We welcome Terry Diggory to the pulpit for a timely and important conversation about immigration in America. He reflects on what it means—ethically, spiritually, and practically—to “welcome the stranger.” Drawing on his leadership in interfaith efforts since 2017, Diggory explores the sacred obligation of hospitality in an era of contested borders and rising fear.

Diggory’s message is grounded in personal experience: his congregation’s decision to declare sanctuary status, and the emergence of a regional coalition across faiths, including UUCSS. He speaks to the quiet, steady work of accompaniment—providing rides, rent support, legal aid, and above all, presence—in response to the invisible trauma so many immigrant families face. “We don’t always have the right words,” Diggory says. “But we can show up.”

At the heart of Diggory’s message is a spiritual principle older than any policy: the call to love one’s neighbor and recognize the divine in every person who arrives at our doorstep. Whether it’s the father detained at an ICE check-in, the high school student who dreams of college, or the mother unsure whether to answer the knock at the door, Diggory reminds us that our response to these moments shapes not just their lives, but our own humanity.

This special service continues our congregation’s exploration of Freedom as a spiritual practice. In Diggory’s view, true freedom includes the courage to dismantle fear—one act of welcome at a time.

Terry Diggory is a professor emeritus at Skidmore College and a founding member of the Saratoga Immigration Coalition.