From the Rev. Robert McKenzie —
St. John’s, the heart — and the start — of the Sanctuary Movement
St. John’s had no reason to pay much attention to the repression going on south of its border in the late 70’s until we were approached by a Berkeley group in 1979 asking us to sponsor the release of a political prisoner from Argentina. The political repression had been going on in Argentina for several years and President Carter was moved to seek the release of 500 such prisoners if sponsors could be found in the U.S. Our Session agreed to this request and our youth group agreed to be the official sponsor of Claudio Vasquez, a young man brimming over with life who had spent three years in prison. A second request came a year later. Our Deacons agreed to sponsor Horacio Martinez Baca, a high profile prisoner, the attorney general of one of the states in Argentina. These sponsorships were legal and at the instigation of our government.
In January 1982 we were approached a third time by Catholic Charities in S.F. to sponsor a young couple, Omar and Ingrid Mayorga and their infant son, who had fled the military assault on their campus in San Salvador and had entered the U.S. illegally. Marilyn and I drove into S.F. in January and picked up this little family and found a place for them to live. The following Tuesday, our six member lectionary study group, pastors from five different congregations, was meeting in the Sproul Conference Room discussing this action by our Session. Gus Schultz, the Lutheran pastor asked, “Why don’t our congregations declare sanctuary for illegal refugees fleeing repression in Central America?” Why don’t we publicly declare, in other words, that we intend to offer refuge to illegal immigrants fleeing repression in their own countries. It was decided that St. John’s would take the lead and invite the other four churches to join us in a covenant of sanctuary. On March 24, 1982, we formally declared public sanctuary, signing on to a covenant of sanctuary authored by Steve Knapp of our session, telling the world that we would be defying the U.S. government from returning refugees to their home countries.
And so, the idea of sanctuary was born, the word sanctuary first uttered in the Sproul Conference Room. The six congregations quickly became more than 30 Berkeley churches. South Side Presbyterian in Tucson, for years providing refuge for fleeing refugees, formally joined us on March 24. Sanctuary has become an international movement on behalf of refugees all over the world. But the idea was born in our Sproul Conference Room 37 years ago. The church is in the business of planting seeds.
For information about Berkeley’s role in launching the sanctuary movement, first among churches (St. John’s being one of them) and then among cities, see Kat Jerman’s essay, “Berkeley’s Sanctuary Movement” on FoundSF.
For information about Berkeley’s role in launching the sanctuary movement, first among churches (St. John’s being one of them) and then among cities, see Kat Jerman’s essay, “Berkeley’s Sanctuary Movement” on FoundSF. Read more here.
In November 2014, Steven Stock from NBC Bay Area did a series on the continuation of the sanctuary movement that mentioned St. John’s historic role in the founding of the movement. It includes interviews with St. John’s members Marilyn Chilcote and Bob McKenzie. Click here to see Steven Stock’s report.
St. John's Presbyterian Church of Berkeley – A Sanctuary Church Declaration 2025
In March of 1982, St. John's Presbyterian Church of Berkeley made a declaration that we would welcome and protect refugees fleeing wars in Central America. Since that time we have entered into relationship with multiple families. Each has a horrible story of fleeing violence and terror. We have formed networks of support, helped with housing, legal aid, transportation, food, work, enrollment, tutoring and scholarships for school.
We have formed friendships and family relations which continue to this day. Children of refugees have been named after members of the church and church members have been named godparents. We have performed and participated in weddings, graduations, plays, worship, music, meals, summer camps, and work together. They are fellow friends, family and brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ, the Church. We have helped them, and they have helped us. We have learned what it means to follow the Way of Jesus together.
From our Christian point of view, we are them and they are us, for we too were lost and have been found. We have all been welcomed by the grace of God. We are all children of God.
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me" - Matthew 25:35