold, director of the Association of Religious Communities, works with de Barros and other church leaders to help the immigrant communities through ARC's Immigration & Refugee Resettlement Program.

Churches that cater specifically to the immigrant communities have been an asset to the program and Danbury, she said. "They help establish respect," she said.

De Barros said he's unsure what role immigrant religious communities will play as immigration issues continue to be a white-hot topic nationally and locally, but his focus remains on his new church building and growing a more diverse congregation.

Churches in Danbury that offer services in Spanish and/or Portuguese:

All Nations Baptist Church,

234 Main St., 790-1778

Brazilian Catholic Center,

61 Liberty St., 730-9071

Hispanic United Church of Christ, 164 Deer Hill Ave.,

748-4371

Emanuel Assembly of God, 40 Main St., 743-1002

Foursquare Church,

18 Elm St., 730-2134

International Pentecostal Church of Christ,

64 Main St., 792-9538

Iglesias Cristo LaRoca Mission, 46 Elm St., 798-6321

Our Lady Guadalupe Parish,

29 Golden Hill Road, 743-1021

Philadelphia Pentecostal Church, 45 New St., 778-4175

Revival Church,

337 Main St., 743-7154

The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God,

330 Main St., 743-9111
The church already has come a long way, he said.

In 1993, a small group of Portuguese-speaking residents who gathered in homes for worship founded the First Portuguese-Speaking Baptist Church in Danbury.

Then about eight years ago, parishioners called on de Barros to replace the Rev. Damy Ferreira, who was headed back to Brazil to care for a sick family member.

De Barros was living in Brazil at the time where he had been a Baptist minister for 36 years. He accepted the job and moved here with his wife, Joana.

In 2002, the church got a mortgage and purchased the former Chase Manhattan Bank at 234 Main St. for $1 million, and de Barros changed the church's name to All Nations Baptist Church in hopes of building a more diverse congregation.

The congregation held services at the former bank for about two years before beginning renovations.

De Barros, 59, said he's unsure how long he will stay in Danbury. He has family, including a newborn grandchild, in Brazil. But for now, he's here.

On Sundays, he leads a two-hour service at New Hope Baptist Church on Dr. Aaron B. Samuels Boulevard.

With words shown on a screen near the altar, praise leader Susie Bourguignon leads the congregation in at least an hour of singing during its two-hour weekly worship services. De Barros plays the keyboard.

The congregation, which includes several young families, sings along, some swaying their hands in the air.

During a service in early December, de Barros' message was simple: "God needs us to be his minister," he said through a translator.

# Contact Elizabeth Putnam

at eputnam@newstimes.com

or at (203) 731-3411.

In the movie "High Plains Drifter", Clint Eastwood threw everybody out of the hotel because he liked his privacy. The local preacher accosted him on the street and the conversation went something like this:

Preacher: "Brother, you can't throw these people out on the streets, it's inhuman."

Eastwood: "I ain't your brother"

Preacher: "We are all brothers in God's eyes"

Eastwood: "Well Preacher, do you consider all these folks your brothers and sisters."

Preacher: "I most certainly do."

Eastwood: "Then I guess you won't mind if they all come over and stay at YOUR place, will you?"

gofer, great post from one of Clint's movies.

All the churches are falling all over themselves for larger congregations. Larger congregations mean more money. I wish we could take care of every poor soul in the world too but we can't without imploding from within which we may be doing now, we just don't realize it yet.

Originally Posted by jean

gofer, great post from one of Clint's movies.

All the churches are falling all over themselves for larger congregations. Larger congregations mean more money. I wish we could take care of every poor soul in the world too but we can't without imploding from within which we may be doing now, we just don't realize it yet.

Organized religion is nothing more than a huge corporation that sells life after death insurance policies. I'm no longer under their spell.

Originally Posted by jean

gofer, great post from one of Clint's movies.

All the churches are falling all over themselves for larger congregations. Larger congregations mean more money. I wish we could take care of every poor soul in the world too but we can't without imploding from within which we may be doing now, we just don't realize it yet.

I think it highly unfair for you to generalize that all churches are bad because a few of them are! That is simply not true!

Cindy, for whatever reason you lost your faith, I really resent your crack about churches selling life after death insurance policies! No matter how you might feel about "life after death" there are many people of faith on these boards, all kinds of faith are represented here, it will not be good to alienate and make light of their belief system, just because you have become disillusioned and lost your faith, do not try to cheapen or demean their belief in a life after death by referring to their faith as nothing more then a life after death insurance policy. That is pretty selfish don't you think, or do you prefer for everyone to be as disillusioned as you are?Please, a lot of us have worked hard for that "life after death insurance policy" as you call it, please leave it to us would you?

I probably would have not said anything about this, esp. to upset you women, but I made myself a New Year's resolution, to not be politically correct anymore, so I just had to have my say about this.