I am in service of God. How can I help?”

By the end of the session, I recognized that I’d previously felt this way during four very significant moments of great personal upheaval, two of which resulted in forced migrations for me and my family. Emotionally charged, spiritually energized, and uplifted, still anxious and yet more deeply committed, I wished that I could bottle the experience to share widely as one way to continue motivating and engaging myself and others on this pilgrimage for climate justice. It felt fitting that this Pilgrim Encounter culminated in the launch of the Ecumenical Decade for Climate Action 2025-2034.

Chief Edmund Stuurman from South Africa, Khoi-San elder from the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa—and one of two Indigenous theologians reflecting on the theme of “Jubilee for People and Earth”—challenged faith leaders to pursue bold action rather than “high-profile talk-shops.” Indigenous peoples are among the primary leaders and experts on ecological sustainability, conservation and protection. However, decades of experiences and climate change research indicate that Indigenous peoples, lands, livelihoods, food security, and health worldwide are disproportionately impacted by climate change. Chief Edmund asks:

“Can we, as a church community, agree that the Earth's biodiversity reflects God's Wisdom and creativity? Can we also ask ourselves: "Have we gone too far, or [is] our far as the church not yet far enough?’' Have we now reached the point of no return and are heading towards the land once mentioned in Deuteronomy 29:23? Do we want our future generations to inherit the land of brimstone, salt, and burning; not fit for sowing, nor does it bear, or any grass grow there. Will we choose to keep an audible silence amid a climate crisis and hope that creation will heal itself? That's the tough and burning question that needs to be answered as in yesterday.”

As a mother and grandmother myself, the theological reflection by Rev. Dr Charissa Suli, president of the Uniting Church in Australia, spoke to me personally. Describing herself as “a second generation Tongan and Māori woman, a mother, a grandmother, and a minister of the Word,” she said,

“I come with the stories of my ancestors, the faith of my community, and the deep love we hold for the land and sea. We have just seen the powerful images of what a 1.5°C warmer world means. For many of us, this is not just science—it’s personal. It’s already happening. It’s about the homes we are losing, the oceans that are rising, and the children we are trying to protect.”

“Our Christian witness must move beyond what is safe and sacred,” Rev. Charissa said. Speaking from the intersection of her Indigenous and Christian identities, she equips us with hope rooted in faith for this Ecumenical Decade:   

“Through the Spirit of Creation, we see the Cosmic Christ, crucified with the Earth. He carries the Cosmic Cross—stretching from horizon to horizon. A new passion narrative is unfolding—not just in Scripture, but in species loss, in droughts, and in floods. 

Yet this Passion is not the end. As people of resurrection, we believe that even in climate collapse, God is at work— restoring, redeeming, renewing. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… and the pain will be no more.” (Revelations 21). This is God’s Cosmic Jubilee. Siupeli ‘I he Moʻui Faka-Kalaisi – Jubilee as The Life of Christ.”

A panel discussion on “Moving together in ecological metanoia for transformation”^[1] named the many unjust and unequal impacts of climate change, particularly on Indigenous and migrant communities.

Living in southern Ontario as I do, where migrant workers from Central and South America and the Caribbean labour often under very harsh climate and labour conditions in local greenhouses and fruit farms, Ann Jacob’s reflection hit me particularly hard. Migrant workers labour in rural and urban communities across Canada, working in jobs that many Canadian-born workers are not willing to do.

“These workers—many undocumented,” Ms Jacob said, “are on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

They endure its worst impacts: extreme heat, wildfire smoke, hurricanes, and floods—often without protection, benefits, or legal recourse.

In wildfire smoke, they pick fruit.

After hurricanes, they help rebuild homes. They labor in a system that exploits their bodies while denying their humanity.”

Many youth and young adults actively engaged in local and global movements for climate justice action are themselves Indigenous. One such young adult is Ms Julia Rensberg, of the Sámi Peoples from the arctic region and WCC central committee member with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sweden. She offered a quick lesson in the Sámi language to illustrate the ways in which a community’s culture, ways of living and practices are infused in their language and terminologies:

“We [the Sámi] have no word for war and lack vocabulary for violence,” she said. “Instead, we have over 300 words for snow, and the words describing reindeers cannot be counted. For instance, the Sámi word 'Ealli' means life, and 'Eallu' refers to the reindeer herd. When pronounced, they sound so similar that discerning whether one is speaking of life or reindeer becomes challenging. Yet, for us, they are inseparable. Our language mirrors our culture and way of life, reflecting how we think and how and why we exist.” 

(click here to hear Julie pronounce ‘Ealli’ and ‘Eallu’ https://www.youtube.com/live/1D3V60mRGKQ?t=227s from 1:54:47 to 1:55:33)

The Ecumenical Decade for Climate Justice Action is not simply another campaign; it marks a turning point for global ecumenical witness in our individual and shared efforts in this lifelong pilgrimage in the Care of Creation. As both purpose and focus, I bring with me on my pilgrimage the key question Julia Rensberg invited us to pose to ourselves, to each other and also to the land:  I am in service of God. How can I help? What will you bring with you on your own pilgrimage for the love of Creation?

^[1] The panellists included Grand Archimandrite Iakovos (Krochak, Ecumenical Patriarchate), Ms Ann Jacob (United Methodist Church), Rev. Dr Rachel Mash  (South African Council of Churches Climate Commission), Mr Uhuru Dempers (WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia), Ms Julia Rensberg (from the Sámi Peoples from the Arctic region and with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sweden), and Rev. Dr Semisi Turagavou (Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma).