Building a holistic, community-based support system for vulnerable individuals in ways that encourage belonging and dignity is the overarching focus of projects at the Anglican/Episcopal Church of Christ the King (Frankfurt) that are being funded through their second grant from the Convocation Refugee Grant Program (CRGP).
“One of the things I love about the ‘Supporting People in Transition’ project is the integration and collaboration with other ministries at Christ the King,” said Socorro Heepe, CRGP program and administrative manager. “They have a very active LGBTQ+ ministry that recently did a fundraiser for the refugee project. It’s a simple but meaningful example of how different ministries within the church can come together, creating opportunities for connection that go beyond assumptions and build real relationships.”
The project combines financial assistance, personal guidance, and social inclusion to help refugees, deportees (Heimkehrer), and vulnerable individuals stabilize their lives and integrate into society. It is practical support – grocery vouchers, public transportation tickets, and individual support for job applications and legal assistance – combined with community building. It is designed to help people not just survive but regain stability and thrive with a strong emphasis on belonging and dignity.
Supporting People in Transition focuses on two main groups, according to Rev. Markus Dünzkofer, the priest-in-charge at CtK. These are third-country refugees displaced by the war in Ukraine and deportees from the United States.
“As a church, we became aware of the situation facing people deported to Germany from the United States due to errors made in clarifying their right to American citizenship. These people would arrive with nothing but the clothes on their back, permanently separated from their American families and were expected to somehow survive in a country of which most had no knowledge. With no language skills, no money and no job this is an impossibly traumatic transition. Our church tries to help this vulnerable group with basic necessities and with friendship. We work with them as they build their new lives.“ said Laurie Reviol, senior warden of Christ the King and project leader for the refugee project.
The Heimkehrer project began in the early 2000s and was integrated into CtK’s broader refugee and migrant ministries as part of the church’s overall CRGP project in 2024. The work has also begun to draw wider attention, including recent interviews with Laurie Reviol in both The New York Times and the Episcopal News Service.
“Breakfast Before Church” is another simple but intentional effort to create space for connection. “We recognized that sharing food is one of them most personal and disarming ways to bring people together and so this was designed to bring church members and refugees together in a setting where they meet beyond assumptions and stereotypes,” said Michele Gilberti, project administrator. “Over time, it has also become a space where refugees feel safe to share their experiences. One participant described it as ‘a place where we can meet others like us and speak openly about the challenges we face.’”
Laurie Reviol senior warden and project director of The Christ the King “Walking in Transition” leading a class in language integration through music.