“Resurrecting Hope” Prayer Vigil Set for April 20: Lake Union Calls for Prayer for Immigrant Members Facing Legal Crisis
Debbie Michel
April 10, 2025In an urgent call to faith and action, the Lake Union Conference is inviting members across the union to participate in a unified prayer vigil, themed “Resurrecting Hope,” on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at 7:00 a.m. EST. The virtual event aims to bring spiritual support and wider attention to immigrant members whose legal status in the United States is increasingly under threat.
The vigil, led by the union’s multicultural ministries department, comes in wake of a recent development: 532,000 individuals who legally entered the U.S. under humanitarian parole received letters from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security notifying them that their legal status is being terminated. These individuals, many from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, have been ordered to “depart the United States now,” with the warning that failure to leave by April 24, 2025, could result in “removal proceedings” or “expedited removal.”
Humanitarian parole is a temporary immigration status granted to individuals facing urgent humanitarian crises or whose entry serves a significant public interest. The sudden revocation of this status has plunged thousands, including many of our members, into legal and emotional uncertainty.
This prayer initiative is not a political statement or an endorsement of illegal immigration; it is a Christ-centered response to the pain of those in our pews who are seeking to do what is right, yearning for clarity, mercy and hope.
Rooted in the biblical call of Micah 6:8 — “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” — the “Resurrecting Hope” prayer session will focus on interceding for four groups within the church community:
Members whose humanitarian parole status is being revoked
Members whose Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is currently under litigation
Adventist young people under Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) protections facing legal challenges
Undocumented members worshipping without a clear legal pathway
“This isn’t just a policy issue. It’s a spiritual crisis for our church family,” said Carmelo Mercado, vice president for multicultural ministries at the Lake Union Conference and one of the event’s organizers. “Micah 6:8 reminds us that justice and mercy are not optional for believers — they’re central to who we are. This prayer meeting is a plea to God and a call to action.”
The April 20 event will feature scripture readings, personal testimonies and intercessory prayer. Members across all time zones are encouraged to join us and participate simultaneously.
“I’ll be praying for my students like me who are stressed out,” said Abriel Thuc a 26-year-old Andrews University student from South Sudan with temporary protected status. Thuc, a month away from graduating with a degree in international business administration, received news this week that the U.S. government cancelled all visas for South Sudanese over a deportation dispute. “My country is at war and most of my family there have died. This prayer conference means a lot to me—it reminds me we’re not alone.”
The Lake Union is working with local conferences to equip members with information and resources to navigate these unprecedented times.
“There are hundreds of Adventists in our conferences who are in legal limbo right now,” said Eddie Allen, vice president for multilingual ministries at the Lake Region Conference. “We’re urging everyone to join us in prayer. These are families who serve, worship and build alongside us every day.”
Noel Ojeda, multicultural ministries director for the Indiana Conference, emphasized the broader calling of the church. “We must be more than a sanctuary. We must be a voice,” he said. “This call to prayer is just the beginning. We’re committed to ensuring our immigrant members are seen, heard and spiritually supported.”
The Lake Union is inviting all members — regardless of background — to unite in prayer and spread the word using the hashtag #ResurrectHope. The event will be on the ZOOM platform. You can register here for the password information.
“In a season where so many are facing legal darkness,” said Mercado, “we believe God is calling us to be light. On April 20, at 7 a.m., we will pray — and we will resurrect hope.”
Debbie Michel is Lake Union Herald editor.
