There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. —Ephesians 4:4–6
Many years ago, Reformed Christians from North America and Europe responded to Christ’s call to “go and make disciples of all nations” by traveling the world and sharing the gospel—establishing churches, schools, hospitals and clinics as they went. Today, Reformed Christians raised in those churches are migrating to North America and Europe, where they seek membership in Reformed congregations.
During the 2015 Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women, held in Minneapolis in June, an important step toward fully embracing African immigrant women wanting to join the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) was taken in the signing of a memorandum of understanding with three groups: the Christian Women’s Fellowships in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (Cameroon), the Women’s Fellowship of the Conference of Ghanaian Presbyterian Churches in North America and the Kenyan Women’s Groups in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The memorandum emphatically welcomes these women and encourages them to become active members of Presbyterian Women in the PC(USA).
“This has been in the works for quite some time,” said Rev. Dr. Rhashell Hunter, director of Racial Ethnic & Women’s Ministries. “Seeing the fruits of so many women’s and men’s labor come to life with this significant signing is a true blessing.”
Sam Atiemo, associate for African Emerging Ministries, added: “We, new immigrants, have one foot here in America and the other in our cultures of origin. It can take years to get through the immigration process here, and sometimes even longer to fully assimilate. For new immigrants, the church is often the place where that process of belonging begins.”