by Stephen Kriss
“Are you a US citizen?”
“Yes.”
“Travel safe and have a good night.”
On the highway between San Antonio and Harlingen, there’s a border checkpoint. I’ve driven through this checkpoint before and been stopped and checked thoroughly. This time I was asked a simple question and invited to keep it moving under the setting Texas sun. I had flown into San Antonio and driven to visit with two former South Central Mennonite Conference congregations near the border who are seeking membership in Mosaic.
Since the beginning of the year, I have spent significant work time navigating the changing immigration landscape. This has included paying attention to the vulnerability of the hundreds of persons in Mosaic Conference congregations who are not yet citizens of the USA. They are from dozens of countries. They have a variety of visas and statuses. Our growth as a conference has largely been comprised of 1st and 2nd generation immigrants. With the rapid changes in immigration enforcement, sometimes menacing rhetoric, and traumatizing stories told by the media, recent immigrants are on high alert.
According to recent research, one out of 18 members of evangelical churches in the U.S. are at risk or are household members of those at risk of deportation based on the current enforcement practices and policies. Many recent immigrants are Christian. The reality of shared faith binds us together in ways that should complicate our thinking as Jesus followers living in the U.S.
The future of U.S. Christianity relies on the vibrant faith of recent immigrants who are establishing new churches, renovating older church facilities, and bringing authenticity and global-mindedness to our ongoing faith expression and practices.
As Anabaptists, we have a sensitive history with migration. Our Conference readily traces our story to the migrations of German-speaking families to Philadelphia almost 400 years ago. While we could rely on the invitation of William Penn for our settling (at least sometimes), we didn’t have the permission of the Lenape who we settled alongside.
We maintained for generations a set of distinct identities while the U.S. American experiment played out over the next centuries. Historic Mennonites are now a deeply embedded part of the American story, having reaped the benefits of citizenship and land holding, capitalism and mutuality for generations.
My citizenship is both a privilege of birth and a responsibility. Privileges are not meant only for my individual good. I can easily pass through a checkpoint with my light skin, blue eyes, and graying hair. As a son of Appalachia and of Slovak immigrants, I recognize that while all our individual decisions can have consequences, our privileges do too.
For those of us who proclaim the reconciling love of Jesus in a broken and beautiful world, in this holy week can join Jesus as he weeps over Jerusalem. We can find ourselves in the story of Jesus’ Passion, as the disciples earnest in their desire to see the kingdom come in the ways that would restore Israel’s greatness. We can see our own betrayal of Jesus embodied in Judas and in Peter. We can join again in faithful and disoriented weeping with the Marys and Salome.
And we can prepare for the surprise and ultimate hope of resurrection that brings us true freedom. In duty, we join the women at the tomb with a sense of dread and responsibility. As we wait, we may find ourselves surprised and overcome in the ways the Spirit shows up.
We speak of the possibility of what we know and have seen. We find others who come running with us (like Peter and John) to find out that resurrection power is still living among us as we face these days with eyes wide open. And we say these words again in the midst of fear and in the midst of hope for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.
Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed. Even in America.

Stephen Kriss
Stephen Kriss is the Executive Minister of Mosaic Conference.
Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To contact Stephen Kriss, please email skriss@mosaicmennonites.org.