The birth of MCA's Creation Care Working Group

November 20, 2023 

OVERVIEW

As the Alberta Creation Care Working group we want to work to equip and support congregations throughout the conference to respond faithfully to challenges such as the climate crisis and climate justice. We hope to work towards action and initiative with a focus on engagement and education. We also hope to connect with youth, Indigenous relations, and other interested people to continue conversations around creation care, climate change and creating right relationships. As a local working group we want to determine how we can have an impact in our local context, in ways that work in each local area and congregation. Moving forward we hope to provide a point of connection to other Creation Care working groups, and work to support larger MC Canada efforts.  

GOALS

  1. Connect and provide information to members in congregations on the climate crisis including every second month province wide meetings, climate updates on the website, and creation care initiatives.
  2. Connect with youth, Indigenous relations and others to bring awareness to creation care, climate action and justice.
  3. Discover pathways for engagement with the broader church, advocacy, and support working with a variety of communities.
  4. Connect with MC Canada creation care initiatives and network with working groups from the other Regions of MC Canada.

WHO ARE WE?

We are Charlene and Liesel, co-chairs from Foothills Mennonite in Calgary Alberta. We both had the opportunity to attend the Living Hope Climate Conference in Manitoba back in April 2023. After learning that all the other provinces had creation care working groups, it sparked our own desire to create one here in Alberta. Working alongside other Alberta representatives from the conference Jeremy Wiens, researcher and Jessie Brandt, administration, from First Edmonton, we were able to start creating conversations around creation care and climate action in Alberta. Tim Wiebe-Neufeld of MCA and Sandy Plett of MC Canada helped facilitate our discussions and make connections to build conversation and connect with other individuals. We hope to continue this narrative and work alongside MCA to strengthen relationships.

 

 The MCA group at the Living Hope Climate Conference

 

Our 2024 group:  

Meet the whole Creation Care Working Group

Jessie, Jeremy, Liesel, Charlene enjoying the beauty of our beloved Camp Valaqua.

Jessie and Jeremy are from First Mennonite Church Edmonton

while Liesel and Char call Foothills Mennonite home.

Say "hi" when you see us around.