At 7 p.m. this Friday, July 11, Shoreline Community Church and Immigrant Hope Santa Barbara will host a free screening of The Stranger, a documentary film that highlights the biblical call to welcome the stranger and explore immigration reform from a distinctly Christian perspective.

The event will be held at Shoreline Community Church, 935 San Andres St. in Santa Barbara.

The screening takes place at a key moment, as attention focuses on unaccompanied migrant children who have entered the United States.

The local screening is among hundreds of local screenings across the country this month. Already, nearly 1,700 screenings are scheduled in 42 states.

The film highlights the moral imperatives for reform, including the immense human costs our current system exacts on our churches, our families and our communities. A trailer of the film is available by clicking here.

— Diane Martinez represents Immigrant Hope Santa Barbara.