*Earlier this month I attended a retreat in Kansas with other pastors.
Below is a good summary of the retreat from our conference minister. I have
some resources from the retreat. I would be interested in having a
study/discussion with a group if there is interest. Let me know if you are
interested. Here's an article that was intriguing - *
https://climateaccess.org/system/files/Randall_Loss%20and%20Climate%20Change.pdf
*Worshipping the God of Creation*
*by Heidi Regier Kreider, WDC Conference Minister*
What is a loss or change that you or a loved one has experienced due to
climate change?
“I seem to struggle more with allergies.” “Rainfall seems to be more
erratic and unpredictable, and the growing season for crops is longer that
it used to be. “We used to go ice-skating on the pond in the winter; but
now it rarely is cold enough long enough to freeze the ice.” “Our family
farm was destroyed by a tornado in November – since when did tornadoes come
in November?” “I’ve been seeing armadillos further and further north… “I
saw the receding glaciers in Alaska, and have heard that the Iditarod Dog
Sled race is getting re-routed due to lack of adequate snow.”
These were some of the responses from participants at the retreat *“Who
cares about climate change? Pastoral responses to denial and despair,”* April
8-10 at Camp Mennoscah. The retreat was facilitated by Doug Kaufman,
Director of Pastoral Ecology at the Center for Sustainable Climate
Solutions, and Jennifer Schrock, Director of Mennonite Creation Care
Network. 18 pastors and church members attended from WDC, South Central
Conference and Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference, as well as several
regional presenters.
Beyond allergies, armadillos and Alaska, retreat participants also
recognized deeper emotional and spiritual concerns related to climate
change: Anxiety about their grandchildren’s future on this earth; guilt
and grief at how the lifestyles of current and previous generations have
damaged the environment; frustration with political divisions and personal
conflicts that arise in conversations about environmental issues; anger at
the disproportionate impact of climate change on the poor, people of color,
and children – those who have the least responsibility for causing climate
change; and feeling paralyzed and overwhelmed by all these issues…
As a participant at the retreat, I found it helpful to acknowledge and
confront these deeper levels of denial and despair, while also receiving
information and inspiration to respond constructively. Retreat
presentations included scientific information about climate change and its
impact in areas such as medical and health concerns, food insecurity,
political conflicts, weather extremes, and economic and agricultural
factors. We practiced ways to listen and learn across differences in
viewpoints on climate change, and we heard about opportunities for advocacy
and education. We heard stories of communities working constructively for
climate justice, as they integrate environmental conservation with
social/racial justice. We considered theological and scriptural foundations
of creation care. And – most importantly – we spent time worshiping the God
of Creation – the One who calls us to be faithful stewards of creation and
to live in justice and peace with our fellow human beings.
Together with others in WDC, I look forward to further discernment about
our role in caring for God’s creation as a conference, as congregations and
in our local communities.
*Lee Lever, Pastor*
*Austin Mennonite Church*
AustinMennonite.org
