Centered in Advocacy
Central Presbyterian Church, St. Paul – Congregational Spotlight. Written by Dylan Novacek, Content Specialist
“What absolutely gorgeous stained glass windows,” Maggie Gordon exclaimed to her daughter as she looked upon Central Presbyterian Church in St. Paul. Mesmerized by the lights and colors, Maggie stepped in the congregation with hopes of finding others who valued faith-based social justice.
Maggie knows in her very heart just how important housing is. As she first joined the congregation at Central, she was welcomed with open arms and radical hospitality, values that are embedded in our interfaith collaborative here at Beacon. As a congregation growing in their advocacy, those at Central are asking themselves: “how do we become better advocates for home?”
“The congregants at Central don’t remain in the past,” Maggie reflected. “We’re looking at the bigger picture and growing our team of leaders.”
Growing up during the Vietnam war and the 1960’s Civil Rights movement, Maggie vividly remembers where she was when she heard the news that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated.
“I was twenty years old, attending Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. So many of us were incredibly passionate about the Civil Rights movement. I’ve always cared about the world around me. I’ve always wanted and tried to be a good advocate, even before I knew that word.”
There is a shared history of working for racial justice and equity at Central. Many of the congregants have had similar experiences to Maggie’s. With a desire to grow as activists, the congregants at Central are able to elevate their work through being a member of our Beacon collaborative.
(Pictured left is the Justice Choir performing in the sanctuary at Central.)
“We all do this together,” Maggie exclaimed. “Beacon has brought us into a bigger community working towards change. Central has a long history of responding to the needs of the world around us. Under the leadership of our former pastor Dave Colby, Central continues to widen our outreach. That work is made easier thanks to support of our congregational organizer Elizabeth Tannen.”
“Everyone I’ve met at Central has expressed such heart, such humility, and such commitment to both ongoing learning and ongoing action to make our world better,” Elizabeth said. “There’s so much uncertainty, so many daunting issues when it comes to tackling our housing crisis – but one thing we know for sure is that we won’t make change without building power and bringing more people into our movement.”
Being met with support and excitement, Central is excited to build their power as they continue on the early stages of their Beacon journey.
“We’ve got a great team that is working to get other’s involved,” Maggie added. “We have leaders like Barb Swanson who has worked on a lot of different task forces here at Central. We also have longtime congregation leaders supporting us. We all have different strengths and love working together.”
Through building relationships, reading about the issues together, and taking advantage of training opportunities, congregations like Central are learning how to build power. For Maggie, a standout moment in this advocacy work occurred at the Power Tools workshop.
“Suddenly so many parts of my life fit together,” she cheered. “There are ways I can step into a role that I was thinking about for a long time. After Central joined the collaborative, we started learning as much as we could, hoping it would be a good fit in terms of advocacy. Beacon has become just that for me.”
Growing in her advocacy, Maggie is happy to have people like Barb, and her organizer Elizabeth, by her side as they encourage each other in this work. Knowing they are in a diverse neighborhood and wanting to serve the world around them, Central believes in the vision that all people have a home.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a bright light on the horrors of institutional inequities, purposely built right into our country’s laws and policies. I see their consequences piling up around us,” Maggie asserted. “I’ve felt an urgent, moral obligation and faith based imperative to act in the nitty gritty public arena.”
With a firm understanding that we need a big, bold solution to solve our housing crisis, congregations like Central are proud to advocate for our Bring It Home, MN campaign, which would provide rent subsidies to all Minnesotans who need them.
Through inviting others to show up for home at events like Rent Is Due: Day of Action, Central is helping build our collaborative and pushing our shared mission forward.
“Building leadership teams allows faith communities to deeply expand our reach and impact,” Elizabeth added. “It’s really exciting to see this team take shape at Central! There is a particular commitment to anti-racist learning and taking action.”
“It’s an exciting time at Central,” Maggie expressed. “I am just as delighted that Beacon offers opportunities to continue to grow in our response to the Gospel.”
For Maggie, this work speaks to her deepest values as a person of faith, and as an advocate. Through engaging in this work with our collaborative, we’re growing in our leadership and building power to see that all our neighbors are in a place of stability.
“Our congregation does such a good job pulling people out once they float down the river. People want to know what’s up the river, and why people are floating down at all,” Maggie reflected. “Work from your heart. There are things that need to be done. Very concrete things.”
Now is the time to work for the greatest needs. You and you congregation can join us in our mission to pass Bring It Home, MN. Click here to learn how to take action and contact Deb to ask how your congregation can get involved.
