Monthly Missions Update
March 2025
Volume 2, Issue 3
Hello Morning Star Family,
Early bird deadline for our Catalyze Salem Missions Conference is March 4th! Please see below for registration info. There are lots of other great things going on too!
We have a special treat for you! Frontiers is bringing their Catalyze conference to Salem, and we’re hosting it right here at Morning Star on 4/4/25 to 4/6/25! Join us for this citywide missions conference to see what God is doing around the world, engage better with your own studying of Scripture, become more confident in talking to Muslims, and be better equipped to share the Good News of Jesus! Register online by 3/4/25 for the early bird price. Meals, materials, great conversations, encouragement in your faith and hope for the future are all included!
Catalyze is for followers of Jesus who want to take a step toward engaging Muslim people with the gospel. It will give you practical and immediate next steps, long-term vision, and tools to frame praying, sending, and going. You will get to learn from experienced speakers and field workers and interact with other like-minded believers who yearn for God to receive glory in the Muslim world.
Our Refugee New Neighbors in Salem and beyond-
Please join us in prayer for our new neighbor refugee families in Salem and across our country as the recent arrivals path toward safety & flourishing has hit many roadblocks. Here is a recent update of what has happened and how we can help going forward:
On January 20th, 2025, an executive order was signed, marking a significant shift in U.S. refugee policy. This order suspends the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, leaving thousands of refugee cases in limbo and cancelling flights for hundreds of cases. Then, on January 24, 2025, the State Department issued a memo suspending all funding to the Reception and Placement (R&P) Program, including for Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders. Effective immediately, this directive halts all R&P work, cancels pending obligations, and leaves resettlement agencies across the country scrambling for clarity.
The suspension of R&P and SIV awards takes effect immediately and relates to both staffing and client welcome money related expenses. Both of these orders have naturally caused confusion, chaos and damage to the agencies involved in the resettlement process and to the clients they serve. It strips resources from folks who have arrived in the US during December & January and who were promised a warm welcome and support from the US government during their resettlement process.
Refugees have waited on average 10-20 years in a refugee camp after fleeing death in their home country. Only 1% of refugees are resettled into a new home after years of interviews, background checks, and security clearance. They must be able to demonstrate the persecution they are under.
Under United States law, a refugee is someone who:
- Is located outside of the United States
- Is of special humanitarian concern to the United States
- Demonstrates that they were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group
- Is not firmly resettled in another country
- Is admissible to the United States
A refugee does not include anyone who ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in the persecution of any person on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
It makes sense then that Refugees bring with them a strong work ethic & desire to participate in their new community they live in, they have a lower crime rate than the native communities they move into. One thing you may not know, is refugees often have a higher rate of practicing Christian faith than the communities they move into because many people who flee religious persecution are Christians.
Historically, support for refugees has been high across the board, and especially for us as Christians. We see the themes repeated through Scripture to care for, help and support the foreigner, traveler, and sojourner (refugee). The Bible talks of showing love & care for the Sojourner, because you (the Israelites) were Sojourners (Ex 22:21; Lev 25:23; Deut. 10:19). Fatherless, Widows & Sojourners were often referred to together as priority to care for & help: (Deut 10:18, 24:17, 27:19; Zech 7:10). Jesus himself was a refugee as he & his family had to flee to Egypt to avoid the murderous rage of Herod.
Here are some ways we can help:
- Encourage a New Neighbor refugee that you see around town!
- Encourage or financially support our Local Partner Salem For Refugees as they work tirelessly to help our new neighbors thrive. SFR was left with a $67,000 shortfall after funding was removed for families who already arrived. The Salem area community came together and raised $100,000 to cover the gap! We as a church were able to pitch in $2,135 toward that amount! While this is great, they will likely need ongoing help.
- Pray for & support the organization, World Relief. They are the partnering international Christian organization that Salem For Refugees is affiliated with. You are invited to sign this petition, to be presented to govt officials before April 20, the date the refugee resettlement pause is supposed to end.
- Utilize the resources World Relief offers. Here is a helpful prayer guide. They did a wonderful webinar here.
Ramadan starts February 28th
This 30 day Prayer guide highlights least reached people groups that need Jesus.
The stories are inspiring. Muslims, in their pursuit of prayer to seek the god of Islam, are instead having dreams, and visions of JESUS! The need for Christ following believers is crucial for Muslims to be able to learn more about these dreams they are having. Will you join us in venturing through this prayer guide to pray for Muslims to know Jesus? Over the next 30 days, starting February 28th we’ll learn about some of the least reached/least churched people groups in the world. These are places where no Christian church exists, no Christ-Follower is there to lend support, and no one has the Word of God in written form.
Each day gives you a specific region of the world to pray for, a personal story of someone in that region, and a Scripture passage to guide your prayers. Click here to start.
To learn more about each of our Global & Local Partners, CLICK HERE. If you’re interested in helping more with Missions at Morning Star email: jared@mstar.church
Thanks for all you do to help share the Good News of Jesus with a world in need!
– Morning Star Missions Team