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Caretakers of God's Creation Annual Conference Coordinators 101

At the 2024 General Conference of the UMC, legislation was passed asking the Board of Church and Society, bishop, or other appropriate entity in every annual conference to name a lay or clergy leader to the position of “Caretakers of God’s Creation Coordinator.” This Coordinator’s responsibilities include helping to develop green and sustainable programs and practices, and support environmental justice in the conference, local churches, and in the denomination.

THE GOAL OF THIS LEGISLATION: A Caretakers of God’s Creation Coordinator in each annual conference will assist each conference and the denomination as a whole with the transition to netzero and true sustainability. By creating a network, people can learn together, discover best practices, build relationships, and build a support structure in connection together, including with the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement, and other organizations, boards, and agencies.

Sections found below:
For the Hiring/Recommending Team: How to get a Caretaker of God’s Creation Coordinator in place (herein called a ‘Coordinator’).
For the Coordinator: How to launch an effective program in the annual conference.
In the Connection: Coordinators connect to support each other in achieving conference and denominational goals.

For the Hiring/Recommending Team: How to get a Caretaker of God’s Creation Coordinator in place (herein called a ‘Coordinator’).

Begin the process of identifying a hiring, nominating, or recommending team for this position.

  • Identify the team who will recommend a Coordinator candidate. This may be an annual conference’s board of church and society, or the conference’s creation justice task force, or other social justice board or team. Prioritize diversity so many voices are engaged in the work.
  • The Coordinator may be hired by a conference entity through a job search, hired as a member of Conference Staff, assigned or appointed by the bishop, and/or serve as a volunteer with appropriate authority and access.
  • Identify who will make the final decision on the candidate. (The board, team or the bishop.) Be sure to prepare the recommendation for that entity.
  • Determine if the position will be filled by appointment or job search, and if appropriate compensation will be part of the position. (This position may initially be filled by a volunteer. However, the nominating team should work toward funding for the position.)

Once the hiring, nominating, or recommending team is identified, the team should:

  • Review the legislation that passed at the 2024 General Conference, including the legislation specifically calling for a Coordinator’s position, but also the other creation justice legislation. (See other General Conference Updates for more information)
  • Review creation justice legislation that has passed at the annual conference level, the home conference, and other conferences. (See 2024 and 2023 Annual Conference Updates in particular)
  • Review the job description materials created by the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement specific to the Coordinator position.
  • Identify the group that will be the supportive collaborators with the Coordinator. Is there a creation justice conference team already in place?
  • Listening is vital. Spend real time listening to local church green team leaders and others already engaged and leading in the effort. What do they need?

Identify a candidate or candidates based on what the nominating / recommending team has learned:

  • Identify candidates in the annual conference.
  • Identify present and future leaders, both clergy and lay. Prioritize diversity so that many voices are engaged in the work.
  • Conduct interviews and/or make recommendations according to the process determined by those who will make the ultimate decision.
  • Compile a list of people and their contact information for the new Coordinator so they have a support structure for questions, mentoring, or information.
For the Coordinator: How to launch an effective program in the annual conference.

Gather a creation justice team.

  • The conference may already have a team in place. Or, the Coordinator may be forming the first-ever creation care team in the conference. (See list of existing Creation Justice annual conference teams and resources)
  • Begin by creating a list of people in the conference who may be interested in creation justice, both those established as creation justice leaders in the conference, and newcomers. Then, expand that first circle by asking those people to recommend others.
  • Prioritize diversity. Seek team members, advisors and leaders to be representative of many voices and life experiences.
  • Create a list of people available to provide personal and professional support, such as help or questions, mentoring, and information.

Review the task.

Listening and learning together.

  • With the rapid rate of change necessary in our churches when it comes to environmental and climate justice, listening and learning are going to be essential. As such, the Coordinator will need to facilitate learning opportunities for their team, local church leaders, conference leadership, and others.
  • Review resources to support the effort. Find resources specifically for Coordinators on the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement website (COORDINATORS RESOURCE PAGE coming soon). Also find worship and curriculum materials at umcreationjustice.org/library.
  • As the team develops creation justice goals and objectives for the conference, ensure that there are many opportunities for listening and mentoring. Prioritize listening to and empowering young people for leadership.

Resourcing and funding

  • Develop a budget and with the team, brainstorm funding partnerships and opportunities.
    Work with the local churches, the bishop, conference staff, lay leadership, and the Creation Justice Team to prioritize resourcing for this essential work.
  • Seek connections with those who have technical expertise, as well as those who may be connected to foundations or government agencies where expertise can be gleaned.
  • Learn about nonprofit funding and best-practices. Churches seeking funding may need to form nonprofits, draw grants from nonprofits, and be accountable for those funds. Learn the accountability structures that are required.
  • Fundraise through the local church and connectional resources. Ask for designated gifts, advance specials, and large sustaining donor gifts. Consider a designated Giving Sunday or creation stewardship worship series.

Be visible in the annual conference

  • Be active in visiting local churches, listening to local leadership, growing local leaders, and offering learning opportunities for everyone from the youth group to the bishop.
  • Be visible at conference events. Speak with enthusiasm and encouragement. Work effectively with conference communicators and communications staff.
  • Be visible in mentorship and encouragement. Work to build capacity and leadership at all levels.
  • Be visibly in partnership both inside and outside the church. Justice is intersectional.
  • Prioritize diversity and intersectionality in addressing creation and environmental justice.
  • Be a visible advocate and ally for neighbors both inside and outside the church.
  • Develop easy-access resource guides and information so that everyone can access necessary information, from the local church to the bishop. Connect with the conference staff and conference communications to assist in these efforts.

Develop goals and a game plan

  • The legislation passed at General Conference 2024 asks all churches, members, and UMC organizations to stand alongside the bishops, boards, and agencies to achieve net zero.
  • Prioritize first steps and next steps for implementation and support of green teams, church land use, sustainability practices and reducing plastic, and other creation care practices in the annual conference context.
In the Connection: Coordinators connect to support each other in achieving conference and denominational goals.

Get Connected. The Coordinator position weaves together people from across the UMC.

Engage actively with partnerships both inside and outside the church.

  • Review United Methodist statements of the Book of Discipline and Book of Resolutions regarding the Natural World, the Social Principles, Energy Policy, and other creation and environmental justice resolutions of The United Methodist Church.
  • Connect with colleagues across agencies and boards and seminaries to stay informed about social justice priorities in the denomination.
  • Be a visible advocate and ally for neighbors both inside and outside the church.
  • Listen, learn, and participate with others. Give priority and support to those who speak from lived experience.
  • Reach out to other denominations and other faith-based organizations, such as Interfaith Power and Light, to strengthen engagement.
  • Reach out to community organizations to develop partnerships. These partnerships can support both advocacy, listening, education, and skill building. These could include 350.org, Audubon, the local University, Master Gardeners, local tribes, NAACP, Beyond Plastics, local farmers markets, and so many others.

More Resources

Caretakers of God’s Creation—Wisdom From the First Coordinators

Net Zero & Why the New Caretakers Coordinator Really Matters to Its Success

Caretakers of God’s Creation—A New Creation Care Coordinator for Each Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church

Secret Link