St. Michael's is thankful to partner with Kentucky Refugee Ministries to resettle refugees from across the world to a new, safe home in Lexington.

Who are refugees?
A refugee is a defined term according to the United Nations. To be declared a refugee eligible for resettlement, a person goes through an extensive process. You can learn more about refugees and displaced persons here. 

What is Kentucky Refugee Ministries?
Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM) is a organization established in 1990 to work with various agencies to resettle refugees in Kentucky. In the past few years, St. Michael's has worked with KRM to resettled two families in Lexington. We are looking forward to beginning 2022 by welcoming a new family to our great city!

How can I help?
There are several ways to help this work of love. They include

• Pray for all refugees, immigrants, and people who have been displaced form their home countries because of violence, war, and climate change. There are many ways to pray, but if you need a suggestion, here's a wonderful prayer: God our Creator: We ask for your loving presence and your peace to be with refugees in our local communities and around the world. Be with all who are in fear. Be with those whose lives and livelihoods are under threat, and whose religious freedoms are being compromised. Be with us as we strive to enact your will in our welcome and support of refugees. Be with those in positions of leadership, that their decisions may bend toward peace and not division, and that they might realize the power they hold to do justice. Give us all strength and courage. Equip and empower us to be witnesses to your love – as advocates and as servants, as ministers of welcome and bearers of hope, especially for those seeking refuge. In your Holy name we pray. Amen.
• Learn about refugee issues and our denominational response. Episcopal Migration Ministries is our denominational response to refugee and immigrant issues. They provide information and advocacy, as well as prayers and study guides for Bible study and Lenten devotionals. Check out their (our) work at Episcopal Migration Ministries.  
  

• Donate financially. We need about $4000 to co-sponsor a family, plus extras. This will ensure that their rent, utilities, food, and clothing are provided for at least 3 months (usually the time it takes for them to get registered for benefits and begin feeling confident about their new home).  To donate online, visit our Support our Ministry page.
• Donate items. We will be setting up a home for the new family, and will need items both new and in good used condition - from chairs to winter coats and everything in between. So stay tuned for the list and be ready to donate!
• Join a Team. We have two major teams for our refugee ministry work:
  • The Welcoming Team will gather items the new family will need and set up their home, including stocking their pantry with culturally appropriate food and making their home comfortable. Kentucky Refugee Ministries provides guidance in this process. Because of Covid, we must limit face-to-face interaction, but The Welcoming Team can make videos of members of the congregation welcoming the family to Lexington!
  • The Resettlement Team will help with errands, help the new family get settled by signing up for benefits, and  assist in other ways as needed. If you want to be part of the Resettlement Team, you will have to have a background check done, as you will be interacting with the family directly.
  • You may serve on both teams, if you'd like. 
  • All volunteers will need to participate in a 90 minute training via Zoom, time and date TBA (and it will be recorded for later viewing).

If you are interested in learning more or want to help, contact Mother Laurie at the Church Office.