Indiana is home to the newest MFSA Chapter
November 6, 2025
For Immediate Release: Indiana home to newest MSFA chapter
On Oct. 29, the Methodist Federation for Social Action recognized Indiana MFSA as a full MFSA chapter, committed to be a people of faith who work nonviolently to end oppression and injustice in all of its intersections while practicing radical hospitality and inclusivity.
Three Indiana Methodists, retired elder Rev. Dan Gangler, and United Methodist Deaconesses Beth DeHoff and Lisa Meidi Miller, started exploring the establishment of a new Indiana MFSA chapter last year, and they hosted an information luncheon at the Indiana UMC Annual Conference in May 2025. In September, the fledgling group held its first business meeting. This garnered enough MFSA memberships and commitments to support a chapter that the group was able to apply to be a chapter of MFSA shortly after, and that was approved by the MFSA board.
Mission of the MFSA Indiana Chapter
The Methodist Federation for Social Action Indiana Chapter supports and encourages support of the Indiana United Methodist Conference’s Diversity, Mission and Justice ministries. These worthy causes have been brought within the church’s structure. In contrast, the 118-year-long role of the UMC-adjacent Methodist Federation for Social Action exists to identify, name and newly address social injustices in the church, the community and the world.
In addition to the three founding members, the chapter has appointed Matthew Oates as its communications chair and will soon appoint a secretary/treasurer and a social justice action chair. This leadership will meet monthly via Zoom, with the full chapter meeting quarterly. The chapter’s annual meeting will be in person at Indiana’s UMC Annual Conference.
For more information on the Indiana Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action, visit https://www.mfsaweb.org/chapters-partners/indiana.