The United Church of Christ is pleased to welcome Megan as the new Minister for Refugee and Migration Services. A longtime educator, advocate, and faithful servant, Megan brings both professional depth and a deeply personal call to the ministry of justice and welcome for migrants and refugees.
Megan began her career in education, serving as a high school language arts teacher at a vocational school for nine years. Her transition into ministry was born from a calling to live out the Christian message she holds close: God’s expansive love for all people, just as they are. That calling led her to divinity school, where a formative internship at IRIS, a local refugee resettlement agency, shaped her understanding of Christian discipleship as daily accompaniment and witness.
Recognizing the need to further equip herself for this path, Megan pursued and earned a master’s degree in social work. She went on to serve at the International Rescue Committee’s refugee resettlement office in New Jersey, where she focused her work on refugee children and their families.
There, Megan was instrumental in helping newly arrived families navigate complex systems, including public education and access to culturally responsive mental health services. She worked closely with parents to understand their rights within the school system, advocated for language access and trauma-informed care, and built collaborative relationships between families and local providers.
This hands-on work of accompaniment deepened her understanding of both the barriers migrants face and the resilience they bring. It also affirmed for her that refugee resettlement is not simply about logistics—it’s about dignity, belonging, and relationship.
“Each day at the IRC reminded me that accompaniment isn’t just support—it’s presence,” Megan said. “That kind of ministry is rooted in listening, in showing up consistently, and in affirming that each person is worthy of safety and joy.”
This experience now shapes her work at the UCC, where she views every act of advocacy and welcome as sacred. “What I saw in refugee families was strength and hope in the face of displacement,” she said. “As the Church, we are called to reflect back that same hope—to be a community where no one is forgotten and everyone is embraced.”
“Joining the UCC Global Hope team feels like coming home,” Megan added. “I was raised in a UCC church, and this role is both a return to my roots and a deepening of connection with a faith community that embodies extravagant welcome.”
Megan believes the Church plays a unique and essential role in supporting migrants today. “Unlike many secular services that may impose high thresholds or question worthiness, the Church offers something different: unconditional community,” she said. “You don’t have to prove anything to be part of God’s household. That stance compels us to welcome with open arms.”
This radical hospitality is backed by UCC’s long-standing theological and justice commitments, including the 1981 Pronouncement on Justice in Immigration, which declares: “God’s actions culminate when all of God’s people are ‘reconciled one to another, no longer strangers and sojourners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and workers of the household of God.’” (Eph. 2:19)
As government entities face funding freezes and systemic limitations, Megan sees UCC congregations stepping forward. Many have long supported refugees and migrants, while others are just beginning to discern their role. She encourages every congregation to start simply—by staying informed, praying publicly for immigrants, and making sure basic resources like food pantries are accessible to all.
“There is no one way to be involved,” Megan said. “Some churches are on the front lines of activism. Others are in partnership with community agencies. Some provide critical emergency resources. All of these are valid, necessary ways to live out our faith.”
She also points congregations to tools like the Immigrant Welcoming Congregation designation and the work of the UCC National Collaborative on Immigration, which provides resources for education and advocacy.
Rooted in Christian contemplative practice, Megan sees her work as grounded in God’s ever-present love and the interconnectedness of all people. Inspired by theologians like Delores Williams, she understands liberation not as a future promise, but a divine mandate for the here and now.
“Justice for migrants is not an act of charity—it’s a practice of solidarity,” she said. “It’s about honoring the agency God has given each of us to be part of the liberating work of Christ in the world today.”
Through her role in Refugee and Migration Services, Megan hopes to help UCC members recognize refugees and other migrants as vital parts of their local and spiritual communities—and to explore practical ways to participate in their welcome.
“Each UCC congregation can participate as it discerns a fit with the resources of its people,” she said. “Whether through direct service, advocacy, partnerships, or simply sharing information, there is a path forward for everyone. Congregations should feel encouraged to open dialogue with one another, with ecumenical partners, and with community agencies to find out what the local needs are and how to meet them together.”
She concluded, “I look forward to walking alongside you. Together, we can ensure that all who seek refuge know they are remembered, they are loved, and they are home.”
To learn more about how your congregation can get involved, visit ucc.org/refugee-and-migration-ministries/
