Creation Care Task Force

Rationale:

MWC is a global communion of Anabaptist churches that are together facing the climate crisis. Central to our ethos is to respond faithfully to the challenges of our world. What does it mean to follow Jesus into this crisis?

Member churches – along with all humanity – are all at the receiving end of the climate crisis. Some, especially in the Global North, are disproportionately at the production end of the crisis. This means that we have within our communion a diversity of experience and a diversity of responsibility.

MWC provides an opportunity to respond faithfully to the crisis within in diverse ways within one communion, which is itself profoundly fitting in relation to this crisis.

This task force will formulate a plan for the MWC response.

1. Mandate:

a) Explore the diverse ways in which countries of MWC member churches are being impacted by the climate crisis.

b) Explore and assess practical ways to encourage ecologically faithful living in member churches of MWC.

c) Assess and encourage the development of biblical and theological capacity relevant to the climate crisis (for example, theology of creation, creation and Christology, discipleship in relation to creation).

d) Formulate a strategic plan for MWC that includes immediate, mid-range, and longer-term commitments.

e) Develop specific, practical actions and projects in the short term, even as a long-term strategic plan emerges, in order to communicate urgency and practicality.

2. Composition

a) Every effort be made to draw in younger persons who are passionate about climate and are theologically articulate

b) Every effort be made to have representation from around the globe, so that variety of experiences become part of the discussion from the outset

c) Task Force to consist of up to 7 members (possibly more, if deemed practical), representing each of the continents, with an appointee by MCC.

3. Reporting structure

A coordinator/chair be appointed who would report actively on the work of the taskforce to the commissions (via the commission coordinator), and report to EC.

4. Modus operandi and funding

a) Every effort be made to “go green” in how the taskforce does its work (e.g., Zoom/Skype/Facebook/other platforms for interaction; use of websites to share and disseminate information as much as possible)

b) Identifying (potentially new) funding sources committed to climate concern that have not hitherto been tapped.

Date approved:         9 April 2020