Nov 9, 2015 - ... District Superintendent, Church of the Nazarene, Menomonee Falls ... Steve Nickel, Senior Pastor, Fox
November 9, 2015
Dear GOP Presidential Candidates,
Welcome to our home State of Wisconsin. As our state hosts the fourth national GOP presidential debate, we hope that it will be a civil exchange of ideas that yields real solutions to the critical issues facing our country. In particular, we expect a respectful and informed discussion around the topic of immigration.
As evangelical pastors and ministry leaders, our concern for immigrants is rooted in the Bible. We believe that each immigrant—like every other human being—is made in the image of God with inherent dignity and potential. Scripture repeatedly calls us to extend hospitality and kindness to immigrants. As many local churches throughout our state have sought to do so, we have been blessed by the immigrants within our community, many of whom are now integral parts of our local churches. Immigrants in Wisconsin also contribute vitally to our state’s economy. Foreign-born workers here in the Dairy State make up over 40% of all hired dairy employees. As entrepreneurs and innovators, immigrants are also an important labor force in science and technology. Latinos and Asians in Wisconsin collectively are responsible for more than $12 billion annually in purchasing power, spurring economic growth. They help move our state and country forward in an increasingly competitive world.
As we come to know immigrants in our own communities, we realize that there is far more that unites us than divides us. We are coworkers, classmates, neighbors and friends; many are members of our local churches. Like us, immigrants look for opportunities to provide for their families and build a brighter future for their children.
However, our broken immigration system has failed to respect human dignity, family unity and the rule of law. As this debate takes place here in Wisconsin, we are looking for presidential candidates who offer sensible policies on immigration that will not only secure our borders and meet the needs of our labor markets, but which also address immigrant communities with compassion.
We would counsel those seeking votes in Wisconsin to affirm the contributions of the immigrants among us, recognizing their dignity and worth and proposing thoughtful immigration policy solutions consistent with biblical values. We hope candidates will seek to listen to what so many of us here who have worked, lived, and worshipped alongside immigrants have learned: Wisconsin moves forward when all of us, no matter where we were born, are fully able to use our God-given talents to build a better state and country. Sincerely,
Josh Amstutz, Senior Pastor, Lakeland Community Church, Lake Geneva
Peter Borg, Teaching and Neighborhood Outreach, Citybrook Church, Milwaukee
Joel Bosacki, Associate Pastor, Living Hope Church, Green Bay
Daniel Breed, Pastor, Emmaus Road Church, Appleton
Betz Castro, Latino Campus Pastor, Celebration Church, Green Bay Guy Conn, Senior Pastor, Fox River Christian Church, Waukesha
Kevin Donley, Wisconsin District Superintendent, Church of the Nazarene, Menomonee Falls Alvin T. Dupree Jr, Pastor, Family First Ministries Church of God in Christ, Appleton
Matt Erickson, Senior Pastor, Eastbrook Church, Milwaukee
Paul Fries, President, Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention
Walter Harvey, Senior Pastor, Parklawn Assembly of God, Milwaukee Elie Hasbani, Lead Pastor, Ethnos Church, Milwaukee
Wade Hetrick, Senior Pastor, Community Church of Appleton, Appleton
Lee Heyward, Interim Senior Pastor/President, Meadowbrook Church/BrookLink, Wauwatosa
Andy King, Director of Outreach and Worship Leader, Life Bridge Christian Church, Green Bay
Bill Lenz, Senior Pastor, Christ the Rock Community Church, Menasha
Tami McLaughlin, Director, World Relief Fox Valley, Fox Valley/Oshkosh
Daniel Moua, Pastor, Green Bay Hmong Alliance Church, Green Bay
Steve Nickel, Senior Pastor, Fox Valley Christian Fellowship, Kimberly
Todd Pope, Lead Pastor, Waukesha First Assembly, Waukesha
Jeff Strommen, Executive Director, HopeNet 360, Green Bay Kevin Taylor, Lead Pastor, Journey Church, Kenosha
Jason Webb, Senior Pastor, Elmbrook Church, Brookfield
Shawn Whitworth, Lead Pastor, The Mission Church, Appleton
Heather Young, Volunteer Team Leader, Volunteer Leader of Southeast Region, Wisconsin Prison Fellowship, Franklin
