Honoring Those Who Stood for Justice
Throughout its history, Associates in Advocacy has recognized individuals whose courage, integrity, and commitment to justice have made a difference in the life of the Church. The Conscience of the Conference Award honors those who have stood beside clergy and laity facing difficult circumstances, defended fair process, challenged injustice, and reminded the Church of its responsibility to live according to its own principles.
The recipients represent different expressions of faithful advocacy. Some were nationally recognized church leaders; others worked quietly and persistently on behalf of individuals in distress. What united them was a willingness to act when conscience demanded it. Their stories remind us that the Church’s commitment to justice depends upon individuals willing to stand for what is right, even when doing so comes at a personal cost.
1997 Award Recipients
The Rev. Dr. Frank Williams
Widely respected in the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference and regarded as a dean of African American United Methodists, Dr. Frank Williams was among the early leaders of Associates in Advocacy. His commitment to justice was especially evident when he stood beside an African American pastor accused of sexual harassment. Williams insisted that the bishop and conference follow the Church’s established procedures rather than allow racial tensions or institutional pressures to determine the outcome. His persistent advocacy contributed to the pastor’s eventual reinstatement to ministry.
The Rev. Dr. Andrew Turnipseed
Dr. Andrew Turnipseed served in the Alabama-West Florida and New York Annual Conferences and was known for his courage, fairness, and commitment to the rights of clergy. When his colleague, Dr. Thomas Lane Butts, faced a controversial church trial, Turnipseed became a steadfast advocate. Following the proceedings, he helped organize retired clergy to pursue improvements in the Church’s trial procedures for the 1984 Book of Discipline. His work demonstrated that faithful advocacy seeks not only justice in individual cases but also improvements in the Church’s systems.
The Rev. Harvey Walker
A respected leader in the Iowa Annual Conference, Harvey Walker served as a four-time delegate to General Conference, conference secretary, and participant in the consolidation of Iowa’s Methodist conferences. Despite his considerable leadership responsibilities, he remained available to assist clergy facing difficult administrative and judicial situations. His willingness to stand beside colleagues in trouble demonstrated that leadership in the Church includes caring for those who may feel isolated or vulnerable.
The Rev. Everett Burham
Everett Burham was a longtime advocate for pastors in the Iowa Annual Conference. Known for his persistence and careful understanding of the Book of Discipline, he successfully pursued a pastor’s case before the Judicial Council during a period when clergy appeals frequently faced significant obstacles. His example reminds us that effective advocacy does not always require dramatic speeches or public confrontation. Sometimes justice is served through quiet determination, thorough preparation, and an unwavering commitment to fair process.
1998 Award Recipient
The Rev. L. E. Crowson
Rev. L. E. Crowson was widely respected in the West Virginia Annual Conference for his extraordinary knowledge of the Book of Discipline and his willingness to challenge church authorities when necessary. His understanding of church law was so thorough that even bishops approached his interventions on the conference floor with caution.
One memorable example of his advocacy occurred during a Judicial Council hearing. When the presiding officer announced a recess, most participants assumed it was a temporary break. Crowson recognized that the announcement could effectively conclude the public hearing. He immediately stood and presented himself and the pastor he was representing. The members of the Judicial Council returned to their seats. His attentiveness demonstrated how careful preparation and knowledge of procedure could protect a person’s opportunity to be heard.
1999 Award Recipients
The Rev. Dr. Thomas Lane Butts
Thomas Lane Butts understood the personal cost of standing for justice. A longtime leader in the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference, he had served as a district superintendent and delegate to General Conference. His commitment to racial integration during the civil rights movement brought considerable opposition.
Later, while considered a potential candidate for election as bishop, Butts faced serious allegations that resulted in a church trial. He contested the charges, and the guilty verdict was ultimately overturned on appeal. Having experienced the pain and uncertainty of the Church’s judicial process himself, Butts became a compassionate and determined advocate for others facing similar circumstances.
He willingly shared his experience, counsel, and preaching with those in distress. His sermons, including “The University of Adversity,” reflected his conviction that even painful experiences could become opportunities for faithfulness, courage, and service.
The Rev. Earl Black
Rev. Earl Black’s commitment to advocacy grew from a lifelong concern for those who were overlooked or treated unfairly. Growing up during the Great Depression, he developed a particular sympathy for people who lacked influence or resources.
As a young elder in the Southern Illinois Conference, Black challenged the established practice of allowing the Cabinet to control nominations for conference offices. Despite opposition from every district superintendent, his motion to permit nominations from the conference floor received overwhelming support.
His willingness to challenge established authority led others to seek his help. Eventually, he was asked to serve as defense counsel for a fellow pastor facing a church trial. That experience began decades of advocacy on behalf of clergy in several annual conferences.
Black’s careful preparation and command of church law earned respect even before the Judicial Council, where one member commended the thoroughness of his legal arguments. Long before AIA was formally incorporated, he was receiving requests to assist pastors from Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and New York.
2000 Award Recipients
The Rev. Dr. Duncan Hunter
Dr. Duncan Hunter was widely respected throughout the North Alabama Annual Conference for his compassion, integrity, and willingness to stand alongside ministers experiencing difficult circumstances. Having served twice as a district superintendent, as an alternate member of the Judicial Council, and as a five-time delegate to General Conference, Hunter possessed an exceptional understanding of the Church’s organization and procedures. He also served on the General Commission on Religion and Race.
His extensive experience made him someone clergy could trust when facing administrative or judicial difficulties. Yet his effectiveness as an advocate came from more than his knowledge of church law. Hunter understood that ministry was fundamentally about people, not institutional power. His commitment to fairness and the dignity of others stood in contrast to the political pressures that could sometimes dominate church relationships.
That compassion extended well beyond the Church. Throughout his ministry in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Hunter supported numerous community organizations serving people experiencing poverty, illness, and hardship. His obituary in 2009 remembered his commitment to treating every individual with dignity and recognizing their sacred worth. His advocacy reflected that same conviction: every person deserves to be treated with justice, compassion, and respect.
The Rev. Dr. Alan Montgomery
Dr. Alan Montgomery demonstrated that some of the most courageous acts of advocacy are carried out quietly, without public recognition. A minister in the North Alabama Annual Conference, he was known as a thoughtful and gracious colleague who cared deeply about the well-being of other clergy.
When Thomas Lane Butts faced his controversial church trial in the neighboring Alabama-West Florida Conference, Montgomery recognized the unfairness he believed was taking place. Although the proceedings were outside his own conference, the same bishop exercised episcopal leadership over both conferences. Supporting Butts therefore carried genuine professional and personal risks.
Nevertheless, Montgomery joined Andrew Turnipseed in organizing retired clergy to support Butts and those assisting in his defense. Their concern extended beyond the outcome of one trial. Following the proceedings, Montgomery helped these clergy develop legislative proposals for General Conference intended to correct weaknesses in the Church’s disciplinary system.
His example reminds us that advocacy sometimes requires standing against powerful institutional interests, even when doing so may endanger one’s own standing. Montgomery’s quiet determination demonstrated that conscience and courage do not always speak loudly, but they can produce lasting change.
2006 Award Recipient
Dr. Leigh Roberts
Dr. Leigh Roberts, a psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin, was a respected lay leader in the Wisconsin Annual Conference. He served as a delegate to General Conference and was actively involved in denominational leadership. Among his many contributions was his work encouraging the assignment of the denomination’s first elected woman bishop to Wisconsin.
Roberts experienced firsthand the devastating consequences that allegations and institutional proceedings can have upon an individual’s professional life, reputation, and service to the Church. Allegations brought against him resulted in the loss of his university career and his resignation from denominational leadership positions. Those experiences gave him a personal appreciation for the importance of fairness, compassionate support, and the protection of individual rights.
Rather than withdrawing from the life of the Church, Roberts encouraged fellow advocates to develop relationships through which they could share knowledge, strengthen one another, and improve their effectiveness. He became an active participant in Associates in Advocacy, serving in leadership roles and contributing his insight and experience.
His advocacy also extended to others facing church proceedings, including participation in the successful defense of a clergywoman facing charges related to her sexual orientation.
Dr. Roberts’s example reminds us that those who have experienced the pain of institutional conflict can become especially sensitive to the suffering of others. His contributions to AIA reflected a commitment to ensuring that individuals facing accusations would have knowledgeable and compassionate people willing to stand beside them.
2011 Award Recipient
The Rev. Dr. William James
The Rev. Dr. William James was a distinguished leader in the New York Annual Conference and a respected voice for racial justice throughout the United Methodist Church. He served one of New York City’s largest African American congregations and was repeatedly elected as a delegate to General Conference.
His ministry reflected a lifelong commitment to equality, opportunity, and the dignity of all people. James played an important role in the merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, as well as the movement to eliminate the racially segregated Central Jurisdiction. He worked with political and community leaders to improve opportunities for underserved communities and became a leader of the United Methodist City Society of New York, an organization devoted to economic and social development.
James also recognized the importance of preparing younger generations for leadership, mentoring individuals who would eventually assume significant responsibilities within the Church, including service as bishops.
His commitment to justice became particularly evident in 1998 when he undertook the defense of a Korean woman pastor whom he believed had been treated unfairly by her conference’s Cabinet. Through his advocacy, she was reinstated from an involuntary leave of absence.
But James did not consider that initial victory the end of his responsibility. As the pastor continued struggling to retain her place in ministry, he remained involved in her defense for years, helping carry her case through the Church’s judicial processes and ultimately to the Judicial Council.
Even in advanced age, James continued offering his experience, wisdom, and encouragement to those engaged in her advocacy.
The Rev. Dr. William James demonstrated that the pursuit of justice is not a temporary undertaking. It requires perseverance, faithfulness, and a willingness to stand beside another person for as long as necessary. His example reminds us that advocacy is not simply about resolving a case; it is about honoring the sacred worth of the individual involved.
Dr. James passed away on January 18, 2013.
2013 Award Recipient
The Rev. John Grenfell Jr.
The Rev. John Grenfell Jr. was widely respected in the Detroit Annual Conference, where he served as a district superintendent and as a delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conferences. Throughout his ministry, he developed a reputation for his willingness to stand beside clergy experiencing difficulties with church authorities.
Grenfell’s commitment to advocacy extended far beyond his own annual conference. Following his retirement, the Good News movement offered financial assistance to support his work as an advocate for pastors and congregations across the United Methodist Church. His service eventually reached every jurisdiction of the denomination.
He became particularly experienced in administrative complaints, helping pastors understand the procedures that could affect their appointments, conference relationships, and ministerial standing. Grenfell was willing to challenge bishops and conference officials directly when he believed the rights of clergy were being compromised.
His effectiveness also demonstrated the value of experienced advocates serving beyond their own conferences. According to AIA’s historical account, changes adopted by the 2012 General Conference restricted who could serve as an advocate in certain administrative proceedings, limiting opportunities for individuals such as Grenfell to represent clergy outside their own annual conferences.
Yet Grenfell did not allow those restrictions to end his ministry of advocacy. He continued consulting with advocates, sharing his experience, and working with colleagues in Associates in Advocacy to assist pastors facing difficult circumstances.
John Grenfell’s example reminds us that advocacy is more than representing someone in a particular proceeding. It is also a ministry of teaching, mentoring, and equipping others to defend fair process. His willingness to share his knowledge ensured that his work could continue through the efforts of other advocates throughout the Church.
2015 Award Recipient
The Rev. Thomas Griffith
The Rev. Thomas Griffith’s involvement in advocacy began in the mid-1980s when he was asked to serve as defense counsel in a church trial. The pastor facing charges had initially sought to represent himself, but the presiding bishop ruled that he could not conduct his own defense. Griffith stepped forward to assist.
What began as service in one difficult case became a lasting commitment to the pursuit of justice within the Church. Griffith remained involved throughout the trial and subsequent appeals, eventually helping bring the matter before the United Methodist Judicial Council. The proceedings are reflected in Judicial Council Decisions 563 and 565.
His experience led to further requests for assistance from clergy facing difficult circumstances. Interestingly, many of those requests came from the conference Cabinet itself. Church leaders recognized Griffith as someone whose knowledge, judgment, and commitment to fairness could help resolve difficult situations responsibly.
Griffith also became involved in legislative advocacy at General Conference, working with his colleague Richard Bentley on social concerns, church law, judicial procedures, and improvements to the Church’s systems of accountability. His work included involvement with the Methodist Federation for Social Action and cooperation with Associates in Advocacy.
One of Griffith’s distinctive strengths was his ability to maintain constructive relationships with bishops and conference officials while remaining committed to the rights of individuals. He understood that effective advocacy did not always require confrontation. Sometimes the most productive approach was to become a trusted resource who could help church leaders recognize problems and address them fairly.
His knowledge extended beyond disciplinary procedures to matters such as tax law, making him a valuable resource for pastors and conference officials alike.
The Rev. Thomas Griffith demonstrated that faithful advocacy can be both courageous and collaborative. His example reminds us that the purpose of advocacy is not to create adversaries within the Church, but to help the Church administer its responsibilities with fairness, wisdom, and integrity.
2019 Award Recipient
The Rev. Michael Brown
The Rev. Michael Brown, a retired clergy member of the California-Nevada Annual Conference, devoted many years to helping fellow ministers navigate the administrative and judicial processes of the United Methodist Church. As an active member of Associates in Advocacy for approximately two decades at the time of his recognition, he contributed both practical assistance and thoughtful insight to the organization’s work.
Brown was known for his willingness to take on organizational responsibilities and participate actively in discussions concerning church law, fair process, and the challenges faced by clergy involved in disciplinary proceedings. He understood that effective advocacy depends not only upon courage and compassion but also upon careful research and a thorough understanding of the Church’s governing documents.
One of his most significant contributions was the development of comprehensive indexes to United Methodist Judicial Council Decisions. Following the discontinuation of bound volumes of those decisions, locating relevant precedents had become increasingly difficult. Brown undertook the painstaking task of organizing and indexing the decisions, creating a valuable research tool for advocates and others working with church law.
He continued updating and distributing these indexes, helping advocates identify relevant decisions and prepare more informed arguments.
Brown’s commitment to integrity was also evident in his willingness to challenge denominational officials when he believed that established procedures or principles of fairness were being compromised.
The Rev. Michael Brown demonstrated that advocacy is strengthened not only by those who speak forcefully in hearings or conferences, but also by those who patiently develop the resources others need to pursue justice. His work helped equip advocates to understand the Church’s law and apply it responsibly.
A Continuing Witness to Justice
The individuals honored with the Conscience of the Conference Award served the Church in different ways. Some challenged injustice publicly, while others worked quietly and persistently behind the scenes. Some brought extraordinary knowledge of church law, while others offered compassion, courage, and a willingness to stand beside people facing difficult circumstances. Together, their stories remind us that justice within the Church depends upon individuals who are willing to put conscience into action. Associates in Advocacy continues that commitment through its mission: to help the Church fulfill its own intentions to be just, seeking reconciliation and restoration where possible, and justice always.