Our History: A Commitment to Justice
The history of Associates in Advocacy is rooted in the conviction that the Church must practice the justice it proclaims. Its beginnings reach back to the civil rights movement, when Methodist ministers who stood against racial segregation sometimes faced opposition not only from their communities but also from within the Church itself. These experiences revealed the importance of having knowledgeable, compassionate people willing to stand beside those facing difficult church proceedings.
Among those whose experiences helped shape this ministry were the Rev. Dr. Thomas Lane Butts and the Rev. Dr. Andrew Spencer Turnipseed Sr. Their commitment to civil rights, their experience with the Church’s judicial processes, and their concern for fair treatment helped inspire a fellowship of advocates who supported one another and those in need. What began through informal relationships and shared concerns eventually developed into Associates in Advocacy, formally incorporated in Minnesota on May 31, 1995.