By Karlah Burton
Each year, United Women in Faith develops three justice focused biblical curricula for adults, youth, and children, all on a common theme and offering a unique opportunity for faith communities to create powerful intergenerational learning experiences. In 2025, our theme is “Practicing Hope Together.” (In 2026, the theme will be “Experiencing Emmanuel.”)
This year I served as Mission U Coordinator on behalf of the Western NC Conference. During the welcome I encouraged participants to consider how our actions affect the earth and environment. As an act of good faith and a witness, I had already decided to practice as many creation care friendly habits as possible during the event. I started by calculating my carbon footprint per Western North Carolina Conference Green Church Initiative (Item K-5): “Calculate the carbon footprint of your Volunteer in Mission trips for the year and offset them.”
Here’s what I found out, using the resource, Carbon Footprint Calculator for Travel:
I traveled 250 miles (gas)
0.0659 metric tons CO2 250 miles traveled
0.0288 metric tons CO2 hotel (facility) footprint
TOTAL: .0947 metric tons CO2
TOTAL cost to offset: $1.52
The planners of the retreat also made decisions that helped make the event more creation care friendly. These were in addition to my own practices. This list is a mix of both efforts:
- Used personal flatware set for ALL meals (purchased from United Women in Faith website)
- Used NO paper napkins
- Opted for reusable waterbottle instead of glasses or cups with the exception of one coffee cup used on Day 2
- Kept the thermostat in room on 68–73 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Asked a staff member what kind of power was used by the Conference Center. Her response was “electric” though she wasn’t sure how the electricity was being generated—clean energy vs. fossil fuel generated.
- Plugged charger into strip cord ONCE before having plugged cord into phone
- Counted at least 11 references made to creation care related issues including during two-day mission study
- Spent time outside listening as “homework” following Session One: Observed sound of June Bugs, two types of birds chirping; could see wind blowing; weather was very humid.
- Suggested two green reads: The Seed Keeper, by Diane Wilson and Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Participated in a brainstorming exercise: climate change and global warming along with areas of concern (such as rising sea level, extreme weather, loss of habitat; environment/creation justice/climate justice) regarding the theme, “Where Is the Hope?”
- Placed live plants on all tables in the retreat meeting room
- Encouraged participants to listen to the podcast, Spiritual Leadership in a Climate-Changed World: What and Why? – Climate Changed | Podcast on Spotify
- Distributed free wildflower seeds
- Displayed at tables: Just Energy for All Campaign United Women in Faith campaign to work for climate justice and mobilize members/communities to advocate for cleaner and 100% renewable energy that is just for people and creation; also Be Just Be Green display
- Offered to charter bus (carpool) to UWF Women’s Assembly in 2026
These actions had benefits of their own, and they also moved others to act. Later during the first session one person volunteered to collect recyclable items (the host facility did not offer the option).
Questions that were important to us during the retreat—
- What have we not been listening to in our communities?
- How do we talk about hope when confronting issues on the scale of climate change (Matthew 28:1-10)?
- As we reflect on issues of grief and loss, consider how these emotions can lead us into a deeper understanding of hope (Mark 16:1-8).
- How were followers of Jesus moved from disillusionment and despair to a thriving community full of hope (Luke 24:13-24)?
The peace of the Lord with love! Summer Blessings! Yay Jesus!
Greetings in Christ! This is Karlah Burton, North Carolina Earthkeeper. I have served as chairperson of the Creation Care Ministry at Saint Matthews United Methodist Church, Greensboro, NC, since 2020. We are located in the Western North Carolina Annual Conference. I am a current member of the Committee on Nominations, organized unit of United Women in Faith, Northern Piedmont District, UMC, and serve as part of the Western NC Conference Creation Care Team Ministry. In 2023, our church received the Green Church Award per the Western NC Conference Green Church Initiative, WNCCGCIone-6a.pdf. I am also a Master Gardener Volunteer Intern for the county.