The upcoming Roles for Social Change workshop will empower you to claim your role in social change movements and discover how to effectively collaborate with others.
JAMES DEATON
Content Editor
In the United States, we find ourselves in a time of political and social upheaval. Many fight fear, hopelessness, and despair. News fatigue is wearisome on the mind and soul. We are either overfunctioning or paralyzed about what to do and how best to respond.
As United Methodists, our faith compels us to be actively involved in the political systems of the world because of “the Gospel imperative to love our neighbors, to do justice, and to care for the vulnerable” (2020/2024 Social Principles).
Political action involves “the betterment of society and the promotion of the common good” (2020/2024 Social Principles). But the divisive political climate we’re in makes these goals centered on love and the inherent worth of all people out of reach, almost impossible.
Don’t let this discourage you. Where there are two or three gathered, Christ is there, and we have each other. And there are resources to guide us as we step forward together.
Next month, join the Michigan Conference Board of Justice and the Connectional Ministries Team in collaboration with the Building Movement Project for two engaging events focused on empowering United Methodists to claim their role in social change movements and discover how to effectively collaborate with others to engage in social justice ministries.
If you’re curious and want to learn more, register for one of the free Roles for Social Change info sessions on November 10, 2025, held at noon or 7 pm ET. This is an online-only session. You will learn about the Social Change Ecosystem Map and receive a free resource. Register now.
You’ll then be prepared for the Roles for Change workshop on November 20, from 6 to 9 pm ET, or on November 21, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm ET. Choose the date and time that works best for you. This workshop is a hybrid event, allowing you to join online or in person at the Michigan Conference Ministry Center, 1011 Northcrest Road, Lansing, MI 48906. Register now.
The info session is free, and the workshop fee is a sliding scale: $20 to $50. So, pay what you can, when you can. Register now.
The info sessions on November 10 will be led by Connectional Ministries Team staff and members of the Board of Justice. Attendees will hear more about workshop facilitators from the Building Movement Project, receive an intro to the Social Change Ecosystem Map, discuss what to expect from the workshops on November 20-21, and receive a gift.
Lisa Batten, one of the Connectional Ministries Team staff members coordinating these events, explains the beauty of coming together: “The workshops will give participants tangible ways to engage in social justice work from their strengths. Some of us are storytellers, some of us are organizers, some of us are healers, some of us weavers. When we each work from our own gifts and skills, we can make a difference together with less risk of burnout. Most importantly, we can bring our shared gifts together in community and create belonging for all of God’s people.”
In some ways, this offering continues the work the Michigan Conference is doing through its annual Advocacy Day, which educates and trains United Methodists to build relationships with lawmakers and effect change through peaceful political engagement.
Advocacy Day, held annually in Lansing, focuses on a specific state issue. Roles for Social Change aims to enhance the capacity of United Methodists for network building and advocacy in other arenas, particularly at the national level, where much of the current unrest is centered.
Rev. Amee Paparella, a member of the Board of Justice and the pastor at Plainwell: First UMC, has heard stories in the trenches from people connected to justice movements and believes the Roles for Social Change workshop will benefit them. She gave two examples.
“A woman I know has been trying to get more involved in advocacy and social justice,” said Paparella. “She signed up for 5 Calls, a civic engagement platform, and has been calling her elected officials diligently for months. Recently, she says, she feels a bit like a ‘lone ranger’ and disconnected from others who share her concerns and priorities for the state and nation. I think this workshop would help her understand her own giftedness, giving her the courage to get involved in ways that connect her with others.”
“I also have a friend who has been about the work of social justice his entire adult life. Every time I talk with him, he is planning the next protest or organizing a march. He is highly connected to others and extremely productive, but he rarely delegates and is prone to burning out. This workshop might help him understand that he doesn’t have to do everything on his own. The Building Movement Project illustrates and emphasizes the cooperative nature of successful social justice movements.”
Workshop attendees will engage with the Social Change Ecosystem Map, used by the Building Movement Project. Lisa Batten has known about the map for about ten years. She believes this tool, which people and organizations have used during times of unprecedented challenges, can help United Methodists seek faith-fueled change today.
“I have always been curious,” said Batten, “because I think we do our best work when we are grounded in who we are, see how God has created us to be in the world, and collaborate with others in shared resourcing and work. The Building Movement Project is not faith-based, but they are women-led, with many women of color, and work across a wide variety of organizations. Those of us from the Board of Justice and the Connectional Ministries Team will bring spiritual practices into the workshop and provide a theological grounding and call to next steps as part of the larger workshop.”
Amee Paparella hopes that those who participate in Roles for Social Change will learn more about themselves and how they might work with others to advance peace and justice. She also hopes it inspires or reinvigorates those who might be feeling overwhelmed or burnt out.
“I hope that it inspires folks and equips them with additional tools they can use to serve Christ,” said Paparella. “I think that our faith is most alive when we step out of our comfort zones, and this experience, I hope, will be an opportunity for that.”
Curious about this new workshop and how it might aid your personal growth in justice and advocacy ministry? Register now for the free info session on November 10 (two time options: Noon and 7 pm ET). And if it feels right, register for the hybrid workshop on November 20 or 21.
Last Updated on October 27, 2025