Nineteen Mennonite organizations compare notes on creation care
Published: March 31, 2021
This article originally appeared on the website and is shared here with permission.
March 15, 2021
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary 鈥� Everence 鈥� Mennonite Healthcare Fellowship 鈥� Mennonite Men. What do a seminary, a financial institution, health professionals and a men鈥檚 organization have in common, besides connections to the Mennonite Church USA?
Despite their differing missions, all of them are addressing climate change and environmental degradation in one way or another, and each was part of a Feb. 17 videoconference conversation on creation care that included 19 Mennonite-related organizations.
Jennifer Schrock of and Doug Graber Neufeld of the called the meeting and co-hosted the event. They were motivated by the voices of people from multiple churches and organizations struggling to find effective responses to this time of environmental crisis.
鈥淣one of us have unlimited staffing or budgets; all of us can benefit from learning more about what others are doing,鈥� Schrock said. 鈥淥ur hope was to gain a sense of the U.S. Mennonite creation care landscape, identify places where collaboration would be beneficial and plug holes that need filling.鈥�
鈥淲e were surprised and delighted that every organization we contacted accepted the invitation to come to this meeting,鈥� Graber Neufeld added. 鈥淚t speaks to how important creation care has become to a wide range of people.鈥�
Each organization at the two-hour Zoom marathon had a chance to give an elevator speech about the ways they were working on creation care, to identify their unique strengths and to suggest next steps that would benefit their group. Discussion followed.
Conversation ranged from the practical to the theological. On the practical end of the spectrum, participants learned that in Cassopolis, Michigan, recently finished planting an oak savanna and had installed shingles made from recycled car bumpers. , an incubator for social change in Taos, New Mexico, teaches people how to build with low-cost, locally available materials. addresses food deserts in New York City neighborhoods by teaching youth community gardening.
The organization has a Green Finance Portfolio, providing grants that enable businesses in the developing world to leapfrog from polluting technologies like diesel generators to green technologies such as solar panels and drip irrigation. has worked on the environmental impact of its assemblies, including starting a carbon offset fund for travel.
For some, environmental issues were unavoidable. Karla Friesen of attended the meeting in her role as chair of Mennonite Disaster Service鈥檚 Creation Care Committee.
鈥淭he severity, frequency and scope of disasters continue to increase in the U.S., affecting the poor and marginalized people whom we help,鈥� she explained.
Several people also expressed a desire for a deep, collective theological grounding.
鈥淢any of us have a powerful vision of what the Kingdom of God looks like,鈥� Katerina Friesen (M.Div. 2016) of said. 鈥淚 am noticing in myself a desire for that vision to be seeded throughout the Mennonite Church. 鈥� What is our common vision of flourishing?鈥�
鈥淐ontinuing the conversation through the lens of the Kindom of God could be helpful,鈥� she added. Kindom is an alternate respelling of Kingdom that highlights mutual relationships.
Collaborations were already in progress between multiple groups present. Five of the organizations in attendance were already core or strategic partners for the Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions. and in Tiskilwa, Illinois, had tree-planting projects underway with project. The and have worked together on militarism, including its effects on the environment. and 香蕉影视 collaborate on educational programs.
More possibilities for working together emerged during the meeting. mentors new churches, some of whom form around a common interest such as environmental concerns. The ability to connect churches passionate about a particular topic with like-minded groups is important to their work.
鈥淪end us interns!鈥� Karla Stoltzfus Detweiler (M.Div. 2007) of Hungry World Farm told the group, while also offering onsite retreats. Tammy Alexander of the mentioned that her office can help set up advocacy meetings with congressional offices.
One of the more painful topics touched on was how much time should be spent trying to win over people who do not see environmental issues as the Church鈥檚 concern. On this, a wistful desire not to leave anyone behind and a commitment to hearing from multiple perspectives were coupled with practical limitations and a sense of urgency.
What was perhaps most impressive about this two-hour slice of the Mennonite community was the collective reach the participants represented. Amy Huser of Camp Friedenswald said that her camp alone serves 10,000 people a year, and it is just one of 37 camps in . All of them teach about nature. Janeen Bertsche Johnson (M.Div. 1989) of 香蕉影视 observed that there were nine 香蕉影视 graduates on the call, illustrating a seminary鈥檚 unique opportunity to train church leaders who care about creation. Mennonite Central Committee communicates with a politically diverse constituency. The Sustainability Alumni Network has ties to young adults who may not be connected to church institutions otherwise. communicates an Anabaptist vision of ecojustice to ecumenical audiences.
Next steps are not yet set, but fostering opportunities such as this meeting are a priority for Graber Neufeld and Schrock.
鈥淢ennonites have a unique and important contribution to the world working towards better care of creation,鈥� Graber Neufeld said. 鈥淭his meeting helped to bring us together as a united voice speaking to how our faith calls us to respond to the environmental problems we see around us.鈥�
If your organization is actively engaged in creation care and you would like to collaborate with this group, email mccn@goshen.edu.
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