Summary of the April 17 Cafe

The April 17th Movement Café was all about the upcoming General Conference, which takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina, April 23–May 2, with some events starting as soon as April 21. The United Methodist Creation Justice Movement plans to have a strong presence there with events and creation justice advocacy. The April Café focused on the various ways that both in-person and virtual attendees can get engaged at the Conference.

Rev. Richenda Fairhurst facilitated the discussion and first introduced Rev. Jonathan Brake,  Program Manager for the Environmental Sustainability Team at Global Ministries and overseer of the EarthKeepers program. He let people know that there will be a special Earth Day Vigil on Monday, April 22nd, at First United Methodist Church in Charlotte beginning at 5:00 p.m. Dinner will be at 5:30, followed by the Vigil service, which will be filled with diverse music and preaching by Professor Musa Dube, the William Ragsdale Cannon Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Chandler School of Theology.

Rev. Fairhurst encouraged everyone who is not at the conference to participate online with others and host a local Earth Day vigil concurrent with the one in Charlotte. She also reminded participants that the UMCJM website has important information about the conference and will be posting updates throughout to keep everyone abreast of what is happening on issues that impact creation justice. Additionally, local creation care ministries are encouraged to submit a creation justice prayer to Circle Faith Future. Doing so theyhave the opportunity to earn a $1000 monetary award. More information is available here.

Professor Musa Dube eloquently reminded us of the importance of lamenting our treatment of  Earth, as that will help us build solidarity with God’s Creation. She noted that lamentation leads us to understand how the earth has been exploited, how those most vulnerable have been impacted, and how our faith should lead us to repent, be active as healers, and to call for environmental justice. She also reminded us that the Creation is filled with the spirit of God, helping us remember its sacredness. Dr.Dube will be preaching at the Earth Day Vigil on April 22nd.

Rev. Brake added that there will be a candlelight vigil at the end of the Earth Day Vigil service, which will allow us to lament. He also said that Global Ministries, UMCOR, and the North Georgia Conference will be bringing a solar trailer, a portable power station used during disaster response, to demonstrate that we can bring clean energy and reduce fossil fuel usage at the Conference.

Mike Koob, UM Earthkeeper and member, Baltimore-Washington Conference Creation Care Team, talked about the continual growth of fossil fuel projects and noted that the banking industry helps support these efforts. On Tuesday, April 23rd, there will be a demonstration in conjunction with the organization GreenFaith in front of the Bank of America building. He also noted that the UMC has formed a Fossil Free UMC working group, which everyone is invited to join. Rev. Fairhurst also cited the petition asking for UMC to divest from the fossil fuel industry that has 650 signatures. She invited those who haven’t signed to do so.

Karen McElfish is a UM Earthkeeper and a delegate to General Conference from the Virginia Annual Conference, where she has several leadership roles. She talked about the role of delegates at the Conference, how they educate themselves, share resources, and how the process takes place at Conference. She encouraged those who are not delegates to sit in on legislative committees to observe and to share information as they review resolutions. At  the Conference plenary, the legislation that has been passed will be presented (although other legislation can come forward via a minority report) and put on the consent calendar.

Jaydee Hansen, who serves on the board of Caretakers of God’s Creation and is a  member of Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, continued the discussion about how the delegates work in committees and the challenges faced in getting resolutions passed as well as the importance of working together to build consensus.  

Ken Sloan, Director of Stewardship and Generosity for Global Ministries, shared that many of the resolutions presented are US based, but the Conference is an international conference. 

Cathy Velasquez Everhart, a UM Earthkeeper and leader in the UM Creation Justice Movement (UMCJM), reminded all that the UMCJM website has a link to General Conference information that provides a variety of resources, updates, and news for all who wish to get engaged in the Creation Justice community. She also shared that the Love Your Neighbor Coalition (LYNC), of which UMCJM is a member, is hosting events and opportunities at the General Conference, as well. Additionally, Karen McElfish noted that LYNC and other partner organizations are advocating for the three “Rs”—Regionalization, Revising the Social Principles, and Removing discriminatory language—that are supported by UMCJM.

The Café ended with breakout rooms and closing prayer.