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Greetings!
Love your neighbor as yourself. – Matthew 22:39
Over the past few months, we have seen a test not only of democracy but of our values as a society. We have been witnessing horrible acts of violence and the pain that these actions have caused our neighbors and ourselves.
Our Faith calls us to stand up against injustices. Across the country, we are seeing people of faith protesting and organizing against evil and violence at detention centers and at vigils for peace. Clergy are being arrested while standing up for their immigrant siblings and the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Throughout this, I am struck by the ways that even amidst this violence and hatred bombarding us, we continue to find joy and turn towards love and community.
About a month ago, I had the opportunity to march with my fellow Catholics for the rights of our immigrant community (photos below). As we marched together, I was struck by how even against seemingly insurmountable odds, we have been and continue to be successful in pushing back on hate and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Organizations like the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) are putting together excellent resources like "Parish Toolkit: Supporting Immigrants in a Time of Need."
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This newsletter is full of actions big and small that Oregonians are taking to push back against violence and hate, and I encourage you to attend at least one!
Do not doubt our moral conviction. A beloved community shall prevail.
In peace,
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Frank So
Executive Director
| | Good Friday Sacred Gathering at Portland ICE Facility | | |
Good Friday Sacred Gathering
Lament, Mourn, Repent, Stand Up
At the ICE Facility on S. Macadam Ave.
Gather at 11:30 a.m. at Elizabeth Caruthers Park
3508 S. Moody Ave.
Although this Good Friday gathering specifically honors Christ Jesus’ torture, suffering and death, we welcome all people of faith and goodwill to join with us, if you are so led.
We will gather in Elizabeth Caruthers Park to get to know each other, have time for silent prayer/worship/meditation, a song, and then walk quietly to the ICE facility on Macadam, where the organizing group will have gathered at 12 p.m.. When it is finished, we will return to the park for a brief time of farewell and perhaps another song.
This is a family-friendly, peaceful, non-violent event. We expect the area to be calm Friday midday. Scan the QR code in the image below for more information. Please copy and share with your congregation, communities, networks as widely as possible, but do avoid social media, please.
For more information, contact Joe Snyder, josephoytsnyder@gmail.com, (541) 297 6246.
| | Join Our Children's Trust at a Portland hearing to support youth plaintiffs | | |
Youth suing the Trump administration are heading back to federal court! On April 13, youth across the country will stand before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Lighthiser v. Trump, challenging President Trump’s pro-fossil fuel executive orders that “unleash” fossil fuels, block renewable energy development, suppress critical climate science and exacerbate the climate crisis. They’re asking the court to allow their case to proceed on the merits.
Show your support by attending the hearing and bear witness to this critical moment for children’s constitutional rights to life and liberty. You are invited to gather outside the courthouse to cheer on the youth plaintiffs as they enter the courthouse, and then pack the main courtroom.
You can gather at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 700 SW 6th Avenue in Portland, Ore., on Monday, April 13, 2026, at 7:45 a.m. to support the youth testifying. The Hearing will start at 9 a.m. A watch party and rally space will be announced soon.
Can’t attend in person? Whether you join us in the courtroom or online, your presence matters. To watch the court proceedings live, go to ca9.uscourts.gov.
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The spring 2026 issue of EMO's VOICE newsletter will be released this month!
Included in the issue are a feature on EMO's 2026 Collins Lecturer John Fugelsang (author of the best-seller "Separation of Church & Hate"), stories from volunteers Tracey Rose with Northeast Emergency Food Program and Silvia Smart with Second Home, EMO's advocacy to create Youth Emergency Housing Assistance in rural communities, and a report on an event that offered safe dating guidance for Slavic teens and their parents.
| | Second Home announces expansion and partnership in the city of Portland | |
Second Home, a community effort to address the challenge of local youth homelessness, is expanding into Portland.
Second Home, a program of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, a host home program that provides long-term, stable housing for teenagers experiencing houselessness. Since 2010, the program has served students throughout Washington, Clackamas, Lincoln, and East Multnomah counties. This spring, we are excited to announce that we have secured the funding to expand into Portland through a partnership with the City of Portland.
Continue reading
| | To learn more about upcoming EMO events and faith community events, visit our Event Calendar. For the most up-to-date announcements about events associated with EMO, our programs and our partners, we recommend following us on social media (Facebook or Instagram). If you are hosting a summer event and you'd like to include it in the next FaithConnect, reach out to Frances King. | | A Balm in Gilead Community Event | | Join Bethel AME Church, A6, Allen Temple CME Church, Albina Ministerial Alliance, OCAP, Grace Covenant, and Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon for The Balm in Gilead Community Gathering on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Allen Temple CME Church. | | Sound of Hope: A Night of Music in Support of Slavic Survivors | | |
Join us on Saturday, April 11, for an uplifting evening of music in support of Slavic survivors! The Sound of Hope concert will feature a variety of Slavic musicians and vocalists. Before the concert, enjoy refreshments and purchase tickets to win raffle prizes. Hosted at Westminster Presbyterian Church in northeast Portland, the concert begins at 7 p.m.; doors open at 6 p.m. for the reception.
Tickets are $30; children 12 and under are free. Proceeds benefit EMO’s Slavic Oregon Social Services, which assists survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
| | Portland's CROP Hunger Walk | | |
Church World Service has helped churches and other organizations across the United States host CROP Hunger Walks for over 50 years. EMO's Northeast Emergency Food Program (NEFP), along with several congregations in the Portland metro area, will come together to host one such walk on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Proceeds from the walk will benefit NEFP.
If you or your congregation are interested in getting involved with the Portland CROP Hunger walk, you can sign up events.crophungerwalk.org!
| | Save the date for the 2026 Interfaith Earth Summit | | |
Save the Date: Join us on a joyful journey to Re-Connect, Re-Imagine and Re-New, as we prepare for EMO’s 13th annual Interfaith Earth Summit on May 17 from 1 to 3 p.m.!
The Interfaith Earth Summit is an opportunity for people of faith and goodwill to gather locally around a shared care for our neighbors and the environment we all depend on. Through Zoom, we will connect our statewide community.
Registration will open on April 16 at emoregon.org/events. Hub locations to date include Bend, Eugene, La Grande, Pendleton, Portland, Dallas, Tigard and Salem, with more hosts signing up! If you are interested in volunteering for the event or serving as a regional hub host, please complete the Earth Summit Interest Form!
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Join us for the 2026 Collins Lecture, "Separation of Church and Hate: A conversation with John Fugelsang" | | |
John Fugelsang is an actor, comedian and host of “Tell Me Everything” on SiriusXM Progress. He is also the author of New York Times bestseller, “Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists and Flock-Fleecing Frauds.”
Fugelsang uses humor and biblical scholarship to challenge far-right Christian ideologies, such as Christian nationalism, and argues for a return to the core teachings of Jesus–love, mercy and service. He provides a toolbox for responding to Christian nationalism on the biggest issues that divide us today: immigration, LGBTQIA2S+ rights, poverty, gun safety, feminism, the death penalty, and more.
If you want to learn directly from John Fugelsang about his approach to using the scripture and Jesus’ teachings to challenge Christian nationalism and authoritarianism, join us at the 2026 Collins Lecture for “A Conversation on the Separation of Church and Hate.”
Saturday, June 6 | 7 p.m.
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Portland, Ore. (virtual option available)
Tickets $30 (scholarships available)
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