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sabbath, June 15, 2024
What is World Refugee Sabbath?
Each year the Adventist community comes together to mark World Refugee Day with a special Sabbath program and activities.
This year, World Refugee Sabbath is on June 15, 2024. It is a Sabbath set aside to open our hearts to refugees across the world; where we honor and celebrate their resilience while learning, praying, and acting to assist them in their need.
While the word ‘refugee’ is not found in Scripture, God’s heart for the foreigner, stranger, and sojourner is clear — as is His call for His followers to consider their needs and take action on their behalf.
“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.” – Deuteronomy 10:18-19
We cannot look away from the global refugee crisis. Refugees are not statistics — but mothers, fathers, and children whose lives have been turned upside down by persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations.
We are witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record, so an understanding of the scale and global impact of the refugee crisis is important as we consider our response on a personal and global level.
Here are some resources for your local church to join in the recognition of World Refugee Day and ways for church members to get involved in helping in the global refugee crisis.
Get Involved
Here are some great ways in which you, and your church family, can get involved and make a difference in the lives of many.
Refugee Video (short to show in church)
Refugee Stories Video (full video, 10 mins)
-> follow up discussion questions to the video (pdf)
2. Resources for Everyone
Get conversations started and get the kids involved too!
Host a meal to pray, eat, and act together in solidarity with refugees.
Global Recipes
experience a taste from other cultures and places right at home.
Show your support on social media! Right-click the
“I Support Refugees icon”
(below in English, Spanish, French, and Arabic) and save it to use as your profile picture in June. You can also use the hashtags #WorldRefugeeSabbath and #isupportrefugees to join the conversation
Prayer
If you would like to have a themed prayer about refugees for your church service, here is a beautiful one you are welcome to use and share with your church family:
Loving God,
We pray for the world’s refugees.
We give you thanks for their courage and resilience.
We know that many have experienced trauma and loss.
Loving God, bring them healing.
As they endure and persist,
Loving God, bring them strength.
In the face of uncertainty and doubt.
Loving God, bring them hope.
For those rebuilding new lives in foreign lands,
Loving God, bring them joy.
We think of the countries from which they come.
Loving God, bring them peace.
Lord God, may we love as you love.
May we not be wearied by the sorrow, tragedy, and loss around us, but rather, may we become vehicles of your peace. May we work with you to sow healing, hope, joy, and strength so that we may be a light to our refugee brothers and sisters.
Amen.
More resources
Here are more helpful resources, courtesy of the North American Division’s Adventist Refugee and Immigrant Ministries.
