Concerned that our U.S. government’s current Zero Tolerance and other immigration policies not only fail the historic welcome our immigrant nation has been built on, Old First Church voted as a congregation to use our Christmas creche figures to put forward an alternative. Our current immigration actions are also actively harming immigrants — children, women, men — our neighbors. This nation can do better. We believe our Christian faith asks us to recognize, respect, welcome and help.
The church is committed to using the figures of Mary, Joseph and Jesus to insist this nation recognize the humanity of refugees, migrants and immigrants as well as its responsibility towards helping them — as long as the display appears to be making a statement. We understand that it will take more than this display in our front courtyard.
