Dear Justice-Seeker, The prophet Isaiah reminds us that God is always doing a new thing by making a way out of what seems like no way. As we reflect on 2017 and look to a new year check out some of what we accomplished together. In 2017 the Methodist Federation for Social Action: - Launched the pilot of our new Justice-Seeking Congregations program. A new opportunity for congregations to declare their commitment to intersectional movements for justice and connect with our justice-seeking witness. Justice Seeking Congregations covenant to call themselves, their congregations and the church to expand its understanding of the call of the Gospel to be the inclusive, anti-racist/anti-oppressive, justice seeking, risk taking Body of Christ. Watch Rev. Lydia Munoz, MFSA Board Member and Lead Pastor of Church of the Open Door UMC in Eastern Pennsylvania share why her congregation felt called to become a Justice-Seeking Congregation here. Join the movement today. Become a Justice-Seeking Congregation!
- Partnered with Salsa Labs, Inc. to expand our capacity for online advocacy. More than 1100 of you contacted 200 members of Congress to make your voices heard as justice-seeking people of faith.
- We signed dozens of amici briefs advocating for just laws and leadership from the supreme and federal courts. We visited every US Senator representing MFSA members at their local or DC offices advocating for healthcare access for all people.
- Our local MFSA communities submitted dozens of pieces of legislation to Annual Conferences advocating to our denomination to live into its prophetic call on issues of racial, gender, economic, reproductive, climate and LGBTQIA justice.
- Renewed our partnership and joined the leadership team of Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence. A diverse coalition of denominations and faith-based organizations united by the call of our faiths to confront America’s gun violence epidemic and to advocate for policies that reduce death and injury from gunfire.
- Became the fiscal sponsor of the new and emerging United Methodist Queer Clergy Caucus. The United Methodist Queer Clergy Caucus (UMQCC) is made up of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people who are called, commissioned, and ordained clergy in the United Methodist Church. To support the ministry of the UMQCC click here. If you are interested in joining this movement or connecting with UMQCC leadership email them at: queerclergy@mfsaweb.org.
- As a founding member we continued to actively organize with, expand the work of and provide fiscal sponsorship to the Love Your Neighbor Coalition. To support the ongoing ministry of LYNC as we prepare for the special called session of General Conference in 2019 followed by General Conference 2020 click here. Stay tuned for the many ways you can join us in making the church more just, more inclusive and more loving.
- Continued to expand our presence and as a result will be welcoming a new local MFSA community this January. If you feel called to organize a local MFSA community in your area contact our Interim Executive Director, Deaconess Darlene DiDomineck (darlene@mfsaweb.org) for more information.
- Early this year we will launch a brand new website that will expand our capacity to educate, advocate and build faithful community.
This will be a year of faithful resistance, sacred transformation and community building. We hope to expand our staff to increase our capacity to engage in prophetic resistance in our own denomination, our local communities and the nation. We give thanks for your partnership as we seek to make justice a reality. Stay tuned! We have even more exciting news in the works that we'll be sharing in the coming weeks! |
