For his Sacred Action Project for the Certificate in Climate Justice and Faith, Larry Ryan set out to help congregations throughout his synod start conversations around climate justice. As a member of the ELCA Maryland-Delaware Synod’s Creation Care Team, Larry was interested in hearing from synod members about their thoughts on creation care. To gather their input, Larry led small group conversations with four congregations via zoom where 26 participants discussed the church’s role in creation care, shared their visions for how the church could be more engaged, and voiced their concerns about the future.

These fruitful conversations provided a space for congregants to begin these conversations about a topic not normally discussed at church: climate change.

“The 26 people who participated in these four Zoom meetings on creation care witnessed to the glories of God from the gifts we have been given in creation. They not only witnessed to me, but to the others who participated. All of us came away with new appreciation for creation and a hopefulness that we will be able to be the good stewards God is calling us to be,” Larry said.

Larry is hopeful that these conversations will help inform the work of the synod’s Creation Care Team and build a movement for climate justice throughout the synod.