We, the members of Poland Community Church, wish to express our support for all members of the Somali community who have moved to Lewiston as refugees in the hope of finding a peaceful place to raise their families and live their lives.

The past year has been a very stressful time in Lewiston and many hurtful words were written and spoken that cannot be retracted, only apologized for. However, we hope that progress will continue to be made on building a respectful and inclusive dialogue that will foster unity and strengthen our community through an embracing of cultural and religious diversity.

God revealed to us, through our great faith traditions, and has taught us that we are God's children and we should treat each other in ways that reflect that relationship. We are sisters and brothers in a marvelous family, one that we are just beginning to explore and appreciate.

We look forward to working with all those who would seek ways of building a community that celebrates the best that our different cultures and faiths have to offer; one that emphasizes unity not uniformity, that breaks down barriers of ignorance and intolerance, and that helps us live out our shared dream of peace and justice.

Rev. Gregory Thomas,

on behalf of the

Poland Community Church,

Poland