Refugee Unit Formed at Church Center
Episcopal News Service. June 23, 1988 [88135]
NEW YORK (DPS, June 23) -- Presiding Bishop Edmond L. Browning has established a new unit at the Church Center known as Refugee/Migration Ministries. The unit was formed by separating the programmatic elements from the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief.
Marion M. (Marnie) Dawson, formerly the fund's assistant director for migration affairs, is the executive for this newly constituted unit. As such, she is a part of the Mission Operations Management Team and thus more integrated with the total program of the Episcopal Church.
In his description of the change, Bishop Browning stated: "I authorized the establishment of Refugee/Migration Ministries as a unit separate from the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief after full review and consultation with the board of the fund. The purpose in separating the operation of the Presiding Bishop's Fund from the program elements of Refugee/Migration Ministries is to enable the reorganization and rededication of the fund in its new role and to strengthen the refugee/migration program as part of the total program of the Church Center."
The new unit is responsible for the Episcopal Church's refugee and migration programs and policy here and overseas. This includes cooperative work through the Anglican Communion and the World Council of Churches. The program includes the resettlement program in the United States, outreach to displaced persons, the Legalization (Amnesty) Program, and the Anglican Childcare Fund. Other Episcopal Church refugee programs in Central America and Europe minister to the needs of those seeking relief and resettlement in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Also included is cooperative refugee care, maintenance, and processing throughout Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
Through the Refugee/Migration Ministries unit, the Episcopal Church has processed some 50,000 applicants in the Legalization Program since May 1987 under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and has helped thousands of displaced persons and immigrants.
Refugee/Migration Ministries will continue to resettle between 1200 and 3000 refugees a year under a contract with the Bureau of Refugee Programs, U.S. Department of State. The new unit will also continue to participate in the Health and Human Services matching grant program through the Council for Jewish Federations. Much of this is implemented through a network of diocesan volunteers, and the new configuration is expected to enhance the effectiveness of these volunteers.
Bishop Browning further stated: "In its new role, the Presiding Bishop's Fund will not maintain responsibility for the oversight of a particular program. All program will remain in Mission Operations. The fund becomes part of the new Mission Planning cluster under the Rt. Rev. Furman C. Stough, who is coming in the fall as Senior Executive for Mission Planning and Deputy for the Presiding Bishop's Fund."
The Refugee/Migration Ministries unit will continue its relationship with the fund, primarily through the granting process; the fund will continue to provide considerable budgetary support. In addition, the fund will continue to raise money for outreach to refugees.
Dawson observed: "The Refugee/Migration Ministries staff and I are excited by the challenge presented by the new organization and appreciate the opportunity to fully integrate the Refugee/Migration Ministries into the Church's ongoing mission. The Presiding Bishop's Mission Imperatives put Refugee/Migration Ministries in a pivotal place in the Episcopal Church's domestic as well as international outreach to the homeless and stateless."
D. Barry Menuez, Senior Executive for Mission Operations, commented, "I believe that this unit will be greatly strengthened, through the Mission Operations Management Team, by liaison with and access to other Church Center operations and networks."