Duluth, MN – On Saturday, April 6, 2024, over 300 people (229 in person and 102 online) attended the 8th annual EcoFaith Summit at First Lutheran Church in Duluth.   This year’s theme, Cross Currents in the Flood: Building Arcs Together for a Livable Planet, was inspired by the book by Dr. Larry Rasmussen (The Planet you Inherit: Letters to My Grandchildren When Uncertainty’s a Sure Thing) and a myriad floods: literal floods and extreme weather disasters, floods of misinformation, as well as debilitating floods of anxiety and hopelessness.  Attendees confronted the reality of the climate crisis, listened for God’s call, and conspired for life across generations.  We experienced a powerful call to active hope which arose from the morning keynote presentations and respon, original music, worship service of water and life, a series of themed workshops (arc-building sessions) and a wide ranging array of displays.

Dr. Rasmussen delivered powerful messages calling us to keen awareness of the deepening crisis for earth’s creatures and the movement from ego- to eco-centric consciousness.  He interwove the cold facts of these life-altering realities with humor, and emphasized the both/and of "savoring and saving" what remains of the beauty of life on this planet.  Equally powerful, two young responders – Duluth 6th grader Gigi Calland and Augsburg University senior Carson Vincent - moved us as they described their fears and

cries for hope, as exemplified in this statement: “For young adults, it can feel like we’re staring down the barrel of the current climate crisis with no idea how to respond and it’s easy to get lost in this feeling.  So I’m interested in connecting with others facing the same fears.” 

The afternoon was filled with arc-building sessions to equip ourselves and our communities for ways of building arcs through individual and community action to tackle the climate crisis.  These ranged from awareness of incentives available through the inflation reduction act, effective political advocacy, graceful conversations about climate in the divisive world we live, connecting and re-discovering our spiritual arc with water, building sanctuaries with pollinator gardens, building intergenerational arcs, and dealing with climate grief and mental health.

It was a day of boldly uniting as Christians to gather strength to go out into our communities and live our faith in raising awareness and demanding change for the sake of the planet future generations will inherit.

The Summit was co-presented by the Northeastern Minnesota Synod EcoFaith  Network, the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin Creation Care, and the Saint Paul Area Synod Care of Creation Work Group.

Summit Partners included: Augsburg University, Calvary Lutheran, Willmar, Minnesota, A Community Called Grace, Lutheran Campus Ministry – Bemidji State, English Lutheran, Bateman, Wisconsin, The Ministry Lab, Lutheran Advocacy-Minnesota, Lutheran Campus Ministry at University of Minnesota – Duluth, Lutheran Campus Ministry at University of Minnesota, Lutherans Restoring Creation, Luther Park Bible Camp– Chetek, Wisconsin, Luther Seminary, Minneapolis Area Synod ELCA EcoFaith Network, Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light, Northwestern Minnesota Synod ELCA Creation Care Team, Southeastern Minnesota Synod ELCA, St. Olaf College, Southwestern Minnesota Synod ELCA

Together Here Ministries, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, and Voyageurs Lutheran Ministry

About the Northeastern Minnesota Synod EcoFaith Network

The EcoFaith Network (ecofaithnetwork.org) of the NE MN Synod ELCA, led by a leadership team of over 20 people, nurtures Christians to put their faith into action to address the climate and ecology crisis in diverse ways.  This includes the annual EcoFaith Summit, which began in 2016 and now is co-presented with the Saint Paul Area Synod Care of Creation Work Group and the Northwest Synod of  Wisconsin; the Green Blades Rising Newsletter, begun in 2020 and co-sponsored with the Saint  Paul Area Synod Care of Creation, a co-sponsored website, ecofaithnetwork.org, a synodwide pollinator project, a microgrant accompaniment program, and the Green Blades Preaching Roundtable.