This reflection was written by Christine Seibert, a Climate Leadership Fellow '17-'18, and a current member of our Steering Committee.
Two years ago at about this time I was sitting in a New Zealand coffee shop accessing coveted WiFi when I noticed an email from a professor about an organization called Y.E.C.A. The email stated that applications were closing soon for a fellowship opportunity. My friend wasn’t done with her work yet, so I decided to apply as I waited. As I filled out the application questions, I found myself excited to share why I care so deeply about Christians caring for the environment. The short essay questions ran quickly from my keyboard. I hoped that my answers weren’t given in too much of a rush but was surprised at how natural it felt to be talking about the topic.
Now in Indiana August sun, I found myself at the summer retreat and training for fellows. It was incredibly encouraging, in fact exhilarating, to be surrounded by others who cared so deeply for both their faith and the environment. I was passionate about how the two intersect, but up until that point hadn’t found others who were so vocally committed to the same cause. I have found that I often confuse both Christians and environmentalists by being in both camps. While that may provide good fodder for conversation, it can feel isolating to be an object of confusion. But here I found others, who, like me, saw the two as parts of a whole.
As our projects progressed, we were able to encourage and support one another to accomplish great things on our campuses. One fellow started an environmental club on her campus, another fought hard—and succeeded—in getting recycling on her campus. Here were other young people of faith, caring about their neighbors through caring for the environment.
The fellowship taught me so much—that I’m not alone in this effort, that we each can make a difference in our own communities, that is more important to be faithful than successful*. I’ve learned many life skills from Y.E.C.A., from calling my congresspeople, to financial accounting, to collaboration across a campus to achieve large goals. It has surrounded me with people who challenge me to refine my skills for the common good. Above all, it has connected me with a group of passionate individuals who desire to see a faithful response to one of the biggest challenges our generation will face. I’m so thankful that two years ago God had me waiting in that New Zealand coffee house, with just enough time to fill out an application.
*Attributed to Mother Teresa
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Facebook TwitterI erroneously addressed my lengthy “comment” above to Tori (as she was the one who posted it).
Our invitation is really to ALL the members of the Steering Committee, who have an interest in #WiserDemocracy in the U.S. (which is hopefully everyone at YECA, whether American citizens or not, since the U.S. is so important to global governance around climate policy and creation care).
We’d greatly appreciate it if you would forward that invitation to the other members of the YECA Steering Committee (and cc Howard and me, so that we all have each other’s e-mail addresses).
Compassionately,
Norlyn
Howard Pepper and I believe that YECA could play a catalytic role in rallying 30 million #CompassionateCitizens by Election Day, 2020.
We believe that 30 million is critical mass for empowering a #WiserDemocracy, which would radically expedite #EquityForALL, across issue arenas from #EducationalEquity to #CreationCare.
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We only very recently discovered YECA. We were (and still are) exploring a collaboration with John Morehead, who leads the Evangelical Chapter of the Foundation for Religious Dipomacy (FRD).
FRD’s work in promoting multi-faith dialogue complements our #WiserDemocracy mission (which I define as “the political empowerment our collective wisdom and compassion, via respectful dialogue-across-diversity”).
The simplest Story about the fledgling #CompassionateCitizens movement is on our website (CompassionateCitizens dot US), but a far deeper dive into our plan to unite myriad “silos of compassion” is in my last LinkedIn article (Embracing and Empowering Compassion).
[Please connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.]
We look forward to beginning a conversation and collaboration!
Compassionately,
Norlyn Dimmitt, FSA
[email protected]
630-362-4663
Howard Pepper, MDiv
[email protected]
760-504-6841