Event

Webinar series: Churches on the road to an economy of life and ecological justice

How we manage land and water; what we eat, what we drink; where we source our food from – all have a profound influence on the environment, society, and our health. This reality challenges us to live responsibly on this wonderful creation we know as planet Earth.

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This four-step webinar series will feature concrete examples of churches and faith communities engaged in efforts for transforming their local context.

The activities are inspired by the WCC’s “Roadmap for Congregations, Communities and Churches for an Economy of Life and Ecological Justice,” a resource rooted to the congregational level of churches’ engagement in ecological and economic justice. Launched in 2019, the roadmap addresses the question of how churches can ‘walk the talk’ on economic and ecological justice in their everyday activities and operations.

Webinar #1 – “Reconnecting in faith with Creation, land and water”
28 July - Watch the recording

Webinar #2 – “Confessing for just and sustainable consumption”
4 August - Watch the recording

Webinar #3 – “For life, not profit – Churches as alternative economic actors and spaces”
11 August - Watch the recording

Webinar #4
“Powered by faith – Churches promoting renewable energy and climate protection”
18 August, 09h00 - 10h30  CEST

We are living in a state of climate emergency. The most recent reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reveal that we are well on our way to exceeding the relatively safe threshold of 1.5°C warming above pre-industrial levels in as little as a decade, with devastating consequences on the global poor. Hope is to be found in action, and churches can and must act for climate justice.

‘Walking the talk’ on climate justice demands significant changes in the way our churches operate and use energy, in how we conduct our worships and gatherings, and more.

This webinar aims to address the following questions: How can churches transition from use of climate change-causing fossil fuels to renewable energies? How can we provide sustainable energy to disadvantaged communities? Are there alternative community-based and climate friendly mobility systems? How do they work and how can churches implement or support them? What else can we do as churches to protect our climate as well as to help build climate resiliency in our communities?

Resource persons:

Dr Mathew Koshy - Green Church campaigner since 1992, environmental scientist and writer. Mathew is Honorary Director of the Ecological Department of the Church of South India Synod.

Chris Lambourne - Advocate of sustainable energy for all, with a background in the electrical industry. Chris is the manager of the Power to the People project of the St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Flaxmere, New Zealand.

Jessica Morthorpe - Environmental scientist with a passion for advocating for the reconciliation and renewal of all creation. Jessica is Director of the Five Leaf Eco-awards and previously served as Uniting Earth Advocate at the Uniting Church of Australia.

Frances Namoumou - Climate activist and church worker since youth. Frances heads the Stewardship and Climate Change Team as well as has oversight of all programmes at the Pacific Conference of Churches based in Fiji.

Moderators:
Rev Henrik GRAPE, Senior advisor on care for creation, sustainability and climate justice, WCC
Annalisse ECLIPSE, Intern, Economic and Ecological Justice Project, WCC

This webinar will be live-streamed at
www.facebook.com/worldcouncilofchurches
www.oikoumene.org/live