Something new and exciting is happening at the intersection of faith, justice, and community life in New Jersey. The state recently launched the New Jersey Faith Action Center (NJ FAC), a “faith-community engagement and capacity-building hub,” that will foster collaboration, resource-sharing, and collective action across faith communities in the state.
While the center will network people of every faith in New Jersey, its launch and leadership have notable United Methodist connections.
Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell cast the vision for the NJ FAC. Caldwell is a licensed local pastor at Covenant United Methodist Church in Plainfield and the first clergy person elected lieutenant governor in the state.
The center’s launch was celebrated on April 29, 2026, at the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, a Camp Meeting site of early American Methodism that remains active today and is often nicknamed, “God’s Square Mile.”
There, hundreds of faith and civic leaders, including many United Methodists from Greater New Jersey, gathered to celebrate the launch and learn more about the center’s mission.
In his address, Caldwell shared his conviction that faith communities are indispensable partners in building a more just and compassionate society. He noted that he and Gov. Mikie Sherril have a common concern for the most vulnerable, a concern shared by faith communities of all kinds.
“Government can’t do it all by itself. Too many people in the richest country in the world are struggling,” Caldwell said. “The faith sector, in addition to public, private, non-profit, is equally as important,” even though it is rarely talked about.
The Rev. Vanessa Wilson, pastor of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Willingboro, was happy to hear that Caldwell “was particularly concerned about the families that were once called the working poor and providing support and assistance for them.”
“They are often in danger of falling through the cracks in the system,” said Wilson, whose own work has focused on those experiencing poverty.
Caldwell went on to introduce NJ FAC’s four priority areas: mobilizing volunteers, building a statewide communication network, making better use of faith communities’ physical assets, and facilitating transportation for those in need.
Building on that vision, the Rev. Dr. Semaj Vanzant Sr., NJ FAC’s executive director, described several initiatives designed to put those priorities into action: a statewide distribution network, a direct pipeline to jobs and economic opportunity, expanded access to grants and other resources, a direct line to services for people.
Vanzant concluded with a simple invitation: “The door is wide open, the table is set, the work is waiting, so come.”
The energy in the Great Auditorium that day was palpable.
“To see a room full of people committed to abundant life in New Jersey was the most powerful part of the launch,” reflected the Rev. Dawn Taylor-Storm, EPA&GNJ Director of Connectional Ministries.
“Together, mosques, synagogues, churches and non-profits gathered to proclaim that we want all people in NJ to have access to health care, housing, and quality jobs. Rev. Caldwell reminded us that we can do more together and that every person in NJ should have the ability to live a full and abundant life in our communities.”
Early signs of NJ FAC’s collaborative potential are already emerging. Lori Beck, a member of the United Methodist Church of Red Bank, connected at the launch with Brenda L. Rascher, the executive director of the Office of Catholic Social Services in the Diocese of Trenton. Their discussion directly resulted in Lori’s congregation hosting a mid-July Mental Health First Aid training, exactly the kind of partnership NJ FAC hopes to cultivate.
NJ FAC’s work continued on July 21, with the first virtual convening of approximately 100 interfaith leaders, including several from Greater New Jersey.
After reaffirming the center’s four priority areas, Caldwell introduced a fifth: explore affordable housing opportunities on vacant land owned by faith institutions.
Caldwell went on to describe an even bigger dream for NJ FAC to develop an app “that connects compassion with action in real time.”
“Imagine if a first responder, a social worker, a hospital, police officer, school, a nonprofit, or even a concerned neighbor could notify the Faith Action Center that someone is homeless, hungry, isolated, or facing a crisis,” shared Caldwell. “Within moments, trained Faith Action Center volunteers nearby could receive that notification and respond with immediate assistance…
“Our goal would not simply be to respond to emergencies, our goal would be to walk alongside people on their journey towards stability, dignity, self-sufficiency, and ultimately flourishing.”
He emphasized that NJ FAC’s vision extends beyond any one organization, faith tradition, or government department.
“It’s a vision built on the belief that when people of faith unite around love, service, and human dignity, extraordinary things can and will happen.”
Vanzant then introduced the NJ FAC team, and the conversation turned to how leaders can get involved now through four regional faith networks—North Jersey, Central Jersey, South Jersey, and the Shore Region.
Members of the regional faith networks will share insights and priorities from the communities they serve, advise state leadership on pressing issues, disseminate information such as grant programs, and connect volunteers with opportunities to serve. The regional networks will begin meeting in person this fall at locations yet to be determined.
A statewide advisory council serves a similar function for leaders whose work spans the entire state.
As participants shared questions, ideas, and commitments for the work ahead, it became clear that the Faith Action Center is intended to be more than another state initiative. It is an invitation for faith communities to work together across traditions, partnering with one another and with public leaders to meet the needs of their neighbors. For Greater New Jersey United Methodists already committed to ministries of justice, compassion, and service, NJ FAC offers a new opportunity to put those commitments into action alongside partners from across the state.
If you are interested in joining a Regional Faith Network, learn more here.