09/29/2026
**Faith. People. A Stronger West Virginia.**
On September 23, more than 30 faith leaders representing different faiths and traditions gathered at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Charleston for **Perspectives on Faith in Action: A Faith & Public Policy Forum**, hosted by the West Virginia Council of Churches.
It was a day centered on listening, learning, conversation, and connection.
Those gathered did not necessarily come from the same backgrounds or approach every issue from the same perspective. What they shared was a commitment to their communities—and a desire to better understand how people of faith can thoughtfully engage with public policy.
Throughout the day, we kept returning to one important truth:
**Public policy is ultimately about people.**
Decisions made through the legislative process do not remain within the walls of the Capitol. They make their way into our communities, congregations, workplaces, homes, and the everyday lives of West Virginians.
Our conversations explored critical infrastructure and water, expungement and reentry, racism, and other issues affecting communities across the Mountain State. An open-mic conversation also gave faith leaders an opportunity to share what they are seeing and experiencing firsthand in the communities they serve.
A second panel explored **how people of faith can meaningfully participate in the legislative process**—by listening to our neighbors, learning how the process works, sharing the experiences of our communities, and making sure the voices of those most affected by public policy are part of the conversation.
Perhaps the most meaningful part of the day, though, was simply the gathering itself: more than 30 leaders from different traditions choosing to sit in the same room, listen to one another, ask thoughtful questions, and remain engaged even when the issues are complicated.
Faithful civic engagement does not require us to agree on everything. It can begin with a willingness to listen.
Because public policy eventually becomes personal.
It becomes the water coming from a family’s tap. It becomes the infrastructure supporting a community. It becomes the barriers or opportunities facing someone returning home after incarceration. It becomes the lived experiences of our neighbors.
**And that is precisely why voices of faith and community belong in the conversation.**
Thank you to our panelists, presenters, participants, and St. Mark’s UMC for helping make this gathering possible.
**Faith. People. A Stronger West Virginia.**
