Involving Congregations in Advocacy Now (ICAN) Introduction My Faith and Advocacy The How-tos of Advocacy How to bring advocacy to my congregation Resources Miscellaneous Activities and Handouts

Involving Congregations in Advocacy Now

• Introduction to Advocacy
• ELCA Washington Office: History
• The Mission Statement
• What is an Advocate?
• Ways to Influence Public Policy
• How to Visit a Legislator
• Make Your Letters Count
• How to Write a Letter to the Editor
• Tips on Telephoning Your Legislators
• "I can't get to see my legislator, now what?"
• Attending a Town Meeting
• Sample Role Play I: Social Concerns Committee
• Sample Role Play II: State Senator and Legislative Assistant
• Tough Questions Role Play

Tough Questions Role Play

In many settings our advocates get questions that are hard to answer. We need to be ready to think on our feet and deal with these situations. In triads have the interviewer (heckler) pick a question. Have the “ELCA Representative” try to answer. A third person should coach both sides and give feedback afterwards.

1. “Isn’t ‘advocacy’ just another word for ‘lobbying’?”

2. “My church shouldn’t be involved in politics – what happened to preaching the Gospel?”

3. “What if I disagree with the positions of my church? Who’s speaking on my behalf?”

4. “People aren’t going to listen to what the church has to say anyway, so why bother?”

5. “The church has been taken over by left-wing Democrats, and isn’t really in touch with how I feel.”

6. “How can the church know enough about these issues to make any sense?”

Debrief the role you played. Did you feel comfortable asking/answering? Switch roles and try again.