When members of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Natick put their offerings into the plate each Sunday, they expect those gifts to serve God and love their neighbors.
That stewardship faced a brink when church leaders realized that St. Paul's funds at Citizens Bank linked them to the financing of private detention for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
"When someone gives gifts in the plate, we don't use their gifts to abuse humans," said the Rev. Becky Binns, rector of St. Paul's.
Refusing to let holy gifts enable human suffering, St. Paul's joined an ecumenical movement led by the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO). The "Not With Our Money, Citizens!" campaign demanded that the bank end its financial relationship with CoreCivic and The GEO Group, which operate private ICE detention facilities.
St. Paul's held $3 million in a Citizens account reserved for its plans to make the church fully accessible and environmentally sustainable. The vestry and treasurer moved $1 million out of Citizens Bank on June 10 as part of a collective $2 million withdrawal with GBIO partner congregations.
The collective pressure worked. On July 17, Citizens Bank announced it will exit credit agreements for CoreCivic and The GEO Group. While Citizens framed the decision as a business choice, GBIO leaders and allies like St. Paul's emphasized that public outcry and customer actions forced the shift.
"The writing has been on the wall for a while now," said Rev. James Yansen of Hyde Park Seventh-day Adventist Church. "Continued support of CoreCivic and the GEO Group was unwise and costly, both for [Citizens Bank's] bottom line and for their reputation nationally."
The GBIO campaign continues to press Citizens for a clear timeline and a complete exit from all banking relationships with private prison operators. GBIO is encouraging supporters to keep monitoring SEC filings and hold the bank accountable.
For St. Paul's, the fund withdrawal directly expressed Diocesan strategic priorities: reframing prophetic witness and practicing faithful asset stewardship. By using parish capital to stand with vulnerable immigrant neighbors, St. Paul's demonstrated striving for justice and peace among all people and respecting the dignity of every human being.
"It comes down to this basic thing," Rev. Binns reflected. "When someone puts a gift in the plate during worship, you want it used for good, not for evil."