Mennonite World Conference (MWC) formed a new creation care task force this spring, and the group held its first meeting on June 10. Members represent five continents and bring expertise in the environmental sciences, theology, development, political advocacy and creation care education.
Task force members are: Doug Graber Neufeld, (USA) chair, top left; Sibonokuhle Ncube, (Zimbabwe), top right; Anna Vogt, (Canada), center; Rebecca Froese, (Germany) middle right, Nindyo Sasongko, (Indonesia), bottom left; Juliana Morillo (Colombia) bottom right. Not pictured: Jennifer Schrock, (USA.)
John Roth (top center) and Tom Yoder Neufeld (middle left), both of the MWC Faith and Life Commission, convened the first meeting. According to Neufeld, the task force emerged in response to the urgency of the climate crisis, and the recognition that Mennonite World Conference did not have a group focused on a response.
“This task force has the distinct responsibility to help us as a global family of churches. We have churches in very stressed situations, experiencing immediate impacts from the climate crisis. We have others who are in areas that [bear more responsibility for the crisis.] What does that mean for the global body of Christ?” Neufeld reflected.
He is eager to see caring for creation permeate all aspects of MWC’s work but has a particular interest in how church planting and evangelism might place God’s love for all creation at the center of the Good News.
“Everyone invited to the task force said yes.” Roth said. He interpreted this as a sign of the timeliness of the request and the Spirit’s blessing.
Task force members are: Doug Graber Neufeld, (USA) chair, top left; Sibonokuhle Ncube, (Zimbabwe), top right; Anna Vogt, (Canada), center; Rebecca Froese, (Germany) middle right, Nindyo Sasongko, (Indonesia), bottom left; Juliana Morillo (Colombia) bottom right. Not pictured: Jennifer Schrock, (USA.)
Roth highlighted four themes from the mandate given to the task force: the global nature of the work, the need for listening to a variety of experiences; the importance of interpreting theological underpinnings in culturally appropriate ways, and the need for long and short-term strategic thinking.
Task force members raised a variety of questions.
Anna Vogt, director of Mennonite Central Committee’s Advocacy Office in Ottawa, Canada, reflected on the balance between those most impacted and those most responsible for climate change. “How can we all be agents of change?” she asked.
Nindyo Sasongko, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in systematic theology, expressed interest in finding more theological resources from Mennonite/Anabaptist backgrounds.
Sibonokuhle Ncube, who has spent her career in development in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, has dreamed of the chance to emphasize ecological stewardship within the broader Anabaptist community for a long time. She is already thinking about the possibilities at MWC’s next global assembly. This will be one of the first agenda items for the task force.