Kate Widmer to share about Congolese spirituality, worship styles, refugees, immigration
Kate Widmer of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will be the featured speaker when First Mennonite of Mountain Lake celebrates its Harvest Mission Festival on Sunday, November 6.
Morning worship will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the chapel area at Good Samaritan Society of Mountain Lake, located at 745 Basinger Memorial Driver in Mountain Lake.
Fulfilling a life-long dream to visit Congo, Widmer accepted the invitation of Central Plains Mennonite Conference to represent the conference to explore reestablishing and deepening relationships with the Congo Mennonite Churches. Along with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission personnel, Widmer spent three weeks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last April.
Those attending will see pictures and hear stories of the people, places and challenges of these sister churches as Widmer shares observations about Congolese spirituality and worship styles based on her experiences.
At 5 p.m., church members will gather again, this time in the fellowship hall of Bethel Mennonite Church, located at 301 9th Street in Mountain Lake, for the Festival Faspa. Those attending the potluck meal should bring their own table service if able.
Following the meal, Widmer will talk about Refugee Resettlement – the processes, the issues, what helps, what hinders. She currently works for Lutheran Social Services (LSS) of Sioux Dakota in Sioux Falls as an Accredited Representative (accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals). Widmer describes her position as similar to that of a paralegal. There will be opportunity for questions, and those attending should come away with a clearer understanding of the distinctions regarding immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers and more.
Widmer is a 2013 graduate of Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana, with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible, Religion and Philosophy, and a minor in International Studies. Originally from southeast Iowa, Widmer came to Sioux Fall for a Mennonite Voluntary Service (MVS) assignment in the immigration department of the LSS Center for New Americans, where she worked as an assistant – mostly returning calls and scheduling appointments.
The transition to her current position as Immigration Specialist occurred when Widmer stayed in South Dakota following the year in MVS. Her work consists mainly of helping immigrants and United States citizens file immigration paperwork to either change their status – get a green card or obtain United States citizenship, for example – or bring family from abroad to live in the United States.
Given that the Center for New Americans is the only refugee resettlement center in the state of South Dakota, the bulk of immigration clients are refugees, although the center serves other immigrants as well.
All are welcome to join in on any part of the day-long event. To get answers to questions or to learn more information, call the church office at 427-2237.
