May 13-14 in Flint, Michigan, dozens of representatives of major religious bodies comprising the board of ecumenical membership organization Creation Justice Ministries gathered to pray, learn, and act for water justice.
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Since 2014, Flint, Michigan has not had reliable accessible clean drinking water. Although the local government has closed their water and food distribution centers, lead is still present in the water supply. In 2019, most Flint residents still don't trust safe water will flow from the tap.

Creation Justice Ministries Executive Director Shantha Ready Alonso spoke to why the board gathered in Flint in 2019: “Collectively, religious communities have had a long-standing presence in Flint: before and after the notorious water crisis. Today, the news cameras have gone away, but communities of faith must continue to renew our relationships in Flint. The city has powerful lessons for faith communities as we consider how to grapple with how we relate to God's gift of water, to racial inequities, to crises in our democracy, and to our nation’s just transition away from extractivism.”

Reformed Church in America representative to the Creation Justice Ministries board, Dr. Monica Schaap Pierce said of her experience,"In Flint, signs of hope mingle with evidence of degradation and loss. As I listen to stories of pain and healing, I became very aware of God's redemptive work even in the midst of this crisis."

The meeting began with a pre-screening of “Flint: the Poisoning of an American City,” a documentary by David Barnhart and Scott Lansing of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. This was followed by an environmental justice tour of Flint. The tour guides, Jan Worth-Nelson of East Village Magazine and Pastor Greg Timmons of Calvary and First Trinity United Methodist Church, explained how poverty and race deeply intersect with access to potable water. The board saw how neighborhoods were segregated. In one part of the city, the streets were lined with mansions and in other parts, the homes were deteriorating. Too many members of the undocumented community in Flint stay in falling-apart homes due to fear of detention and deportation. These same families lacked Spanish language materials and government identification that would afford them access to information and services. The group visited a brownfield site where the once booming Chevrolet industry was in its heyday. The expansive factories are now gone, but the far- reaching and seemingly unending concrete remains. There was also a drive-by at the Flint Water Treatment Plant. Much of the tour was also about resilience. The group saw the Flint Culture and Arts Center, a community garden started by a United Methodist community, and a Field House rich in history and current sporting activities: all centers of hope and resilience in the city, particularly helping youth. The tour also stopped by the Flint River to learn about revitalization efforts which have given Flint residents and visitors opportunities to enjoy novel outdoor activities such as kayaking.

The board meeting ended the following day with a planning session for Creation Justice Ministries further education, prayer, and justice work on water issues in Flint and beyond.

THE BOX
Let's begin by centering ourselves. If you are comfortable closing your eyes, you can shut them at this time. Or, as an alternative, relax your gaze and let it stay on an inanimate object nearby. We are going to take a few minutes to journey inside the mind. 

Each of us came to this gatehering with a long to-do list of chores and work deliverables. I invite you to give yourself the gift of being fully present today. Pack up your concerns from home, from your job, and put them into a box under your chair. Don't worry, they will be there for you to retrieve and attend to once again later today.

THE VISUALIZATION
I invite you now to join me in an exercise to reflect on some of the important reasons why we are all here. Think of a young person who you deeply care about. It could be a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, godchild, friend, student, mentee, or neighbor. As this person becomes the focus in your mind, remember some details about them. Replay some of the good times you spent with them, which highlight what makes them so special to you. 

*PAUSE* 

Maybe you see their smile, or you remember a day you received insight into this young person's way of seeing the world. Maybe you shared a moment of solemnity or deep meaning. 

*PAUSE* 

In 30 years, what are your hopes for the life you want your young loved one to lead? Where might they live? What might their home be like? How will they spend their time? What are they passionate about? What do they hold sacred? Who might they count among their loved ones? (A baby born today will be 31 years old in the year 2050.) 

*PAUSE*
Now, picture your loved one in that future setting, 30 years from now. Your loved one is telling a story about you. What is your young loved one saying about your lifework, and the impact you had? 

*SHORTER PAUSE* 

Is there something about the example you are setting today which you hope your loved one will emulate in the years to come?
*SHORTER PAUSE*

CLOSE

Travel back to the present with me now, but hold your loved one close to the center of your attention. In climate work, we often say our actions today will have a profound impact on future generations. This work is personal. I invite you to dedicate your activities today to your loved one's future. Remember that box we wrapped up at the beginning of this session? Keep it closed for the conference today, as much as you can. May we be present to one another by bringing our full physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual attention here. 

I invite us all to break the silence now by speaking aloud the name of the young person to whom each of us dedicates this day. When I count to three, please speak that person's name aloud. 1...2...3... [NAMES]