Registration is now open for Advocacy Day on March 18. Get a preview of this year’s focus and hear a testimony about how this annual event has shaped one person’s faith.
JAMES DEATON
Content Editor
This week, we have celebrated the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a twentieth-century prophet who argued that the gospel, the good news we’re called to proclaim, is holistic, touching mind, soul, and body. He did not mince words when he said that a religion that ignores physical suffering and the systems of this world that prevent our potential as human beings created in God’s image from thriving is a dead religion.
In a Christian Century article from 1960, Dr. King wrote, “The gospel at its best deals with the whole man [sic], not only his soul but his body, not only his spiritual well-being, but his material well-being. Any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and is not concerned about the slums that damn them, the economic conditions that strangle them, and the social conditions that cripple them is a spiritually moribund religion awaiting burial.”
Michigan United Methodists, through the Michigan Conference’s Advocacy Day event, take this challenge to heart each year. They meet with lawmakers in Lansing to advance legislative changes that address social systems and structures that keep Michiganders from living into their full humanity. It’s about going beyond a bandage to reach the root of the problem.
In 2023, United Methodists urged changes to state law to better protect us all, especially the vulnerable, from gun violence. Speaking to lawmakers made a difference in the passage of key legislation. The following year, we shared our stories to influence state law updates that would improve access to mental health care and save lives. Last year, we asked lawmakers to pass policy changes that would increase care for those catastrophically injured in auto accidents.
Registration is now open for this year’s Advocacy Day, to be held on Wednesday, March 18. Central UMC in Lansing, across the street from the State Capitol, will once again host the event. A lunch and learn will be offered publicly on Wednesday, February 11, to provide more details about this year’s event, as will future articles in MIconnect.
This year’s topic is food insecurity, which touches every single person in our state. You may not have ever experienced it personally, but you know someone who hasn’t always had sufficient nutritious food or has lived under the stress of providing enough food for their loved ones. They’re our neighbors, coworkers, friends at church, and family members.
Statistics show that many Michiganders face this painful reality. Food insecurity has increased in our state from 14.2% to 15.4%. As grocery prices have risen, wages have not kept pace, leading to increased hunger. This has affected vulnerable populations, including children and older adults. According to a 2023 study, over 131,000 Michiganders age 60 and older (roughly 5.3%) live with some form of food insecurity, or a lack of regular access to nutritious meals.
Our community partner this year is the Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM). FBCM connects and supports seven regional food banks, all of which are part of the national Feeding America network. The council will be providing support and background material on the impact of food insecurity in our state in the coming weeks.
Another goal of Advocacy Day, along with enlivening faith, is to help Michigan United Methodists and friends increase their capacity for building relationships with their lawmakers and grow their confidence in telling stories of impact and asking for change. And Advocacy Day has turned into an annual event that draws people back.
Rev. Karen Kinney pastors Harbor Beach and Port Hope UMCs, a two-point charge in the East Winds District. This year will be her third Advocacy Day. One thing that brings her back is the positive experiences she’s had meeting with her legislators, and how she felt meeting with them made a difference. From her perspective, they listened intently and respected her opinions.
Pastor Karen recalls her first experience in 2024. She came to Lansing just to observe how these meetings would go and had not planned to speak at all. The topic was mental health access, however, and as a trained nurse, she knew something about it and felt compelled to speak up and share her story.
She thought back, “I shared my experiences as a nurse manager with an elderly resident who took his own life in his room, and a church member whom I had to admit twice for inpatient care due to a plan to take her life. These stories sparked real conversation, and we stayed longer than he said he had time for. We even discussed our faith journey and background a bit.”
Participating in Advocacy Day has strengthened Pastor Karen’s faith. “I have learned,” she said, “that I can learn new things that are not necessarily in my comfort zone and do hard things.” One of those hard things she’s learned from interacting with state lawmakers is that “the hard work needs to continue to see the good in all people, regardless of where you stand politically.” This is not a new insight, she admits, but the work remains to feel more confident living it out.
On a practical level, as a resident of this state, she has learned that laws affect us all and that those in government offices are just like the rest of us. “They have stories,” she noted, “that shape how they feel about various situations and how they vote, just as we do. So, we need to talk, listen, and discover together how we can do what is best for all people in this imperfect world we live in.”
Pastor Karen has gotten her congregations involved in the art installation projects for Advocacy Day, like the semicolon butterflies and paper cars. She’s brought back her experiences and shared them in Bible studies and sermons. And she’s carried stories from her congregation to Lansing to share with lawmakers. All this has deepened her relationship with her congregation: “My ability to represent the church in this way has increased the depth of conversation I can have with many in the congregation who are politically involved.”
Advocacy Day has been a great way for Pastor Karen to connect with others in the Michigan Conference. “It is always good to be in community with laity and clergy,” she said, “when you are a rural pastor who is often alone in the day-to-day work.” And she encourages people to consider coming along this year, especially given the topic of food insecurity.
“Think about the stories you may have,” she explained. “You may decide you need to share yours. What would you say to encourage or challenge them? I didn’t think I could go through with it. Now I cannot imagine not going, and I have taken exchange students with me.”
Advocacy Day 2026 will be held on Wednesday, March 18, in Lansing. This year’s topic focuses on food insecurity. Click to learn more and to register.
Last Updated on January 26, 2026