Advocacy Hour attendees urged to have faith, pray and act
New series attracts large crowd to hear about advocacy as a spiritual discipline
LOUISVILLE — Hundreds of people turned out for the first installment of a new Presbyterian advocacy series in which viewers were encouraged to have faith, pray, and act to counter intolerance nationally and globally.
Catherine Gordon, representative for international issues for the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness, hosted the debut episode, which garnered well over 800 registrants and about 350 attendees online.
Addressing viewers, she said, “We are hoping that these monthly gatherings will help to provide the knowledge and resources you need to take effective and focused action on some of the pressing advocacy issues of our time, as well as nourishment for your spirit, essential connections and resources and community building.”
The Feb. 26 installment included a time of meditation and a chance to meet staff members from the advocacy offices — OPW and the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations — who took a moment to explain what they do, from engaging with Congress to speaking out on humanitarian issues to doing gun violence prevention.
“We are here for you, and especially today, as we're talking about ways in which we can approach advocacy as a spiritual discipline, as a part of our walk of faith,” said the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, who leads the advocacy offices. “We feel that God is calling us to be engaged in what's going on in this country.”
During his formal presentation, Hawkins acknowledged that many people are heartbroken because of what they’re seeing today.
“This is a time of lament for many of us,” he said, noting, “so much intolerance is being proclaimed from stages that are national stages and even global stages, but we believe that we are called to have faith, to pray and to act.”
The Rev. Christina Cosby, OPW representative for domestic and environmental policy concerns, showed a critical video about Project 2025, a political initiative aimed at reshaping the federal government in non-progressive ways. (Read OPW’s recent Action Alert.)
Among its goals is to “place in leadership positions throughout this country those who have a very ultra-extremist conservative agenda,” said Hawkins, so “we want to keep an eye on this … to make sure that we do everything that we can to counter it.”
Hawkins also warned against religious cults, Christian nationalism and other ideology that promotes a “totally different understanding of what it means to be a follower of Christ.”
“As people of faith, we are advocating for justice,” he said. “We're talking about speaking up and standing with marginalized communities.”
Hawkins also spoke on the need to go beyond charity to address long-term needs and issues such as systemic poverty and racism. “We need to talk about changing the laws to make sure that everyone has health care, to make sure that our foreign policy is just.”
Viewers got the opportunity to ask questions, with one wondering how to encourage a congregation to advocate when the pastor is against taking stands from the pulpit.
Hawkins made several suggestions, including establishing a social justice committee; talking with the session, which may be more open; having a conversation with the pastor; recruiting young people to talk about social justice issues; and being a spokesperson yourself.
Later, he noted the importance of people sitting down to get to know each other, adding there is value in “building community within communities.”
The Advocacy Hour series continues on the fourth Wednesday of each month. The next episode will be March 26 and will focus on immigration and migration issues. Register here.
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