A climate change training for Christian leaders.
January 22-24, 2024
Monday - Wednesday afternoon
Location: Epworth By the Sea
The impacts of climate change can no longer be ignored. Instead of thinking about how we might live with the effects in the future, we are forced to face the reality that we are living with the realities now. From wildfires, to floods, to extreme weather patterns, climate change is an everyday reality.
Church leaders often find it challenging to engage their congregations on these issues. While there may be one or two passionate people in the church who are deeply committed and involved, worries of being too political or of climate change not being a spiritual issue may keep churches from fully engaging in the conversation. And those church leaders who do feel empowered to lead the church on these issues often feel like they are ill equipped to lead their congregations in the face of an uncertain future.
In light of all of this, we are partnering with local climate scientists, faith-based climate organizations, and theological institutions to create spaces where faith leaders can share their concerns about the present effects of climate change, learn from scientists and activists, and build community with like-minded leaders in their region.
The retreat is a transformational experience that aims to weave together scientific, theological, and ministry approaches to climate change. Our goal is to increase opportunities to connect pastors and scientists around climate change and to encourage congregations to take courageous actions in addressing climate issues in their communities.
Join us to:
The sessions begin with lunch on Monday, followed by the opening sessions and worship, and continue until Wednesday lunch.
We are looking for Georgia residing Christian leaders from across the spectrum of engagement climate: from seasoned activities to those who have never said the words “climate change” in church.
Click here for more information about Epworth by the Sea location and facilities.
Church leaders often find it challenging to engage their congregations on these issues. While there may be one or two passionate people in the church who are deeply committed and involved, worries of being too political or of climate change not being a spiritual issue may keep churches from fully engaging in the conversation. And those church leaders who do feel empowered to lead the church on these issues often feel like they are ill equipped to lead their congregations in the face of an uncertain future.
In light of all of this, we are partnering with local climate scientists, faith-based climate organizations, and theological institutions to create spaces where faith leaders can share their concerns about the present effects of climate change, learn from scientists and activists, and build community with like-minded leaders in their region.
The retreat is a transformational experience that aims to weave together scientific, theological, and ministry approaches to climate change. Our goal is to increase opportunities to connect pastors and scientists around climate change and to encourage congregations to take courageous actions in addressing climate issues in their communities.
Join us to:
- Build connections with ministry leaders and scientists to engage as faithful climate advocates.
- Explore the pastoral care implications of social psychological research on climate.
- Learn from scientists about how the changing climate is altering the human and ecological realities of the coastline.
- Experience congregational resilience in the face of climate injustice and how climate impacts frontline communities most vulnerable to natural disasters.
- See how the Christian tradition can foster a wild hope in the midst of tragic consequences.
- Worship in ways that engage our embeddedness in nature.
- Learn how your church community can create a supportive network of activists engaged in climate resilience and advocacy deeply rooted in our faith.
The sessions begin with lunch on Monday, followed by the opening sessions and worship, and continue until Wednesday lunch.
We are looking for Georgia residing Christian leaders from across the spectrum of engagement climate: from seasoned activities to those who have never said the words “climate change” in church.
Click here for more information about Epworth by the Sea location and facilities.
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Logistics
Who is eligible?
All Christian leaders (clergy and lay) who reside in Georgia are eligible to apply. What is the timeline? Applications will begin to be considered September 29th on a rolling basis and final deadline will be November 17th. How much does it cost? Pastor/Ministry leader: Free Lay leader who brings pastor/ministry leader: Free Lay leader/congregant: $350 Other participants: $350 **This pricing covers all expenses except travel** |
LocationEpworth by the Sea is located on St. Simons Island, Georgia which is approximately one hour from Savannah, Georgia. This riverfront campus offers a peaceful environment and a variety of accommodations to assist their guests on focusing their efforts on fruitful conversation in a calming environment.
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Sponsors:
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More Information To Come on Workshop Guides
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Derrick Weston is the Theological Education and Training Coordinator at Creation Justice Ministries. Derrick Weston is a writer, filmmaker, podcaster, speaker, and educator whose most recent work has focused on the intersection of food and faith. He is the co-host of the Food and Faith podcast and producer of Spoon, Spade, and Soul, a podcast highlighting food and land-based ministries in the Episcopal church. Additionally, he is the producer of the short film series "A Wilderness Like Eden" highlighting the work of churches engaged in food justice work. After two decades of being a pastor and community organizer, Derrick is a strong believer in the potential of local congregations to enact change in their communities. Derrick received his B.A. in film studies from the University of Pittsburgh and his Masters of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary. He also has a certification in health ministry from Wesleyan Theological Seminary and was a part of the Re:Generate fellowship on food, faith, and ecology through Wake Forest Divinity School. Derrick is the co-author of the book The Just Kitchen: Invitations to Sustainability, Cooking, Connection, and Celebration and has written numerous articles for several publications. He and his wife Shannon have four children and live outside of Baltimore, Maryland.
Doug Kaufmann is a pastor and environmental activist who serves as the executive director at the Anabaptist climate Collaborative . In this role he organizes and leads pastoral and leadership retreats on climate change, helping congregations reduce their carbon footprint and engage society more broadly in climate action. He continues as a pastor of Benton Mennonite Church, Goshen, IN, a Green Patchwork congregation with Mennonite Creation Care Network. Doug first became passionate about creation care when he discovered that the Elkhart River, where they often baptize, sometimes is compromised with too much manure. Since 2005, he has led a Hoosier Riverwatch group there. The congregation, whose vision includes “pursuing God’s peace at the river,” has also led river cleanups, installed solar panels, includes recycling, and has a green group. Doug recently completed a Th.M. in theology and ecology at the University of Toronto and has a M.Div. from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, IN. He is also trained as an Indiana Master Naturalist. He previously served as a conference minister with the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference.
Mark Douglas is Professor of Christian Ethics at Columbia Theological Seminary. He is the author of Confessing Christ in the Twenty-First Century (2005) and Believing Aloud: Reflections on Being Religious in the Public Square (2010). Over the past decade, Douglas has been writing a three-volume project exploring the impacts of climate change on war from a Christian theological perspective. His first volume has been published by Cambridge University Press: Christian Pacifism for an Environmental Age (2019), and the second volume on the just war tradition and the environment is now in press with CUP. “Once completed,” Douglas explains, “the trilogy will, I believe, cap a project that reaches a wide academic audience and shapes conversations for years to come as the need to attend to the intersections of environmental crises, violence, and religion becomes increasingly pressing in the Anthropocene.” Rev. Dr. Jennifer R. Ayres is Associate Professor of Religious Education. Her research interests include religious environmental education, social activism and religious identity, faith formation in the context of popular culture, and feminist practical theology. She is the author of three books: Waiting for a Glacier to Move: Practicing Social Witness (Wipf and Stock, 2011), Good Food: Grounded Practical Theology (Baylor Univ. Press, 2013), and Inhabitance: Ecological Religious Education (Baylor Univ. Press, 2019). Her current research, for which she received a grant from Emory’s University Research Committee, investigates the educational task of cultivating Christian faith that is deeply rooted in our ecological context, with attention to the kinds of religious leaders needed for this work.
A frequent speaker on topics of faith formation, religion and food, and Christian ecological theology and practice, Ayres also serves on the advisory board of the Green Seminaries Initiative. She is also a member of the Committee on Religious Education in Academic Disciplines and Institutions for the Religious Education Association, and the American Academy of Religion. Codi Norred has worked on issues of environmental justice, climate change, and sustainability, for nearly a decade and is currently the Executive Director as Georgia Interfaith Power and Light. Codi currently serves on the Board of Directors for National Interfaith Power and Light, and as the Southeast Representative on National Interfaith Power and Light’s Network Steering Committee. He is a founding member of the Southeast Faith Leader’s Network, serves on the Executive Committee of the Just Energy Circle, the Legislative Committee and the Coal Ash Committee of the Georgia Water Coalition, and is an active member of several committees within the Georgia Clean Energy Coalition, the Southeast Climate and Energy Network, and the US Climate Action Network.
In January 2023, Codi was apportioned to the Clean Energy Advisory Board for the City of Atlanta. As a speaker within the Interfaith Speaker’s Network of Georgia, Codi regularly helps to foster ecumenical dialogue and understanding across the state. Beth Remmes has been involved with Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) for many years, serving on the Board of Directors and facilitating Active Hope workshops in faith communities to empower neighbors in caring for creation. She has also facilitated Gaia Education’s “Design for Sustainability and Regeneration” online learning course. Beth is a member of the Unity Worldwide Ministry Earth Care Team.
As the Coastal Outreach and Resiliency Coordinator, Beth works with GIPL’s network of congregations along Georgia’s 100-mile coast, supporting their efforts to engage in faithful environmental action. She also works with environmental justice and resiliency campaigns in Darien and Brunswick. Beth received her undergraduate degree from Le Moyne College and a certificate in Ecopsychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. In Fall 2023, she will complete a Master of Science in Biomimicry from Arizona State University. Danielle Hansen is a writer, three-time Ivy League graduate, theologian, and faith leader with twenty years of experience as a public intellectual. She routinely provides commentary and insight into contemporary issues in the American spiritual landscape. Her areas of expertise include trauma-informed care, theological issues in human reproduction, the intersection of faith and popular culture, and the struggles faced by women, families, and children. Danielle is known for her unique blend of incisive wisdom and whimsy as well as her ability to encourage students and the public to consider what it means to live a life rooted in justice, kindness, and humility.
Danielle grew up on Long Island as the only child of two public school teachers, and spent her childhood singing in the prestigious Cathedral of the Incarnation Girls’ Choir, which became the grounding of her lifelong spiritual journey. She is an Episcopal priest and currently works as a professor at Emory University. Jake Myers serves as the Wade P. Huie, Jr. Associate Professor of Homiletics at Columbia Theological Seminary. He’s an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament in the PC(USA).
Jake has written numerous books and essays, the latest of which is entitled “Stand-up Preaching: Homiletical Insights from Contemporary Comedians” (Cascade, 2022). He has a forthcoming book in press with Lexington Book’s Religion and Pop Culture series connecting theology and ethics with stand-up comedy, which he is co-authoring with Dr. Nicole Graham, a religious studies professor at King’s College London. He provides online homiletical resources and sermon coaching at www.preachingdr.com. |
