North American church representatives meet on trade and immigration

General Secretary of the Caribbean Conference of Churches Gerard Granado at the MESA-sponsored public forum on trade and immigration. Photo: Marty Shupack/CWS

June 15 , 2006

Representatives of Canadian, Mexican and U.S. churches met in Washington DC to reflect on how trade and immigration can serve the people it now adversely impacts.

"Bridging the Borders" began Monday with a reception and public forum at the Western Presbyterian Church. The June 12-14 meeting brought together members of MESA, a common table where North American churches share information about trade agreements and analyze the feasibility of ecumenical action serving an economy of life.

MESA was established in Mexico after a January 2004 consultation on trade and globalization convened by Church World Service and the Canadian Council of Churches in Stony Point, New York.

Rajyashri Waghray, director of Church World Service’s Education and Advocacy Program, opened Monday’s public forum with an introduction to MESA. Waghray is a member of MESA’s steering committee.

Presbyterian Church, USA moderator Rick Ufford-Chase gave the keynote address. Responses were made by Lourdes Villagomez, who directs the Centro des Estudios Ecumenicos in Mexico City, General Secretary of the Caribbean Conference of Churches Gerard Granado, and Rector at El Salvador’s Lutheran University Hector Fernandez.