On June 12, the final day, of the NE MN Synod’s LYO leadership training camp at Camp Onomia, Pastor Kristin Foster, co-chair of the NE MN Synod EcoFaith Network, led a session on the work of the EcoFaith Network. There were 15 youth and 5 adults present for this final day. 

Utilizing listening and facilitation skills the youth leaders had been developing at camp, they broke into one on one and small groups to 1) describe a place in creation that is significant to them, 2) express a fear or concern if people fail to care for that place or the earth creation as a whole, and 3) generate ideas for caring for creation they want to bring home to their congregations, and who they would approach.

They got excited to learn about the movement to create pollinator sanctuaries in every congregation in the synod, and why this matters. 

Pastor Kristin brought a wooden toy version of Noah’s Ark, and talked about how that story could be relevant in the overwhelming flood of environmental challenges right now.  It won’t help to build a physical Ark, they all agreed. But we can build arcs of relationship with different groups of people and with the rest of creation. With the skills they learned at LYO camp, they can help build those arcs!

Pastor Kristin invited them to mark their calendars for the EcoFaith leadership retreat in August and the next EcoFaith Summit on April 5, 2025. Don’t be surprised if we have our first youth cohort at both events!

Here are some of their comments after the session

I was really opened up to the idea of being more active with my environment and introducing more to my church.                                         

Kaylee

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I didn’t know the church did anything with, like environment stuff, so that is really neat.  It’s good to know the synod cares.

Brooke

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As a human being, I’m ready to give the earth back as much as it has given me.

Hallie, Gethsemane, Virginia

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I really liked the Noah’s Ark example.  I thought it was so super cute.

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I didn’t know about the Pollinator Sanctuary.  I didn’t realize that pollinators were in such danger.

Thank you!

Danielle Malard

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How would your church’s pollinator sanctuary get listed? 

I want to get our younger youth more involved!

Lily Cairns

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This was a great way that opened up my eyes and I have great new ideas to hopefully share with the congregation.

Grace Enge

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It was an absolutely wonderful speech and brought to light issues with the ecosystem that I didn’t know about.

Jason Fordyce

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I loved your speech, and it was very eye-opening to think about!

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God gave us bees that do work that helps us thrive.  Bees pollinate the plants that give us oxygen.

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I think the world would/could be better if we stopped fighting each other and worked together to help our planet thrive, especially by saving species and spreading others.

Kayla

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I love what you guys have going on, but I was wondering about how y’all feel on the forest fires and air pollution?  It’s one of the things not really talked about and I’d love to know.

Ethan

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I think this whole thing is very important and it’s pretty amazing that you are able and willing to share and teach with us and others.

Abby

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The air pollution and how it has an effect on humans and animals.

I think this session was really good.  I feel I learned more about the environment and how certain things can help make it better.

Anja

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Our passion is finite if we don’t find a way to share it ~

Recap-Ronda

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Just love how well faith and nature are so related.