Our History is A Blueprint for Hope

By Connor Prusha

I have always been enamored with stories. I love listening to them, telling them, and dreaming them up. My earliest memories are of the stories my grandparents told me about their childhoods and their experiences in life. I was especially connected to the stories my grandfather told. It was almost as if a light twinkled in his eyes and he came to life in a new way. I realized quickly that stories are the way we remind ourselves of what we believe, where we come from, and what makes us who we are.

It goes without saying that we live in an incredibly turbulent and dangerous time in world history. People are polarized and separated from one another. Western democracies are facing significant threats. A government that is supposed to serve and protect people is doing immense harm to the most vulnerable among us. It is incredibly easy, with all that is going on, to want to take a step back, numb our minds, and dissociate from a world that seems to cause incessant pain. Yet we must persevere. We must remember who we are. Storytelling itself, then, becomes a form of resistance when we refuse to let systems of power erase the truth of God’s justice and take away our joy. Our stories can be our blueprint for hope.

The prophet Micah boldly declared that God has called us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. For 117 years, MFSA has crafted a Spirit-led story, transforming that ancient calling into action. When Harry Ward scribbled “equal rights and complete justice for all persons” in 1908, those words may have seemed radical to some. Today, they’re foundational to our understanding of civil rights. When MFSA demanded the abolition of child labor and the establishment of living wages, they were called extremists. Today, we take those protections for granted because someone fought to make them possible. When leaders and MFSA staff members Deaconess Winifred Chappell and Deaconess Grace Scribner kept publishing bulletins and advocating for the Social Gospel during some of the darkest hours in the United States, they proved that movements rooted in love, grace, and compassion don’t die when institutions reject them. Instead, they emerge stronger.

The courage of those who came before us wasn’t a superhuman quality. It was sustained by prayer, grounded in Scripture, and fueled by the conviction that God’s vision for beloved community demands more than simple acts of charity or kindness—it demands transformation. MFSA’s history shows us what it looks like to speak and act with a prophetic fervor that refuses weak resignation to evil and lives with a deep, abiding hope that always rises above. We don’t tell this story solely to celebrate the past. We tell our story to continuously remember and claim the radical call that God has placed on our lives so that we might live it out in the here and now. From this 117-year-old story, several guiding principles emerge as a kind of blueprint we can still follow today.

First, our willingness to stand up for what is right is always more important than any safety an institution can provide. MFSA has consistently chosen to speak out rather than be comfortable, even when it meant losing denominational support. We have the chance to raise fundamental questions about the morality of economic systems, militarism, racism, and class conflict.

Second, faith and action belong together, rooted in prayer. From the deaconesses' faithful advocacy to prayer vigils outside the White House, MFSA has consistently refused the false division between faith and social justice. Living out the Social Gospel entails a life of faith invested in bringing to fruition the New Creation God wants for us, and ultimately surrounding everything with unceasing prayer.

Third, all issues of equity and justice must be recognized as intersectional. MFSA has always understood that labor rights, racial justice, gender justice, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, peace, and environmental care are intertwined. Our individual and community identities—and the various aspects that comprise them—influence our decisions and perceptions. We cannot pick and choose which of God’s children deserve dignity.

Fourth, our resilience and our hope help define us. During the McCarthy era, as anti-communist fervor swept the nation, MFSA became a target of investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee due to its open calls for societal restructuring, the advancement of civil rights, the right to unionize, and more. This was paired with surveillance by the FBI, the public labeling of MFSA as “Methodism’s Pink Fringe” by Reader’s Digest, and internal attacks from more conservative Methodist organizations. MFSA came dangerously close to dissolution during this time, but several leaders took up the mantle and refused to back down. This resulted in an incredible rebirth over the next few decades. The belief exemplified by just a small group of people—and their certainty in their vocational call to live a life of justice—was enough to draw people back together and continue moving forward. Today, as misinformation and fear once again seek to dominate our lives, that same resilient spirit is what the moment demands.

We’re already part of this incredible legacy. Our prayers, our presence, our financial support, and our willingness to speak up even when silence would be easier are how we make our mark in this 117-year story. The work continues. The threats we face today demand the same moral courage that those who came before us embodied. When policies target vulnerable communities, when fear replaces compassion, and when profits outweigh the well-being of people, we’re called to be prophetic witnesses. When Christian faith is weaponized to discriminate and harm, we’re called to proclaim a different gospel.

The question we must ask ourselves today is this: What does the Lord require of you? Together, we already know the answer. Together, we’re already doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with our God. The same Spirit that emboldened Harry Ward to draft the Social Creed, that sent deaconesses out to serve those in need, and that led MFSA to integrate chapters when the denomination would not—now moves in us. The blueprint for hope is there if we choose to follow it. The next chapter of the story is ready to be written. Will you pick up the pen, leading with courage and making love visible?

Learn more about MFSA history:

Connor Prusha (he/him/his) serves as an Organizing Associate for the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA). He is a nonprofit professional with 4+ years of experience in fundraising, program administration, grantmaking, communications, and community organizing. Connor also serves as Lead, Philanthropy at United Methodist Communications. He is a Certified Candidate for Ordained Ministry in the East Ohio Conference and is a Master of Divinity student at Drew Theological School. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Baldwin Wallace University and a Master of Public Administration from Bowling Green State University (OH). Connor is deeply passionate about bringing people together and creating safe spaces that promote a holistic approach to Christ-centered justice and community healing.

Stories of Hope and Resistance

The church has long been a place where justice is not only preached but lived out in times of political and social upheaval. However, with the arrival of a new administration intent on rolling back hard-won rights and freedoms, faith communities across the country are refusing to remain silent.

This new section of our newsletter is dedicated to sharing the ways churches are standing firm in their commitment to justice. We're excited to highlight actions and movements within faith communities that resist oppression, embody radical hospitality, and insist on a future where love, dignity, and equity prevail.

Whether through direct advocacy, sanctuary efforts, mutual aid, or prophetic witness, these faith communities remind us that another world is possible—and we are called to help create it. If your church is engaged in work that challenges injustice and fosters hope—especially through acts of subversion and resistance against oppressive policies—we want to hear from you.

Here are some stories of hope and resistance:

Save the Date: Giving Tuesday

December 2, 2025

Mark your calendar for Giving Tuesday! This global day of generosity is a chance to invest in the justice-seeking work of MFSA. Together, we continue to challenge systems of oppression, advocate for the marginalized, and build a church and world rooted in love and liberation.

Several generous donors will match the first $6,000 raised for Giving Tues. You can give through social media on Facebook and Instagram from Nov 25 - Dec 9, online through the link that will be shared during that time, or by check with Giving Tues written in the memo:

Methodist Federation for Social Action
996 Maine Ave SW #307
Washington, DC 20024

MFSA Advocacy at Wespath Summit

MFSA was well represented at the recent Wespath summit on the church’s investment practices, with Executive Director Bridget Cabrera and board members Rev. Andy Oliver and Rev. Luis Reyes, along with many other MFSA chapter leaders and members among the participants.

Fossil fuels destabilize the climate and result in immeasurable harm to both our earth and humanity. MFSA continues to advocate for investments that reflect our call to justice, care for creation, and solidarity with those most impacted by climate change.

This Wespath-led summit brought United Methodist leaders and advocates together to discuss how the church’s investments can better align with its social and environmental values—especially around divesting from fossil fuels ahead of the 2028 General Conference.

Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) Faith Summit

November 11-13, 2025

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) invites faith leaders from across traditions to gather in Immokalee, Florida, on November 11–13, for three days of connection, reflection, and strategy.

For decades, CIW and consumers of conscience have worked to build a more just food system, uprooting modern-day slavery and ensuring dignity for farmworkers. Today, the award-winning Fair Food Program—hailed worldwide as a model of worker-led human rights—is at a pivotal moment for growth.

At the Faith Moves Mountains Summit, faith leaders will join farmworker leaders to ground ourselves in history, envision the future of Fair Food, and mobilize faith communities nationwide in the movement for human rights.

The summit includes:

• Learning from farmworker leaders

• Building partnerships for a just food system

• Developing strategies for the Campaign for Fair Food

• A Culture Night celebrating Immokalee’s rich heritage

Liturgical Direct Action: A Discernment Retreat

November 14-16, 2025 | Bangor, PA, USA

Michigan MFSA member Rev. Bill Wylie-Kellermann will be among the featured speakers at "Liturgical Direct Action: A Discernment Retreat," held November 14–16, 2025, at Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center in Bangor, Pennsylvania. The retreat invites participants to explore how direct action and civil disobedience can take on deeper meaning when rooted in prayerful worship. Drawing on examples from freedom movements, antiwar efforts, and decolonizing struggles, participants will reimagine how nonviolence, ritual, and resistance intersect within the Christian tradition.

Webinar Recording Now Available

Understanding Palestine and Israel

Presented by United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR) and Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA)

Phyllis Bennis stands among the world's most knowledgeable and insightful analysts on the Middle East. The author of an indispensable primer on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, she has a gift for providing clear and accessible explanations for complex issues.

In this very special webinar, we will explore with her some of the most challenging questions that people around the world are grappling with, including: What are the root causes and the purpose of Israel's genocidal war that has raged since Oct 7, 2023? What should we know and understand about Hamas? In light of the ever-worsening horrors unfolding in Gaza, what are the most useful actions we can take? What to think of various plans that are arising for Gaza's future?

With alarming developments in the West Bank, is formal annexation to Israel looming and what would that mean for the future of Palestine? What has been the impact of U.S. policies, in particular during the Biden and Trump administrations? How significant are recent shifts in U.S. politics and society regarding Palestine/Israel, and what might we expect in the year to come? How helpful (or not) are recent developments in Europe and at the United Nations, and what is needed from them?

This Webinar was recorded on October 15, 2025

Lighting the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice

As we navigate the realities of this new administration, justice-seeking congregations across the country are standing in solidarity with those targeted by oppressive policies. We've seen churches respond by incorporating the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice into their worship services, lifting up prayers and commitments to resist injustice.

Inspired by the Central Methodist Mission in Johannesburg, which lit a candle encircled in barbed wire during the struggle against apartheid, Rev. Dr. Donna Claycomb Sokol of Mount Vernon Place UMC in Washington, D.C., is one of the pastors who has reintroduced this practice. Rev. Andy Oliver of Allendale UMC in St. Petersburg, Florida, is another. Now, more than 50 congregations—including several MFSA-aligned churches—have joined this movement, lighting a candle each week and naming those suffering under policies of cruelty and exclusion.

Recently, churches have lit the candle:
🕯️ For migrants—asylum seekers facing deportation, undocumented families living in fear, and faith leaders offering sanctuary.
🕯️ For federal workers—those losing their jobs, living in uncertainty, or suffering retaliation for speaking out.
🕯️ For USAID—millions impacted by halted humanitarian aid, from hungry children to struggling farmers.
🕯️ For the National Institutes of Health—patients, researchers, and those dependent on lifesaving medical advancements.
🕯️ For the conflict in Ukraine—those enduring war, Russian dissidents, and leaders seeking true peace.
🕯️ For the judicial branch—judges facing threats, courts upholding the rule of law, and those caught in legal battles over justice.
🕯️ For institutions of higher education and students—scholars facing retaliation, lost funding, and threats to free expression.

Each time the candle is lit, congregations proclaim that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never overcome the light.

You can access the liturgy below. This document will be updated weekly, with liturgy uplifting a new group targeted by this administration.

In this moment, as faith communities, we must recommit to resisting evil, injustice, and oppression in all its forms. Together, we will continue to bear witness, proclaim justice, and keep the light shining.

"We Believe" MFSA T-Shirt and Yard Sign

We recently launched a new t-shirt design. Boldly affirm your faith-rooted commitment to justice. Featuring core convictions from our movement, this shirt lifts up the truths we live by as Justice-Seekers.

We also just launched a new yard flag, based on our popular t-shirt design! Place this fabric sign in front of your church or home to share these Justice-Seeking truths.

Since 1907 the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) has been mobilizing clergy and laity to speak out and take action on the pressing issues of our time. Your support makes this work possible.

Becoming a member of MFSA means making a financial contribution to MFSA and joining other activists who care about issues of justice and peace and actively work to make a difference.

As a fully donation and member-supported organization, MFSA depends on people like you to sustain our prophetic witness for justice in The United Methodist Church and beyond. When you become a member, you’re not only supporting national and international efforts — 20% of your contribution goes directly to your local MFSA Chapter/Regional Community. If there’s no chapter near you, that portion helps seed and grow new MFSA communities.

In a time when the call for justice in our Church and our world is more urgent than ever, MFSA continues to organize, advocate, and witness boldly.  Supporting LGBTQIA+ inclusion in The United Methodist Church; raising awareness and building solidarity with Palestine; resisting anti-trans and anti-abortion legislation and advocating for racial, disability, economic, and climate justice, we remain committed to prophetic action grounded in faith.

We invite you to join or renew your membership today. Your support sustains our work, fuels our organizing, and strengthens our collective voice.

Racial Audit Implementation Team Update

Call Your Representatives and Demand Accountability

We are reminded that respect for the office does not mean silence in the face of harm. Our democracy is under threat, and our most vulnerable communities are at risk. Now is the time to speak up—call your representatives and demand accountability.

MFSA is now on Bluesky

We've noticed many of our friends and partners making the move to this platform, and we're thrilled to join the conversation there. Stay connected with us for updates, advocacy, and conversations that matter.

Connect with us @mfsavoices.org