Resolution III
Call for Climate Change Adaptation emphasizes that God’s creation is “in peril” and that “caring for Creation requires us to address both the causes of climate change and the impacts of climate change.” The text of the resolution, written by the NC Conference Creation Care Committee, outlines a number of impacts to the state and overall impacts to issues including rising temperatures, droughts and wildfires, rising sea levels, increased strain for the socioeconomically disadvantaged, and the increasing risk to human lives. The Resolutions recommended adoption of the resolution.
[Earthkeeper] Mr. Thomas Givens, representing the Creation Care Committee, encouraged attendees to include climate change as a consideration in approving church activities, to explore ways to reduce the vulnerability of churches to climate changes, and to use church resources to help communities become more resilient. He suggested churches can open their air conditioned spaces during days with high heat, deliver water, and conduct door-to-door checks. Givens also mentioned that the committee would be offering workshops in the coming months. This resolution was approved.
Resolution IV
Urging Churches/Congregants to Minimize Generative AI Use and Call for Limitations on Unsustainable Data Centers was the next resolution presented. This resolution addresses the harm caused by AI data centers, to the environment, to local communities – especially those in rural and impoverished areas. It also calls for churches to stop using generative AI. The Resolutions Committee agreed with the aim of the resolution but did not recommend its adoption.
The resolution author, Hailey Reed, noted that the NC Conference Creation Care Committee was in favor of the resolution and asked the body to “take a step and try to be better stewards of creation.” She cited the impact data centers have on water, electrical, and land use and raised the concern that data centers disproportionately impact rural areas and marginalized people. An amendment was passed striking lines 171-174 of the resolution and replacing it with wording calling for churches to “adopt conscientious, ethical, transparent, and responsible use of AI.” With a speaker bringing the recommendation that the resolution be split into the two topics of data centers and use of AI, the body ultimately voted to refer the amended resolution to the Creation Care Committee.”
Our plenary speaker for AC was Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe. She spoke on the Social Principles, and organized a novel activity to highlight the four sections—creation, economic, social, political. She spoke while four groups of volunteer “artists”– each with a piece of poster board, a box of trash, and a glue gun–worked behind her on the stage to create a representation of their assigned section. Each group then got a minute to explain their artwork. With the cross of Christ as the central figure, the creation care group used pieces of bark, pictures from magazines, tissue paper, rubber bands, sticks, and paper clips to represent various parts of the created world (plants, animals, etc ) along with technology and indigenous wisdom. They overlaid everything with a net woven from string and ribbon to signify that every part of creation is connected to the other and to Christ.
Rev. Jane Almon
Retired Clergy, NC Conference of the UMC
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