Clergy from left, Deacon Amy Schmuck, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired, The Rev. Mary Ann Hill and The Rev. Lynn Finnegan. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com
By Deacon Amy Schmuck
Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Los Alamos Ministerial Alliance is an interfaith group of clergy and community leaders with an interest in the health and well-being of our community. We meet once a month to hold discussions or learning opportunities on a variety of topics and make plans for how to respond to the needs of our community members.
During our May gathering, Rabbi Jack Shlachter, who serves at the Jewish Center in Los Alamos as well as HaMakom Synagogue in Santa Fe, shared with us an opportunity to hold a community vigil through a nationwide month-long effort called “Together for Welcome” through the HIAS organization (hias.org).
HIAS was founded in 1903 as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and has set up support for groups to gather for these vigils with the purpose of clearly expressing a communal desire to be a place of welcome for refugees and immigrants. HIAS is the organization that was created to respond to the Jewish refugee resettlement during the pogroms in Eastern Europe. It is now a global organization that serves the needs of all people fleeing danger, war, and persecution. The nationwide vigils will take place throughout the month from June 6 to July 6, with a specific remembrance of significant dates in mind. June 6, 1939, is the date the MS St. Louis was turned away from US shores, and July 6, 1798, is the day the Alien Enemies Act was signed. These vigils help us to physically, verbally, and spiritually make it known that we stand up for loving and welcoming refugees and immigrants into our communities.
The Los Alamos “Together in Welcome” Vigil will take place the evening of Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at Ashley Pond. We hope you’ll consider joining us for some readings, prayers, and standing in solidarity with our fellow humans facing persecution, deportation. We will speak love in the face of opposition. All humans are sacred. All of us are affected by oppression. When justice is incomplete for some, it is incomplete for us all.
For me, this vigil is one small way I can respond to God’s holy Word:
“When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the native-born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” –Leviticus 19:33-34
“You shall not oppress a resident alien; you know the heart of an alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” –Exodus 23:9
“Let mutual affection continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” –Hebrews 13:1-2
May God bless our gatherings in vigil, celebration, and protest in these coming weeks with peace and goodwill. May we stand together for the well-being of our whole community and continue to speak love from our lips. Amen.
(Scripture quotes are from the Holy Bible, NRSVUE translation)
Editor’s note: ‘All Shall Be Well’ is a column written by local women clergy including The Rev. Mary Ann Hill, Rector, Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church (momaryannhill@gmail.com); The Rev. Lynn Finnegan, Associate Rector, The Episcopal Church of the Holy Faith, Santa Fe (rev.lynn@holyfaithchurchsf.org); Deacon Amy Schmuck, Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church (deaconamy@bethluth.com); and ELCA Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, M.Div., retired (czoebidd@gmail.com).