The Power of Organizing
In a recent meeting with national gun violence prevention advocates, former Attorney General Eric Holder concluded with a rousing call to action. With a sense of passion, he reminded us that we have an informed, galvanized, active population, and we need to get people engaged. Energy is on our side. We need to get busy; we need to build; we need to organize.
Energizing for change
My first experience with organizing occurred when I was living in Indiana, and I became concerned about the families in Darfur, Sudan. As I ventured into advocacy work, my husband encouraged me by noting that I would probably never see the fruits of my labor, but I should realize that I would be planting seeds and making a difference. I agreed that I might not ever see any results. I was wrong.
As I considered advocacy, I wanted church involvement, so I reached out to my pastor. He encouraged additional connections. I contacted a pastor in Indianapolis who had led a prayer vigil, and he put me in touch with our Director of Communications. Unbeknownst to me, I was beginning to organize. These United Methodist leaders encouraged additional connections and communication. We raised awareness, provided education, and connected the issue to our faith values. We demonstrated ways to engage and encouraged action. Throughout all of our efforts, we did outreach. We reached out to others within our Conference, the interfaith community, student groups, and we formed relations with a Darfurian community. We grew in number and in scope, as we participated in letter-writing, call-ins, meetings, and rallies. Our efforts paid off as we watched legislation move through Congress and within our state. Nothing would have been accomplished on my own, but after we built new relationships and worked together on common goals, we began seeing results. Concerned United Methodists organized, pushed for changes in policy, and as a result legislation was enacted that directly spoke to the plight of the suffering people of Darfur.
Faith changes legislator
After moving to Maryland, I had additional opportunities to participate in faith-based organizing. Death penalty repeal legislation was stuck in committee during the General Assembly, and a local Senator was refusing to allow a vote. United Methodists organized educational events, letter-writing, and petition signing. After hearing from faith groups throughout the county, our Senator abstained from a vote, and the death penalty repeal bill went to the Senate for a full Senate vote. United Methodists had organized, pushed for change, and legislation moved!
Several years later, United Methodists working on human trafficking highlighted the fact that a state bill was being repeatedly introduced in the Judiciary Committee but was failing to get a vote. The Chair of the Committee did not like the bill and refused to allow a vote, in spite of unanimous support from the Senate. United Methodists prioritized this bill and organized. Letters, e-mails, office visits, phone calls, and testimony were forthcoming from United Methodists across the state. After much action our UMW Social Action Coordinator met with the Chair, at which time he shared that he would bring the bill up for a vote in committee. It was another instance when concerned United Methodists organized and pushed for change, resulting in a human trafficking bill becoming law.
It is a new year, and there is much work to be done. Some may neglect advocacy work, working under the false pretense that our United Methodist agencies will do the necessary work. However, while our agencies offer services, leadership, and some of the voices that communicate the United Methodist position, it is our clergy and our people in the pews who will drum up hundreds of voices that have the ability to move legislators, voices that will facilitate change.
There is tremendous power in organizing if we seek God’s guidance on when, where, and how to be advocates for social justice. Jesus and the Spirit of Christ offer us such guidance. Jesus stressed feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and welcoming the stranger, and while our churches help thousands through direct service, we can affect millions through advocacy, when our efforts result in structural and policy changes. I invite you to choose prayerfully your area of passion. Will you fight poverty? Will you end mass incarceration? Will you protect our environment? Will you love our immigrant neighbors? Will you work to prevent gun violence? Where do you want to see change? How will you begin to build? If you need help getting started, connect with organizers at Church and Society. We are here to support you. Let’s get to work.
To connect with Church and Society organizing, e-mail Rebecca Cole, Organizing Program Coordinator, at rcole@umcjustice.org
Beth Reilly is an organizer with the General Board of Church and Society focusing on gun violence prevention. She can be reached at breilly@umcjustice.org.
