United Methodists are growing solutions to the world's climate crisis with more creation care ministries. (Photo Courtesy of UM Creation Justice Ministries)
2024 has been a busy time for United Methodists seeking action on the climate crisis and environmental stewardship. Many annual conferences submitted and passed resolutions to further the effort in their regions. United Methodists also held workshops, cheered on youth and reporting teams, celebrated grant funding and energy improvements, and at least two, Virginia and California-Nevada, plan summits upcoming this year.
A number of the conferences have also begun grappling with the issue of divestment, withdrawing funds from companies whose revenue comes from fossil fuels and consequent fuels the climate crisis. See the article Creation Justice & Divestment in the Western Jurisdiction.
Reading these encouraging stories of progress in so many annual conferences gifts you with ideas and inspiration you can bring to your conference and your congregation. Dive in and discover hope.
Northeastern Jurisdiction (NEJ)
From Andrew Hartley
At the Upper New York Annual Conference our new conference-level creation justice team facilitated composting for all meals, and that action of earth care was appreciated by so many participants! The conference published an article about it in our weekly digest.
From Mike Koob
The Creation Care Action and Advocacy Team of the Baltimore-Washington Conference hosted an exhibit table (at left), working with our regional interfaith partners. We had many fruitful conversations, including ones focused on forming and strengthening local green teams. We encouraged people to attend EarthKeeper training this fall especially since one of the two training sites is in Baltimore.
From Grace Pugh Hubbard
The New England Annual Conference passed a resolution restoring 270 acres in northern Vermont to the Nulhegan Band of the Abenaki People. We celebrated and made visible that our Creation Care Circle has representation from all seven districts, EarthKeepers, Camping Ministries, and Board of Church and Society. Our Creation Care display at conference looped videos featuring members of the conference Creation Care Circle and EarthKeepers. The video can also be used other times and places.
We gave away informational cards with Northeastern wildflower seed packets and had sign-up clipboards for engagement and questions. We handed out a brochure from Fossil Free UMC with information on choosing personal divestment options from Wespath. We launched an EV charger initiative for church parking lots, a solar project with Interfaith Solar Campaign, and are creating a summer video series on the Revised Social Principles. Additionally, our Creation Care Coordinator, Grace Pugh Hubbard, submitted a thorough review of all the accomplishments of the past year in our 2024 Annual Conference Journal.
Southeastern Jurisdiction (SEJ)
From Jarrod Davis
The North Carolina Conference passed a Church Land Use resolution very similar to the one passed at General Conference (in fact, based on that one; you can read it here). Conference leadership acknowledged in their opening remarks at conference the efforts that were going into making the event more eco-friendly, including working with the venue to make use of reusable cups and water bottles, and providing phone and device charging from a portable solar generator.
Both the North Carolina and the Western North Carolina disaster response coordinators are working on heat disaster preparedness and resiliency. These two conferences recognize climate change as a disaster and are choosing to be proactive together. Their action goes hand in hand with the state government’s recently announced heat action toolkit, so it is our hope that more and more local churches will see the need for this disaster work.
From Kim Richmond
At the Western North Carolina Conference the conference’s Creation Care Ministry Team had offered the Church Land Use resolution for consideration but chose to withdraw the petition, pointing out that it had already passed at the 2024 General Conference, adopted by the entire denomination. We urged those present to read through the resolution, take it back to their local churches, and begin to implement it, along with other churches doing so across our denomination.
Additionally, the Saturday afternoon plenary session featured a talk by Rev. Jenny Phillips, Director of Environmental Sustainability for the UM Board of Global Ministries, on the topic of creation care and justice. During her presentation, she introduced leaders of the conference Creation Care Ministry team so that attendees could become familiar with who they are and know they could reach out to them.
Our display table held large water coolers for people to refill their reusable bottles, and we provided a solar charging station for phones and other devices. Locally grown peaches and free native pawpaw saplings were also a big draw, as was the opportunity to view and vote on placement of entries into the “Celebrating God’s Creation” photo contest.
We also featured all the creation care-related legislation that passed at the 2024 General Conference, as well as the Creation Justice Legislation at General Conference 2024 Study Guide, written and edited by Rev. Richenda Fairhurst, which covers six of those pieces of legislation. This guide is described by Rev. Fairhurst as follows: “Each chapter offers a summary and goal of the legislation, and a bio of the legislation author, as well as a Scripture reflection, prayer, and opportunity to brainstorm and work through next steps in context.” We are hoping to lead an online conference-wide study using this guide later this year.
From Cara Fleischer
The Florida Annual Conference Creation Care Task Team hosted a booth in the Expo to highlight our Plastic & Foam Free FLUMC campaign. We created a “plastic monster” out of plastic bags and foam, had a member crocheting plarn (plastic “yarn”), and provided an action kit with materials for the local church to use to start the Plastic & Foam Free initiative at their own churches. We were part of the Whova Laity Adventure and had hundreds of attendees visit the booth and sign up for our email list.
We also asked that the cabinet refrain from using plastic water bottles on stage—even the bishop was using a reusable water bottle! The networking sparked interest from the conference PR team about creating a conference-wide Plastic & Foam Free initiative. We are excited to see God at work as we spread the message of reducing waste and growing Creation Care ministry at the local church.
From Jaydee Hanson
The 2024 Virginia Annual Conference passed (almost unanimously) the Commitment to Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050:
The people of the Virginia Conference of The United Methodist Church confess our failure to steward God’s earth properly, ask for God’s help in restoring Creation, and join our General Conference, Bishops, Boards, and Agencies in pledging to a just and equitable reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions to Net Zero by 2050 and establish a working group to study this motion and develop an implementation plan. At a minimum, the working group will include representatives from the Common Table, the Creation Justice Team, the Conference Committee on Finance and Administration, Missional Ministries, Trustees, Commission on Ethnic Minority Concerns and Advocacy, Campus Ministries and Chaplains and United Women in Faith.
In support, Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson requested that the Creation Justice team convene a summit in 2024.
From Crys Zinkiewicz
The Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference Creation Care Ministry Team, wearing our green T-shirts as a reminder, collected the boxes from the boxed lunches for recycling. At the ministry fair, we ran a slide show of local TWK churches showing what they are already doing for the environment. We passed the Church Land Use resolution with 92% in favor, and we provided Tuesday early morning devotions, using the woods and trail of our host church—another great example of how churches can faithfully use their land for God’s kin-dom.
Most of the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference Creation Care Ministry Team at the trailhead for morning devotions at annual conference. Check out the green T’s!
From Jan Berry
The Holston Conference Creation Care Ministry is getting the word out about the importance of caring for God’s creation. This Ministry is focusing on upgrading church energy efficiency to reduce both utility bills and harmful pollution especially in underprivileged churches. United Methodist church representatives have been trained, energy audits have been conducted and upgraded equipment has been identified. Those interested in Creation Care meet every quarter and the Conference website has been updated to encourage this work.
North Central Jurisdiction (NCJ)
From Mariellyn Grace
The West Ohio Annual Conference session was blessed with a variety of creation justice representation. Rev. Ryan Grace, the new chair of the West Ohio Creation Care Taskforce, set up a table at the ministry resource fair to spread the word about creation care ministries and to gather contact information from people interested in participating in the task force’s work. Rev. Jessica Stonecypher, ordained deacon with a focus on creation care ministries, preached at the missions worship service on the theme “God is Able.” She talked about how God is present in her work as an agriculture instructor and practitioner in equine-assisted services.
Later, Rev. Stonecypher updated conference members on the net-zero team’s progress over the past year. The team has been working on gathering conference-related energy data, connecting with others doing similar work across the Methodist connection. Currently, it is focusing on identifying and inviting members from key conference boards who can contribute to the mission and vision of going net zero.
From Nancy Blade
The Northern Illinois Annual Conference passed the resolution Creation Care Advocate, encouraging every local church to name a Creation Care Advocate to strengthen the church’s green actions and advocate for creation care to be lifted up in all areas of ministry and mission. The resolution directed the Annual Conference to record the names in the church Creation Care Advocate in our leadership portal. The rationale for the legislation was from the model resolutions UMCJM wrote.
Additionally, team members staffed a booth and had fruitful conversations. The Parsonage Housing Covenant Policy was updated with current practices and encouraging greener appliances, including a charging station for electric cars. The Net Zero team set meeting time to discuss how to implement the legislation.
I was disappointed that the report from the General Conference delegation didn’t include any of the hard work related to Creation Justice done at General Conference. We will work around this omission by submitting articles to our Conference Director of Communications.
From Cathy Velasquez Eberhart
The Hopeful EarthKeepers team of the Minnesota Annual Conference hosted a Lunch and Learn workshop at our 2024 Annual Conference session on the Transformational Journey Towards Land Acknowledgement curriculum that we developed in preparation for offering this program again in the winter. Our team is also getting ready to host the Global Ministries EarthKeeper training in October 2024 at Hamline UMC and discussing ways to connect new and existing EarthKeepers.
From Marty Toepke-Floyd
The Dakotas Annual Conference: Praise God! The Dakotas Annual Conference met in Bismarck, ND, where a workshop was given on forming green teams in local churches. Several dozen pastors and lay members attended to learn from a panel of speakers.
Dan Johnson, laity from Yankton, SD, presented how his church, First UMC, recruited members to form a green team last fall. They have been meeting once a month and generating ideas on how their local church could make a difference for the environment and the budget. They began by insulating some areas in the building, then sharing energy-saving tips with the rest of the congregation, and partnered with the youth to clean up ditches near their town.
In April for Earth Day, they showed the film, Common Ground, and invited the public to attend. The local media became interested, and that led to a feature story about a local farm family doing innovative and sustainable farming. Getting greener in Yankton has garnered higher visibility in the community for First UMC and encouraged other churches in the Dakotas to form their own green teams.
Josh Schaffner of Capital Electric Cooperative, based in Bismarck, ND, also spoke about how utility companies can help with technology to save energy and stretch church dollars. Using off-peak electricity for heating and cooling, heat pumps and right sizing equipment, and building design are all useful strategies. He also informed the group about new federal programs open to non-profits including churches to help with funding.
Finally, Cindy Heidelberger of GroundWorks Connect in Sioux Falls, SD, presented her organization’s work with churches and schools educating children about their connection with agriculture. Cindy emphasized how children need to understand and appreciate how good soil health is key to their lives. “Everything in a cheeseburger comes from dirt,” grabs the children’s attention when she explains agriculture. In the Dakotas, creation care starts with learning how our lives depend on soil health and sustainable agriculture.
Pastor Marty Toepke-Floyd of Jamestown, ND, emceed the panel and had a display table with handout pages on green teams for anyone at the conference to take. It was a similar display at last year’s annual conference, which prompted Dan Johnson to talk to his pastor, Katie Riecke, about forming a green team in Yankton. A seed was sown and has grown to produce more seeds!
The seeds of hope and change are spreading, sprouting, growing, and producing fruit in the Dakotas, nourished by prayer, dedicated churches, the UM Creation Justice Movement and the Holy Spirit of the Creator!
South Central Jurisdiction (SCJ)
From Mel Caraway
The North Texas Conference met for the final time. At the end of 2024 we will unify with the Central Texas and Northwest Texas Conferences to form the Horizon Texas Conference.
We had two resolutions on the agenda—Church Land Use and Green Team Formation. Both were heard and reviewed in committee prior to being presented on the floor. Both received very favorable comments and several suggestions were incorporated in the final drafts. On the floor of the conference each was introduced, no objections were raised, and each was approved by a unanimous vote. “Church Land Use” and the renamed “Renewing Our Commitment to Environmental Stewardship” are testimony to the importance of creation care to the North Texas Annual Conference, a commitment we will bring to the newly unified Horizon Texas Annual Conference.
The North Texas Annual Conference established our conference green team in 2009, probably one of the first Annual Conferences to do so.
From Mark Davies
At the Oklahoma Annual Conference we reported on our Ecofaith Revolution: Community of All Creation retreat where we studied the Revised Social Principles related to the first section, “Community of all Creation.” We were led by Rev. Chebon Kernell, Executive Director the Native American Comprehensive Plan of The United Methodist Church and Rev. Carol Devine, National Faith and Climate Director of EcoAmerica’s Blessed Tomorrow.
From Mark Brechin
At the Rio Texas Annual Conference, along with being one of three focus topics of the mission breakfast, Creation Care and Justice was one of three pillars in the “Transforming Communities Vision Team / Mission, Service, and Justice Ministries” report presented on the floor of the conference. The report introduced the R.I.O. net-zero plan to help churches fund projects within the annual conference.
Western Jurisdiction (WJ)
From Richenda Fairhurst
The Earth Care Team of Desert Southwest Conference had committed to net-zero resolution in 2023, which passed by overwhelming margins, over 90%. They are continuing to seek resourcing and conference support in order to live this out. For the 2024 Annual Conference, they submitted legislation asking for their conference and faith foundation to divest from fossil fuels. While this resolution did not pass, it was widely supported.
From Mary Beth Downing and Richenda Fairhurst
Mountain Sky Conference has continued their church-roots organizing efforts with green teams, grants, energy efficiency, and workshops. The conference had passed Green Team legislation in 2023. Our “Go Green” efforts in 2023 and 2024 focused on transition and energy efficiency, and they were part of a joint grant effort with the University of Colorado that received $9 million in funding from a Department of Energy Renewing America’s Nonprofits (RAN) Grant. The Creation Justice Task Force held trainings on the RAN grant process and applications, identifying ways to help support local churches in completing the technical requirements to apply for these grant monies.
The conference youth council presented a call for stewardship, solidarity, and sustainability. In line with that call, we also held a Water Is Life workshop, providing resources and modeling the four Pillars of Green Team Actions (Worship, Education, Advocacy, and Sustainable Practices) around the sacredness and stewardship of water. Our work was well received.
From Richenda Fairhurst
The California Pacific Conference (Cal-Pac) includes southern California, then stretches west to Hawaii and into the south Pacific, Guam, and Saipan. Here, the faithful know all too well the tragic realities of climate displacement, sea-level rise, worsening typhoons, drought, and rising heat. Resolutions in this conference related to climate and environmental justice included responses to racism and the ongoing consequences of colonialist harms.
The Rev. Jenny Phillips speaks to the California-Pacific Annual Conference. (Photo by Stephen Hale, Capital Hope Media, on behalf of the California-Pacific Annual Conference)
Cal-Pac passed a comprehensive resolution this year, a Covenant to be Good Stewards of Creation. The resolution touched on a number of imperative actions. Included was a commitment to net zero, a call for the bishop to create a leadership working group, an investment in education, a Green Sunday initiative, and more. The legislation passed without amendments and with 96% in approval.
The conversation at Cal-Pac this year included an inspiring talk by Global Ministries’ Rev. Jenny Philips, “We can do something about this,” which was well received and appreciated.
This conference also addressed divestment.
From Richenda Fairhurst
The Oregon-Idaho Conference submitted four resolutions for creation and environmental justice, drawing on model resolutions created by the UMCJM, and sister-conference Pacific Northwest Conference. Oregon-Idaho’s history of leadership in creation justice includes support for denominational divestment, and their support of the Interfaith Solar Campaign.
This year Oregon-Idaho passed a resolution for divestment and an action request. The action request called on the conference staff to support a local church effort to get information about community solar out to every church
From Richenda Fairhurst
The Pacific Northwest Conference passed four creation justice resolutions in 2023 and continued to build on that effort with two more resolutions in 2024. Following the success of the 2023 legislation, which passed with huge margins of approval, the conference staff embraced UM EarthKeeper training and drew together a steering team to assess the path ahead.
Part of that path was realized in 2024, with two legislative offerings that offered a comprehensive roadmap and declared the environmental crisis a Missional Priority for the church.
The first of the two petitions drew in the popular Church Land Use resolution approved by General Conference, expanding it to include reporting, celebrating, and a “Net Zero From the Ground Up” resolve, stating that “when planning new structures, including churches, parsonages, housing developments, cabins, dining facilities, and other new buildings, the above will prioritize net-zero design principles and construction from the ground up.…”
In addition to identifying the environmental crisis as a Missional Priority, the second petition called for a conference commission with wide representation for creation care and environmental stewardship, naming missional, environmental, net-zero, and budgetary goals.
Image: Members of the Creation Justice Steering Team, co-led by Sophia Agtarap and Rev. Paul Mitchell, offer visuals, joy, lament, and encouragement to annual conference delegates during a plenary session.
From Richenda Fairhurst
While the Alaska Conference did not have a creation or environmental justice specific resolution on the docket, the conference itself is very much engaged in stewardship and environmental justice concerns.
The Alaska Conference is enormous. The state of Alaska alone lengthwise spans the width of the continental US. Alaska is on the front lines of the climate crisis, with subsiding coastlines and villages already lost to the sea. The warming ocean is causing destruction to fisheries and worsening storms. The heat rising in Alaska is among the fastest rise on the globe, melting permafrost and disrupting 1000s of years of Indigenous lifeways, food gathering, and cultural practice. The good, faithful people of the Alaska Conference navigate the climate crisis and resolve to take action and find solutions every day.
From Sharon Delgado
The California-Nevada Conference passed a recommendation submitted by the Climate Justice Ministries Task Force to identify and begin to reduce fossil fuels from conference investment portfolios while collaborating with agencies and interested groups on how to move toward divesting from fossil fuels, the primary driver of climate change. This recommendation calls for the conference Council on Finance and Administration (CF&A) to host a summit “to uphold best practices for investment management,” to “identify sound financial strategies to screen out fossil fuels from our conference investment portfolios,” and to present a report and recommendations to the 2025 Annual Conference.
There is widespread support for fossil-fuel divestment in the California-Nevada Annual Conference. For more about divestment, read this Cal-Nevada update.
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Editor's note: United Methodist Insight presents this compilation from the UM Creation Justice Movement as part of its participation in Covering Climate Now, a worldwide collaboration among more than 600 news outlets committed to enhanced reporting on the global climate crisis and creation care solutions.