Standing with our Haitian church family: A pastoral message from the General Secretary

A pastoral message from general secretary David Steele following the expiration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for many Haitians

“So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God”
(Ephesians 2:19, NRSVue).

Dear Beloved Community of the Church of the Brethren,

I write today with particular concern for our Haitian church members and their families. Following the expiration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) on July 27, many now face the possibility of detention, deportation, and family separation.

Among those affected are approximately 300 Haitians who are part of Church of the Brethren congregations across the United States. Along with hundreds of thousands of others across our country, many are living with profound fear and uncertainty as they confront the possibility of detention or deportation, the loss of homes and livelihoods, and separation from loved ones—including US-born children.

For many years, TPS has allowed members of our church family to live, work, worship, and raise their families in safety while conditions in Haiti remain dangerously unstable. As followers of Jesus, we are called to stand alongside those who now face the loss of that protection. In the days following the Supreme Court’s initial June 25 ruling, our Mission and Ministry Board offered assurance to our Haitian brothers and sisters, saying, “You are not forgotten. You are not alone. God loves you, and the Church must continue to walk with you” (www.brethren.org/news/2026/supreme-court-decision-on-tps).

That commitment is especially important now. These faithful church members and their families face a profoundly difficult future if they are deported to Haiti, where our brothers and sisters in l’Eglise des Freres d’Haiti (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti) have long ministered amid violence, political instability, humanitarian crises, and widespread displacement (www.brethren.org/global/haiti).

This moment calls for our prayers, our advocacy, and our practical support for affected families, including helping church members access qualified legal assistance as they navigate their immigration status. (Resources are at www.brethren.org/walking-together.)

While the church cannot remove every burden, we can ensure that no one bears those burdens alone. Let us begin by lifting before God our Haitian siblings in Christ, the predominantly Haitian congregations within our denomination in l’Eglise Des Freres Haitiens, the church in Haiti and the people of Haiti.

I also invite you to consider how God might be calling you to advocate for and support those whose lives are affected. May our congregations be communities where fear is met with hope, isolation with belonging, and despair with the presence of Christ.

May God find us faithful in prayer, courageous love, and steadfast companionship as we walk alongside our Haitian brothers and sisters. In the name of Jesus Christ—who fled violence as a refugee child and continues to identify with the stranger and all who are in need—may “the Lord be near to the brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

David A. Steele
General Secretary of the Church of the Brethren

#MissionAndMinistryBoard #StrategicPlan #RacialJustice #LoveOurNeighbors #Discipleship #NewTestamentGiving

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