TCIM: Thriving Congregations Immigration Ministry

TCIM Woodland Church Steering Committee
Diana, Lance, Lee, Mark, Patty

TCIM Woodland Church Planning Team
Alexy, Diana, Dilek, Elsa, Jesús, José, Lance, Lee, Marianela, Mark, Patty, Rahim

Goal: Reciprocal Hospitality
Strengthen connections within our ESL community, the Woodland community, and beyond to deepen our understanding of cultures and see the world with renewed eyes. An outcome would include the development of a model transferable to other churches.

Theological Framework
Why should we have the goal of getting to know our immigrant neighbors, beginning with our ESL community, those we’re in closest proximity to?

  • Because we’re Christians.

  • This is a logical step in our desire to follow and live like Christ.

  • The gospel of John speaks of the God who wasn’t content to be benevolent from a distance, but who came near to “pitch his tent among us.” This incarnational Way is the church’s path as well. As God has come near to us in Christ, we choose to engage with our neighbors, not just those we presume are most like us, but also those whose cultural roots are different from our own.

  • We don’t go only to serve, but also to be served, again following the example of Jesus, who received friendship, meals, and cold water from those around him. If Jesus the Word made flesh engaged in these “I-Thou” relationships, we are called to do the same thing.

Why doesn’t ESL do overt evangelism?

  • Our teachers come from a variety of backgrounds. The majority aren’t members of Woodland. For Christians, our call is to live like Jesus as we teach and engage with our students. If we take our faith seriously, there should be enough Christian content in our lives to allow us to talk about it naturally.

Plan
Woodland was granted participation in Cohort 2 of Thriving Congregations Immigration Ministry through FaithWorks. We began work in December 2025; the cohort is for two years and includes a grant of up to $6000.

The TCIM Steering Committee will work towards the goal with the TCIM Planning Team through focus groups, ESL student input, workshops, potlucks, and other events (including a retreat). Our TCIM Steering Committee meets regularly, including monthly meetings with Cintia Aguilar, FaithWorks’ Immigration Ministry Manager.

When we conclude after two years, it will be just the beginning of Woodland thriving as a church with our immigrant friends.