National training equips leaders for justice work that builds collective power for change.
General Board of Church and Society | Oct. 7, 2025
BALTIMORE, MD – United Methodist leaders from across the United States gathered Oct. 1–3, in Baltimore for the first National Faith-Based Grassroots Organizing Gathering — a denomination-wide, spiritually grounded training designed to equip leaders for justice work rooted in the Gospel and the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church.
This inaugural event was co-hosted by the General Board of Church and Society , in partnership with United Women in Faith, the Organizing For Mission network, the Baltimore-Washington Conference Advocacy and Action Team, and the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. Through a selective application process, over two dozen faith leaders from across the country were chosen to participate in this intensive, faith-rooted experience.
The training integrated theological reflection, spiritual formation, and practical organizing tools to strengthen the Church’s public witness and foster transformative leadership aligned with the teachings of Jesus.
“This training built stronger relationships and deepened our understanding of how to build collective power,” said Br. Steve Jerbi, director of Organizing For Mission. “Leaders are returning to their communities with a renewed sense of purpose, knowing that if they want to see flourishing —economically, politically, socially, and ecologically – they must act boldly. This is a 'mustard-seed' moment, where the presence of community organizing is beginning to spread across the country.”
Participants engaged in storytelling workshops, strategic power mapping, and exercises in collective discernment centered around faith-rooted organizing.
“The (Church and Society) national faith-based grassroots organizing training was an innovative and deeply spiritual experience,” said Rev. Noé Gabriel López, director of Social Impact & Belonging. “I learned so much about the power of storytelling, how to share the story of self, the story of us, and the story of now using the framework of challenge, choice, and outcome. The trainers were knowledgeable, engaging, and helped us see how storytelling can move people from empathy to action. This experience reminded me that organizing, at its heart, is a sacred act of collective transformation.”
For many participants, the training was not only educational, it was transformational.
“I gained valuable skills in organizing and justice action, aligning with Dillard University’s call to courageous leadership," said Andreus Lowry. "Inspired by John Lewis’s call to make ‘good trouble,’ I return to my campus with renewed purpose, equipped to lead and serve boldly,”
Elizabeth Chun Hye (Liz) Lee, director of mobilization and advocacy for United Women in Faith, affirmed the significance of the gathering in the broader struggle for justice:
“In a moment when climate justice, racial justice, and basic human dignity are under relentless attack, this national training provided United Women in Faith leaders and attendees with vital tools to ground our faith, strengthen our organizing efforts, deepen our commitment to justice, and care for both God’s creation and our most vulnerable siblings.”
Participants described the gathering as both spiritually affirming and practically empowering, a sacred space where deep faith met strategic preparation. With hearts attuned to God’s justice and hands ready for action, United Methodists left Baltimore energized and equipped to lead change in their local churches and communities.
As this training model expands, partners remain committed to ensuring that the movement for justice within the United Methodist Church is not only sustained but multiplied across the connection.
This article is republished from the Church and Society website.