Bear One Another’s Burdens: An Interview with Margaret Nicholson
Throughout October, we invite you to explore how The United Methodist Church is working to prevent harm and care for those who have experienced hurt within the church. These stories reflect our ongoing commitment to healing, accountability and the grace-filled work of justice and restoration. Learn more and read the Apology from The UMC to victims/survivors of sexual misconduct at www.resourceumc.org
When harm happens within the church, it often shakes the very foundation of trust and faith that communities hold dear. In those fragile moments, Resource Persons from the Horizon Texas Conference Crisis Response and Care Ministry quietly step in to walk alongside individuals who come forward with painful stories. Their work does not happen in the public eye—but it is deeply sacred.
Margaret Nicholson, the HTC’s Lead Resource Person, talked with the HTC Communications Department about her calling to this ministry, what it means to accompany people through crisis and the hope she carries for healing and justice in the church.
Mary Nicholson, HTC Lead Resource Person
Can you describe your role as a Resource Person in your own words?
Margaret Nicholson: There are several facets to the role. I’m a guide, an ally, an advocate and a liaison. My first responsibility is to listen to someone’s story—to let them know I believe them, to acknowledge their hurt and to say, “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
Even taking that first step of making a phone call requires tremendous courage. My role is to walk with the complainant through the process, helping them understand what to expect and advocating for their needs as the case moves forward.
During the process, I always want to be a voice on their behalf. I want to be an ally and an advocate for their needs. We always ask, “What do you want to come as a result of this complaint? What will satisfy you and help you heal?” Ultimately, I want each person I walk alongside to feel heard, validated and supported.
How did you become involved with this ministry?
MN: I’m a retired social worker, and earlier in my career I worked in Child Protective Services. My mentor there, Carole Carsey, later became one of the early members of the Congregational Response Teams in the legacy North Texas Conference.
When I joined Carole’s church, she invited me into this ministry—because of our shared background supporting survivors of sexual abuse, she thought it might be a good fit for me. She was a wonderful leader and mentor for me in this work.
Is there anything that stands out to you from the recent cases you’ve worked on?
MN: All of the recent cases I have worked on have involved young women who were taken advantage of at a vulnerable time in their lives by clergy. Each situation was difficult, yet in every instance the clergyperson acknowledged responsibility—a step that can make a tremendous difference in the healing process.
The women who came forward also all shared that their motivation was to protect others from experiencing the same harm. Some cases moved quickly, while others stretched on for a year or more. In one particularly drawn-out case, I served as a bridge for months—staying in touch with the complainant, the district superintendent and the bishop’s office as the process unfolded. It was stressful and painful, but I remained committed to my role: being an ally and a steady source of support.
This work must be emotionally and spiritually demanding. How do you sustain and take care of yourself?
MN: For me, it goes back to the role the church has played in my life. I grew up in the church, and for me, it has always been a source of hope, a safe haven, a place to grow in faith. That’s why it pains me so much to know that for some, the church has been a place of harm, when it’s supposed to be a safe place where you can grow your faith.
I hold onto the conviction that there’s always a path forward—even if it doesn’t feel that way in the moment. Healing and growth are possible. That gives me hope.
What have you learned about resilience through this work?
MN: Resilience comes in part from bringing things into the light. Churches and individuals can’t heal if wounds are left hidden or unacknowledged. When we recognize and address harm instead of sweeping it under the rug, there’s room for transformation.
One of the most powerful moments I’ve experienced was when a woman told me, after a particularly long phone call, “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.” That reminded me how holy this work is. It really is a privilege to walk with people in those moments.
In some cases, we begin working with complainants and we don’t even know their names, or we only know a first name. I have an appreciation for the fact that they feel vulnerable and exposed, in a way, if they give their name. They’re feeling their way through the process, which is all new, and they don’t know what’s going to happen. That’s where, little by little, I can explain to them what the process looks like, the steps that exist.
How do you see this ministry contributing to healing and justice within the church?
MN: As Resource Persons, our role is to walk beside those who have been hurt, to advocate for their needs and to make sure their voices are heard. The process can be complicated, but it creates a way forward: accountability for the person who caused harm, and care for the one who was harmed.
It feels like holy work. My hope is always that both individuals and congregations can move forward into healing.
Through quiet strength and deep compassion, Nicholson embodies the church at its best—a community that listens, believes and walks alongside those who have been hurt. Her ministry as a Resource Person illustrates that the path toward healing and justice begins with courage and is sustained by care. In every conversation and act of accompaniment, the HTC Crisis Response and Care Teams seeks to create space for the transforming love of Christ to bring light, restoration and hope.