17 June, 2016
On June 26 at 3:00 p.m. at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will be hosting a Public Hearing on the Refugee Crisis. This event, modeled on Congressional Hearings, will be a town- and region-wide event to examine the refugee crisis led by three outstanding “expert witnesses” with questions by a panel of Christian and Muslim clergy. There will be an opportunity for questions and statements from the floor. The hearing is free and open to the public. The Hopkinton Center for the Arts is located at 98 Hayden Rowe Street in Hopkinton.
Expert witnesses will be:
Lisa Brenan of Ascentria Care Alliance, the largest refugee and immigrant resettlement agency in Worcester (a church-based agency). Brenan will address the refugee resettlement process from vetting applicants to getting them to be self-sustaining, including the question of “Is it safe to allow Syrians and others into the country?”
Professor Westy Egmont of Boston College School of Social Work, the Governor’s Advisory Council, President of the International Institute of Boston and NH and for eleven years a commentator on WBZ-TV. Egmont will discuss how New Americans assimilate to their new home country and what their economic impact is on the US.
Jeff Jacoby is an op-ed columnist for the Boston Globe and an important voice for conservative and libertarian ideas in New England. Jacoby will talk about the moral aspects of the refugee crisis.
“A lot of people have questions and fears about the refugee crisis and refugee resettlement, and so we’ve planned this hearing to address their concerns,” said the Rev. Gordon Schultz of St. Paul’s. “The three witnesses are acknowledged experts in their fields, and as they represent different points of view, should help the public understand the issues in greater depth. We also plan to allow time for the public to not just listen, but also speak on these critical issues.”
St. Paul’s Episcopal church is located at 61 Wood Street (Rte. 135) in Hopkinton. For more information call 774-253-4432 or visit www.stpaulhopkinton.org.
The mission of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is to minister unconditionally to all in the name of Christ through shared worship, teaching, healing, and service. St. Paul’s is an Open and Affirming congregation and welcomes all people to share in the Good News.
