Immigration Discipleship Pathway
Jesus says that the mustard seed grows into the biggest plant in the garden "so that the birds come and perch in their branches" (Matthew 13:31-32). This Spring we are addressing the question: "how do we widen our branches to our immigrant community?" At PasCov, we offer multiple ways to deepen your discipleship through this topic: first, by reflecting and responding to our sermon series "God in the Move", second, to serve at Mano a Mano food distribution, and third, by attending our forums. These forums are designed to be worship-filled spaces-- we will sing, listen to experts on various topics, reflect in small groups, and be invited to respond in tangible ways. Childcare will be offered, but must be indicated on the signup sheet.
All of the sessions will be from 6:30 - 8:30pm in the Gym on campus.
practicing Biblical solidarity
feb 12, 2026
Zach szmara
As the Founder and Executive Director of Immigrant Connection, Zach provides oversight for the Immigrant Connection National team as well as the Immigrant Connection Legal Network. He himself has been a Local Immigrant Connection Site Director and Department of Justice accredited Legal Representative since 2014. Zach has served thousands of immigrant families from 120+ nations.
"I believe that providing immigration legal services is the most tangible, transformative act of welcome a community can offer. But the reality is, it doesn’t just transform immigrant families; it actually transforms the community itself because immigrant families make neighborhoods and communities stronger, richer, and more vibrant. My own life, my family, and my local community have all been changed for the better due to loving and welcoming immigrants."
Zach is an ordained Wesleyan minister and pastors The Bridge Community Church - a multilingual, multicultural, and multiethnic church in Logansport, Indiana. Prior to this, he served overseas in Papua New Guinea and Mozambique.
Navigating US Immigration Law
March 5, 2026
Ahilan Arulanantham
Ahilan T. Arulanantham is Professor from Practice and Co-Director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy (CILP) at the UCLA School of Law. Ahilan teaches in the law school and also maintains an active litigation practice. He has successfully litigated a number of cases involving immigrants’ rights, including Franco-Gonzalez v. Holder, the first case to establish a federal right to appointed counsel for any group of immigrants.
Ahilan’s parents are Sri Lankan Tamil immigrants who left Sri Lanka to escape race discrimination and sporadic violence. Several years after they came to this country, the Sri Lankan civil war began, causing much of his extended family to flee Sri Lanka. Ahilan has remained interested in promoting human rights in Sri Lanka, and has also represented several Sri Lankan Tamil refugees during the course of his work with the ACLU.
Prior to joining UCLA, Ahilan was Senior Counsel at the ACLU in Los Angeles, where he worked for nearly twenty years. In 2007 and 2013 he was named one of California Lawyer Magazine’s Lawyers of the Year for immigrants’ rights, and has repeatedly been named one of the Daily Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers in California over the last decade.
US Immigration History Matters
March 19, 2025
Alexia salvatierra
Alexia Salvatierra has been teaching at Fuller in different capacities since 2014, and in 2020, she became a full faculty member in the School of Mission and Theology. She also serves as academic dean for Centro Latino, where she is the founding developer and coordinator of the Diplomado en la Respuesta de la Iglesia a la Crisis Migratoria (Professional Certificate in the Church’s Response to the Immigration Crisis).
Salvatierra is best known for her local, national, and international church and community leadership. Ordained as a Lutheran pastor in 1988, she has pastored English- and Spanish-speaking congregations, served as a missionary in the Philippines and as the director for justice for the Southwest California Synod (ELCA), started and directed multiple nonprofit community development organizations, and worked as a legislative advocate, fund developer, and community organizer.
Rev. Dr. Salvatierra’s core research interests are the unique role and contribution of the church to movements for social transformation and the process of enabling churches to live the call to holistic mission, with a particular focus on the missionary gifts and calling of the Hispanic immigrant community.