At Advocacy Day on March 12, you will discover tools for advocacy work at the local, state, and national levels and connect with other justice seekers on matters you care about.
JAMES DEATON
Content Editor
“We’re living in an age where there’s no shortage of crises and issues to care about. It can be overwhelming, and Advocacy Day remains an important tool in our toolbox as we pursue justice,” said Rev. Haley Hansen, co-chair of the Michigan Conference Board of Justice.
The goal of Advocacy Day has always been to equip Michigan United Methodists to develop confidence and sharpen skills when communicating with lawmakers, those who shape public policies, about issues they care about. Our United Methodist faith, rooted in our Social Principles, calls us to stand in the Wesleyan tradition of moral witness and ethical action.
Each year, Michigan United Methodists learn how-to basics of advocacy work, carry out respectful dialogue with elected officials, and make positive changes for the common good. Advocacy Day organizers choose a state issue that has bipartisan support with an opportunity to build bridges and have a lasting impact. Two years ago, Advocacy Day focused on gun violence prevention and helped 11 common-sense gun safety laws pass, reducing harm and saving lives. Last year, justice seekers championed mental health care access for all Michiganders.
On March 12, Michigan United Methodists and friends will return to Lansing for Advocacy Day 2025 and advocate for needed modifications to state auto insurance laws enacted in 2019 that have created a crisis in access to care. This is a bipartisan and moral issue, and legislation to correct the current laws has yet to pass. We will build on the momentum from previous years and continue fostering positive relationships with our legislators. Click to watch the 30-minute lunch and learn about this year’s event.
Click the button below to register. February 23 is the deadline to register if you wish to participate in legislator meetings and have lunch on Advocacy Day. Tell your friends and sign up today. The Zoom link, provided upon registration, will be used for two upcoming online trainings: February 24 and March 3, both at 7 pm Eastern.
The skills people learn at Advocacy Day can be utilized at the local, state, and national levels. Last year, Advocacy Day inspired members of South Lyon: First UMC to create their own local advocacy event on a justice matter important to their community: safe, stable, affordable housing. Read this story to learn more.
Rev. Hansen affirms that everything she has learned at Advocacy Day aided her last year when she attended a young clergy event at the General Board of Church and Society in Washington, D.C. “Last fall, we met with the offices of then Rep. Elissa Slotkin and Sen. Gary Peters to talk about disarmament in Israel/Palestine. I went into those meetings confidently because I had done the same thing at the state level for different issues. These transferable skills help us pursue justice in the long term.”
In addition to the hands-on advocacy work meeting with state legislators on this year’s topic, the Board of Justice will host an afternoon session for those wanting to meet with other likeminded persons on pressing matters at the national level, such as immigration and LGBTQ rights. The session will be led by Haley, Kristi, and Rev. Alice Fleming Townley, consulting coordinator of Advocacy Day.
The training session — “Continuing Conversation for Compassion, Mercy, and Justice” — will be held at 2 pm following worship at Lansing: Central UMC (click to view the day’s schedule). Facilitators will first provide some tips on advocating for justice in chaotic times before breaking everyone up into small groups based on the justice issue they are passionate about.
Rev. Townley added, “Current winds draw us in several directions right now — at home, in our churches, and throughout our country. When we gather this year at the State Capitol, we will continue to focus on the state issue before us. Still, there will be added opportunities for us to gather in small cohorts to connect, resource, and determine next steps toward other justice matters weighing on our hearts and minds.”
Register for Advocacy Day 2025, which will be held on Wednesday, March 12. Lansing: Central UMC is the home base, and registration opens at 7:30 am. This year’s Advocacy Day is being offered on a sliding scale. A fee of $30 per person is recommended and includes refreshments, lunch, and materials. Additional funds will be used for future Advocacy Days.
For those who need overnight accommodations, the Michigan Conference has reserved a block of rooms with a discounted rate at Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Lansing (600 East Michigan Ave.). The hotel is half a mile from the State Capitol. Click to reserve a room.
The Michigan Conference’s Advocacy Day is made possible thanks to budgeted ministry share dollars from United Methodist congregations through the Board of Justice, offerings from the annual Peace with Justice Sunday offering (half of the dollars stay within our conference), the Episcopal Fund, two districts, registration fees, and additional generous contributions from hundreds of United Methodist and friends across the state.
In light of this year’s topic, Advocacy Day also received a grant from the annual Disability Awareness Sunday offering, which funds projects and awareness to make our churches more accessible and welcoming for those with disabilities.
Registering for Advocacy Day will give you a chance to support this annual event financially. Consider donating as an individual, group, or congregation to make this a sustainable ministry. Financial gifts are tax deductible as allowed by federal law. Click to register for Advocacy Day.
Questions? Send a note to [email protected] and someone from the planning team will be in touch.
Last Updated on February 24, 2025