In a letter to the Springhill Baptist Church congregation, Rev. Paul D. Berry echoed the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches and the Canadian Baptists’ goal of sponsoring 100 refugee families.
“In Springhill and Cumberland County, it’s time to step up,’ Berry wrote. “The Springhill Baptist Church has agreed to spearhead a movement to bring a refugee family to our community.”
The public is invited to an information session this week on plans to resettle a refugee family in Springhill, and learn how to get involved. Paul Carline, Director of Refugee Sponsorship for the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches will be the guest speaker for the evening.
John Mont, vice chair of the church’s executive to sponsor a refugee family, says approximately $16,000 will need to be raised and the federal government will match those funds, guaranteeing sponsorship for one refugee family for a one-year time frame.
“These are people that came across the Mediterranean one, two, three years ago and have been in the refugee camps for years. Imagine being in a tent in a day like today. It’s just terrible, and the whole world recognizes it,” Mont says.
The public information session will be held Thursday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Dr. Carson and Marion Murray Community Centre’s CIBC Room.
To learn more, visit the Springhill Refugee Support page at http://www.springhillbaptist.ca/s-r-s.
