Michigan United Methodist Jenna Hopgood shares what it was like to be a General Board of Church and Society summer intern serving in Washington, D.C., at the United Methodist Building.
JENNA HOPGOOD
Ethnic Young Adult Intern, General Board of Church and Society
Raised in The United Methodist Church by an adopted Korean father who served in the Michigan Legislature and an immigrant Korean mother who is an ordained elder, I believe love of God must lead to love of neighbor.
My parents, Hoon-Yung Hopgood and Rev. Sunhwa Hopgood, each lived out their faith through public service and pastoral leadership. Through their example, I first began to see faith actively lived out in response to God’s abundant grace for all.
I deepened this conviction during my time with the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) at the United Methodist Building in Washington, D.C. Under the guidance of Rev. Camille Henderson-Edwards, I focused on Economic, Health, and Gender Justice, contributing to this year’s Grace Over Greed campaign. Learn how you can take action.
By studying the federal budget process, including the intricacies of the reconciliation bill, I recognized national spending acts as moral documents: They should embody grace-filled, justice-oriented values, especially for those most vulnerable. Crafting a communications package, I found purpose in equipping people of faith to transform belief with action, ensuring compassion and equity inform the laws that govern our lives.
Budgets declare a nation’s priorities. As followers of Jesus, we are called to resist greed and reflect God’s abundant grace in how we care for one another. Faith becomes tangible in how we spend, legislate, and engage systems of power. Every person bears the image of God; our laws must honor that truth.
In conversations with Directors of Connectional Ministries across the country, I came to see advocacy as necessarily rooted in local context and relationally nurtured — amplifying voices with humility and hope. I also recognized the importance of relationship-building to strengthen connections between GBCS, annual conferences, and local churches, integrating technical policy with the life of the church.
Throughout the summer, I engaged with theological and justice-rooted texts, from Howard Thurman’s Jesus and the Disinherited and Cole Arthur Riley’s This Here Flesh, to Ada María Isasi-Díaz’s En la Lucha and Grace Ji-Sun Kim’s Invisible. I began to hear that genuine voice within myself more clearly. Isaiah 6:8 echoes within me: “Here I am, send me.” Trusting in the goodness of God compels me to protect the sacred worth of others. As a Korean American woman, I embody a theology of hope amid injustice and a responsibility to empower others from marginalized communities to be visible and vocal.
I am discerning a vocation that integrates healthcare with advocacy, rooted in justice, service, and communal well-being. As a Korean American entering healthcare, I commit to culturally responsive care and confronting systemic inequities. My vision for justice is shaped by stories, melodies, the wisdom of the land, and the needs of the whole. In the rest and freedom of the gospel, I’ve found clarity, courage, and conviction to say yes to God’s call.
This work matters for Michigan United Methodists because it lives out our shared Wesleyan values: the pursuit of justice, the dignity of every human being, and the call to steward God’s creation. From healthcare access and environmental protection to racial equity and economic justice, GBCS connects these commitments to concrete action in Washington, D.C., and in partnership with local churches. Explore their website to learn more.
Impact can begin anywhere. Michigan congregations can be powerful witnesses right where they are, shaping communities that reflect God’s justice and compassion. Churches can discern the unique needs of their neighborhoods and respond in ways that align with the gospel, weaving advocacy into worship, education, and outreach.
In practical terms, churches can:
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- Use GBCS’s free resources to learn about current legislation.
- Write letters to elected officials. Review the action alerts and letter templates.
- Host community forums and share testimonies.
- Partner with local advocacy groups on a topic a congregation is passionate about.
- Begin a small group study of the United Methodist Social Principles, adopted at last year’s General Conference. Download these study resources for guidance.
- Incorporate justice themes into prayer, music, and other aspects of weekly worship.
Every step joins a larger movement of grace in action.
By learning, praying, and acting together, we join a collective testimony that stretches from towns and city neighborhoods to the halls of Congress, embodying our call to love God and neighbor in every sphere of life.
As I return to Michigan, I carry policy insight, advocacy experience, and vocational clarity to serve where faith meets justice. I’ve grown in translating complex issues into values-driven action, supporting grassroots movements, and convening policymakers and faith leaders in moral conversations.
I’m deeply grateful to the GBCS staff for their mentorship, integrity, and vision. I aim to continue bridging faith communities and the policy table, between quiet prayers and public witness, so that together, as Michigan United Methodists, we may answer the gospel’s call with courage, clarity, and care. Will you join me?
Last Updated on August 20, 2025