Eden United Church of Christ Newcomer Navigation Center
Eden Church, founded in 1865, is an LGBTQIA+ Open & Affirming Congregation and a Sanctuary Congregation of the United Church of Christ.
We believe that all people are children of God; that persons of all ages, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender expressions, abilities and migratory statuses are part of our increasingly diverse culture and the Kin-dom of God. We welcome all persons into the full life and ministry of this church.
Eden Church’s Accompaniment Ministry https://www.edenucc.com/accompaniment responds to the need to journey in solidarity with newcomers to the Eden Area, especially asylum-seekers from Central America. Since 2014, Eden Church has been actively involved in Accompaniment via participation in the SAC UIY-CMF Collaborative (see below). In 2017, this deeply relational ministry led to the declaration of a congregational sanctuary resolution, and in 2018 Eden Church began offering physical residence to asylum-seekers. With the grace of God and much long-suffering, we have born witness already to asylum-seekers becoming asylees. It is our prayer that this continues to be the case with those whom we accompany in solidarity. Our approach, school-focused solidarity, involves many of the professionals and service providers who spend most time with our new neighbors. All programming that takes place at Eden Church is governed by our Safer Congregations policies.
HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED? We’re so glad you asked! First, request to join our Accompaniment Network Group on Church Center. Beginning in 2019, Eden Church in partnership with Eden Area Interfaith Council is offering quarterly Accompaniment Trainings. This is made possible by grants from the San Francisco Foundation. Information on upcoming trainings will be sent out via email to the Accompaniment Network Group. You may also check our Event Registrations page to see if the next one is already announced. Trainings and workshops are designed for the entire Accompany Network and have or will focus on host family integration and supports, cultural translation and cultural humility, trauma-informed perspectives, and medical and legal case advocacy. During the COVID-19 Crisis we are offering free dinners at Tennyson High School. Contact us to volunteer.
BUT WHAT IF I DON’T SPEAK SPANISH? Again, so glad you asked! If you’ve ever tutored a child, ridden a bus or BART, driven a car, or mailed a package, you can definitely be of much needed service. Also, if you find yourself itching to better your linguistic and cultural skills, request to join our Spanish Learners Group, you’ll be hablando español in no time! ¡Sí se puede!
