For more than 80 years, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) has welcomed newcomers seeking safety, support, and a share in the American dream.
Since World War II, people who fled for their lives — from Nazi Germany, Cuba, Vietnam, Bosnia and Sudan, Afghanistan and Ukraine — have been met on our shores and by the outstretched arms of LIRS and our Lutheran communities.
LIRS is grateful for the generous and prayerful support of the Western Iowa Synod. Together, we can answer the Biblical call to welcome the stranger.
We invite you to consider how you can ADAPT with LIRS. ADAPT stands for Act, Donate, Advocate, Pray, and Teach. The ADAPT model allows for individuals and congregations to use their unique gifts and listen for how the Holy Spirit is calling us to respond.
Act
- Host an interfaith prayer vigil in Pentecost through Stand Up Speak Up, a program focused on prayer, reflection, and stories of migrants and refugees.
- Support unaccompanied immigrant children with Hope for the Holidays ™ a winter program for congregations to tangibly support families impacted by immigration detention through donations, gift-giving, and card-writing.
Donate
- Ask your congregation to support LIRS through a special offering.
- Host a fundraising dinner party with a menu inspired by our Culture Kitchen series.
Advocate
- Be in the know with real-time Advocacy Alerts.
- Learn about LIRS advocacy initiatives, including policy updates and invitations to virtual events.
Pray
- Discern how God is calling your congregation to welcome our newest neighbors through the EMMAUS: Congregational Discernment Guide. You can also find additional tools in the EMMAUS: Congregational Resource Center.
- Organize a Transformed Community bible study to explore ideas of biblical welcome.
Teach
- Learn more about a region or country from where our newest neighbors come through the LIRS Gather program. Find educational tools, discussion guides, worship resources and more on cultures from Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Guatemala.
- Request an expert speaker from LIRS for your panel, webinar, church service, or other event. Our speakers are immigration activists, foreign policy experts, theologians, and former refugees.
For more ideas on individual and congregational engagement, visit the LIRS Action Center or contact Chelsey Johnson, LIRS Network Organizer at outreach@LIRS.org.