Newburyport Daily News: Local religious leaders address immigration ban

Proudly displaying an “Immigrants and Refugees Welcome” banner in front of her Newburyport church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church rector the Rev. Martha Hubbard admitted she has sensed a lot of uncertainty and even fear within the community regarding the Trump administration and its policies.

“As people of faith, we are always trying to cast out fear and focus on how we can join hands and do things together and not let fear create division,” she said. “Those of us who work for economic and political justice around the world feel a little overwhelmed.” 

Trump’s executive order seems to have been issued impulsively, which has added to her congregants’ unease, Hubbard said.

“Speaking as an Episcopalian, one of the things we commit to in our baptismal covenant is that we vow to respect the dignity of every human being,” Hubbard said. “Some of this feels like it is pitting humans against humans. That is something we, as people of faith, are always trying to move past.”