CCOW Guide to Online Study and Preaching Resources
Refugees & Forced Migration
Bible readings and Bible studies …
Baptist Union of Great Britain
http://www.baptist.org.uk/Articles/448817/Welcoming_the_Stranger.aspx
As noted above. Bible studies focus on Mary and Joseph, and ‘Strangers and Aliens’
Bible Society
Series of 4 Bible studies (2016) ‘Refugees and the Bible – Welcoming the stranger’, with short (1-2 minute) video introductions
USPG
https://d3hgrlq6yacptf.cloudfront.net/uspg/content/pages/documents/1594212911.pdf
‘Migration and Movement’ a six-week study course with Bible studies, stories and prayers.
Poems and other readings …
Brian Bilston
https://brianbilston.com/2016/03/23/refugees/
‘Reversible’ poem “Refugees”, which offers two perspectives on refugees and our response – a bottom-to-top reading challenging the attitudes found in a top-to-bottom reading
Write to Life
Freedom from Torture shares six poems reflecting a variety of person experiences depicting what it’s like to be a refugee. Four are by members of their Write to Life group for former and current clients, and two are by other authors – including Warsan Shire’s poem including the lines “no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark” and “no one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land.”
Videos …
CAFOD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_P9huLYmS0
3 minute animation about forced migration, suitable for children, aimed at Catholics and encouraging supporting CAFOD to help refugees
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
‘Stories of welcome’ tells the story of community sponsorship and how churches worked together to sponsor a family.
Home for Good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MX9b1ldWpo
6 minute video (Jan 2018) by Dr. Krish Kandiah calling on Christians in the UK to welcome refugee children and young people in response to the war in Syria.
Inscape Animations
https://inscapeanimations.com/roots-inscape-animation.html
9 minute beautifully drawn, reflective and thought-provoking animation, on migration from the earliest times, refugees’ experience, what makes us secure and our common roots
Jesuit Refugee Service/Mercy in Motion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziz9a-2Zhvs
‘Open Minds, Unlock Potential’ 12 minute video in which refugees speak in their own words about their experiences, interspersed with words of theological reflection from Pope Francis.
Methodist Resource Hub
https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/resources/videos/a-film-for-sanctuary-sunday/
‘What does it mean to be part of a welcoming community?’ – a video for Sanctuary Sunday. Focuses on the stories of refugees, a church that has found its mission in welcoming them, and Revd Dr Inderjit Bhogal, founder of City of Sanctuary.
Refugee Highway Partnership
https://rhpeurope.net/world-refugee-sunday
Nine diverse videos on the theme of refugees, between 1 and 45 minutes long, produced between 2016 and 2021 by different organisations – documentary, interview, Biblical teaching, introductory facts
Together with Refugees
Faith leaders speak about welcome as ‘who we are’. Done in response to the ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ but the sentiments endure.
Welcome Churches
https://welcomechurches.org/christmas/resources
‘Will you welcome a refugee this Christmas?’ Short video follows a refugee couple from Guatemala and the church that has welcomed them. Ends with fundraising appeal for Welcome Churches.
UNHCR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvzZGplGbL8
Who is a Refugee? 3 minute animation video sutiable for age 12+
Theological resources to give background for preaching …
World Council of Churches
http://www.urc.org.uk/images/mission/at_home_strange/The_Other_Is_My_Neighbour_WCC.pdf
‘The Other Is My Neighbour: Developing an Ecumenical Response to Migration’ – theological reflection paper.
World Evangelical Alliance
‘Justice and Compassion: Responding to the Refugee Crisis in Europe’ – sets out some basic context (as of 2015) and offers theological reflection.
