Group 3: Vision
Vision of Success
If we could rapidly accelerate the youth movement on spirituality and sustainability, what would it look like? What might be happening that is not happening now?
What excites and inspires action is a vision that is so compelling that many individuals and groups will jump at the chance of working towards it?
Who will have substantial intellectual and passionate talent at the gathering to paint an initial version of this picture?
Focus on collaboration with other groups for speed and scale.
Having a compelling vision is one of the best ways to overcome obstacles - think “Field of Dreams.”
Facilitator: Jim MacClellan
Rapporteur: Tim Van Meter
Summary
Questions from the group:
What would the bigger picture look like?
Joe offered a good response: "I can't offer you the bigger picture, but I can offer you a few paintbrush strokes of my own."
As the group proceeded, each person tried to paint the larger picture from that.
What does it mean to be a person who brings a pearl of different wisdom through listening?
The need for listening as a source for relationship
Points & suggestions made:
Richard mentioned the International Decade for Earth Restoration begins through the UN in a very short time.
The work of this group could be strongly focused on centering ourselves more carefully around a much larger cosmovision, reclaiming the loss of cosmology by modern Western Christianity’s spiritual traditions. Tim's work is in agriculture, and he sees the desperate nature of our soils because of the reductionist nature of what agriculture is. Multiple people noted this.
The need to overcome western epistemologies and the need for cosmovision from our people like Mendahi Bastida and Geraldine and others who do their work. It is a powerful way to go forward.
To support someone like Xiye Bastida who is doing really important work on national and international levels, to make sure she has the funding to do that work from a place of health, including other young people who do similarly.
The need to critique and revise SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) from a larger cosmovision, from a larger than the western vision of the world and larger cosmology.
Jim challenged the group to live into eldership, to live in what it means to be an elder, meaning that eldership means facing your own death, whether it's tomorrow or in 40 years.
The worst thing the western church ever did was invite young people to what they're already doing rather than come alongside young people in the midst of their own vision and vocation for a critically new world (aside from Jim, from teaching youth ministry in his own work).
Sharon Joy spoke out about the connection and visions for new-fold cosmovision.
Need for engagement in music, in art, in reenvisioning festivals, in reenvisioning food and our connection to food, in revisioning our connection with how we grow our food.
One example is the Worm Farm Collective, a collection of artists who have revisioned what a two-week agricultural festival might look like, bringing people in from a wide variety of perspectives
A database would help collect these things (airtable, etc).
Suggested organizations to network with:
Catholic Climate movement (multi-generational, has a strong presence in the global south as well)
Movement around the Earth Bill
Movement around Rights of Nature
Our Children's Trust
Sunrise
Zero Hour
Group 2: Partnerships
Partnerships with Existing Spirituality and Sustainability Groups and Organizations
What might we, collectively (SSGN and others), have to offer? How might we play an empowering role?
Help us identify existing spirituality and sustainability groups and organizations with similar goals that might work with SSGN and others and ascertain their interest and capabilities.
What might we do together collectively to accelerate the youth movement?
Facilitator: Kevin Cawley
Rapporteur: Art Kane
Attendants: Kevin Cawley, Art Kane, Sr. Kathleen Deignan, Ensign Cowell, Jamal Jackson, Jim Robinson, Tom Pliske,
Dorothy Calvani, Leah Klatt, Elizabeth Pareba
Summary
Questions from the group:
How do we get young people involved?
How do we get people involved in spirituality and sustainability? Jamal admitted that as an environmental lawyer he struggles with this every day because the people he deals with every day are focused on fossil fuel issues, etc. How can Govts be brought to understand the spiritual connection to climate and environmental responsibilities?
The challenging question is what can I personally do?
Points & suggestions made:
The inspiration that will enable us to attract people must come from within.
Our group’s focus is to seek ways to develop our network.
To engage people in eco-spirituality, we need to begin by looking for similar groups that will enlarge our network.
It is also important to connect with local groups, and with organizations interested in nature.
Local New Jersey governments are taking action for the environment.
Organizations to network with:
The Berry Place
Catholic Climate Covenant
Freedom Farm
Genesis Farm (New Jersey)
Green Faith
Green Mountain Monastery
Laudato Si’ Movement
Metro Catholic Climate Movement
ROAR4Climate
Sisters of Earth movement
Thomas Berry Forum at Iona College
Group 1: Youth
Focus on Youth Support and Empowerment
What are the relevant youth groups that already exist? What do they need? How might we begin to form relationships with them?
We have a far from a complete inventory of what groups are out there and what they do.
Please help us identify them.
What strategies might we use to engage with youth groups to learn what their needs are and what we might do collectively to help them?
Please help reach out to the youth groups to connect them with SSGN.
Facilitator: Claudia Herrera-Montero
Rapporteur: Trish Joyce
Summary
Questions from the group:
How can we create more dialogue and connection with youth?
How can we connect them to organizations?
Points & suggestions made:
Esther Chang's work on combining skateboarding groups in Lebanon with yoga studios and their rebuilding, offering trauma-informed yoga for those seeking political asylum, and aiding in the trauma the country has experienced. She has a Go Fund Me.
Connecting young people to the faith initiatives so deeply connected with eco-spirituality.
Kiara is in her Ph.D., studying the garment industry. She holds workshops with the intention of spiritually animating garments, so young people, who are such large consumers, can see the history that is tied to those who make these garments. Emphasizes the need that students must be deeply connected to the grander picture.
Call for more dialogue and connection among the older and younger generations.
Need to collect all that we know, and form a giant database.
Ben is at ASU (the first college to become climate neutral) - a great model to look at.
Need to think more eco-regionally.
There are so many excited, passionate youth, but they don't know what to do or how to get connected. The older generation has a powerful voice to connect and communicate with youth, bridging the gap between knowledge and action.
Suggested organizations to network with:
Arizona State University
Creation Care Movement
Earth Charter Network, youth focus
About challenging youth to connect, become systems-oriented and systems thinking, and to take their passion to organizations that we can pull together.
Flax Production Organizations from coast to coast to coast
Net Impact
Sunrise Movement
UN Group for Girls
White House
Initiative under Obama for involving colleges and universities in climate change efforts and community service.
Women of Tomorrow (Claudia moderates in South Florida)