The LWF opens the Ecumenical Season of Creation with an online global prayer

This year’s Season of Creation theme is "A Home for All? Renewing the oikos of God". Oikos is a Greek word for the Earth community. It is an invitation to be united in our human vocation to reshape just and sustainable political, social and economic systems that respect the life-giving ecological limits of the Earth. This year’s ecumenical prayer centers the voices of Indigenous Christians, and is led by leaders and representatives from the global ecumenical family.

The ecumenical Season of Creation lasts from 1 September (Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation) until 4 October (Feast day of St. Francis). This is an invitation to engage in a month of prayer, symbolic acts and campaigns to give thanks for creation and renew our human vocation to care for it.

Season of Creation 2021 Celebration Guide

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) calls on its member churches to nominate persons younger than 30 as delegates to the upcoming 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, United Kingdom. This reaffirms the LWFs engagement to address the climate crisis, particularly through youth leaders. Nominations close on 20 August. 

COP26 takes place from 31 October to 12 November 2021. The conference will likely be in a hybrid format that will include online participation and in-person participation. The nominated youth will play a key role in shaping the LWF’s engagement with COP26 – ranging from national-level advocacy to global mobilization. 

This event aims to empower young Lutherans to act meaningfully for climate justice as people of faith and strengthen youth leadership across the LWF. 

Not all nominated candidates will participate directly in the COP26 as members of the LWF delegation. However, all youth nominated will have the opportunity to attend workshops before COP26.

More information

LWF’s long-standing engagement with its member churches includes support through multi-year projects designed by churches to address priority needs in their congregations and wider community. 

First-time proposals of long-term projects should be new initiatives to run for a maximum of three years, beginning in 2023. As projects can only be extended once, those currently in the first cycle—2020 to 2022—may request a maximum extension of another two years. 

Churches prioritize a wide range of projects: capacity strengthening for their workers; diaconal services; livelihood initiatives; advocacy for human rights; environmental care and actions to mitigate climate change impact; and women’s and youth empowerment among others.  

Long-term projects are granted a maximum limit of EUR 50,000 per year.  

How to apply:  Please note all LWF project applications are processed online. Follow this link to find all information on applications.

Languages: English, German, Spanish, and French

Opening: 2 September 2021

Deadline: 9 January 2022

Related Materials

Applications for long-term LWF Member Churches’ Projects 

On the road to the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP) to the Paris Agreement on climate change, the LWF joins people of faith in praying for a change of heart and mind towards more climate justice-oriented thinking. 

You are welcome to join this prayer service to stand together in unity and #Pray4COP26. 

This prayer is led by members of the LWF Global Young Reformers Netowrk. 

The LWF is part of the Global Prayer and Action Chain for Climate Justice that initiated this prayer.

Prayer will be held online via Zoom 

Webinar ID: 836 4224 8186 

Webinar Passcode: 784772 

For the LWF, Savanna Sullivan, Program Executive for Youth, and Khulekani Magwaza, Council member, will lead the ecumenical prayer. 

This year’s Season of Creation theme is “A Home for All? Renewing the oikos of God”. Oikos is a Greek word for the Earth community. It is an invitation to be united in our human vocation to reshape just and sustainable political, social and economic systems that respect the life-giving ecological limits of the Earth. 

The ecumenical Season of Creation lasts from 1 September (Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation) until 4 October (Feast day of St. Francis). This is an invitation to engage in a month of prayer, symbolic acts, and campaigns to give thanks for creation and renew our human vocation to care for it. 

Watch the livestream on YouTube

Advocating for climate justice

LWF advocates for climate justice with a strong focus on implementing the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to below 1,5 degrees Celcius and prevent a climate disaster. Climate change is a present reality, affecting the basics of life, amongst others, the full and effective enjoyment of human rights.

Climate change negatively affects vulnerable groups, the implementation of human rights, health, and biodiversity.

The LWF delegation at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) brings together experienced climate leaders who, together with a youth delegation, advocate for the voiceless from a faith perspective along with ecumenical and interfaith partners at online and in-person meetings.

In the run-up to the UN Climate Change Conference COP26, LWF strengthens its delegates' capacity for climate action with several online workshops. 

They form part of a learning process that begins prior to the conference, analyzes the proceedings during COP26, and evaluates its outcomes. 

Topics of the preparatory workshops include the Paris Agreement and its current implementation status, an outlook on the agenda and priorities of COP26, the main policy demands and talking points of LWF for COP26, and how LWF delegates can engage in negotiations. 

Facilitators are 

• Elena Cedillo, Program Executive for Climate Justice, LWF 
• Thomas Hirsch, Executive Director, Climate & Development Advice

At the beginning of COP26, LWF as part of the Interfaith Liaison Committee to the UNFCCC invites persons interested in climate justice and interfaith dialogue to an informal interfaith gathering in the spirit of Talanoa dialogue. 

This gathering serves as a platform for faith communities attending COP26 to share their initiatives, concerns, and hopes in their work for climate justice under a Talanoa dialogue framework. 

Talanoa dialogues are indigenous peoples from Fiji’s way of solving problems in their communities, and the Fijian Presidency of COP23 introduced the concept to work on the most challenging issues. The methodology of the Talanoa dialogue leads participants to address the following questions: 

• Where are we? 
• Where do we want to go? 
• How do we get there? 

This event will introduce an opening panel that will expose the different topics available for conversation, followed by small-group Talanoa dialogues where participants will be able to exchange perspectives and thoughts. This will be followed by an interfaith spiritual service and a light shared meal for those attending in person. 

The plenary and interfaith service will be live-streamed on Youtube. 

To also participate in small-group discussions, please register on Zoom registration.

Register to attend in person

Register to attend online

Livestreaming

• COP26 Multifaith Talanoa Dialogue
• COP26 Multifaith Talanoa Dialogue Interfaith Worship

People of faith present their calls, hopes and demands for climate justice at COP26 to political leaders 

Join us at COP26, where faith activists, youth, and leaders from around the world will present their calls, hopes, and demands for climate justice to political leaders.

In the run-up to COP26, people of faith worldwide have been mobilizing to demand climate justice from COP26. The LWF, with the Global Action and Prayer Chain for Climate Justice, is calling on governments to ramp up their efforts and commitments to limit global warming to 1.5°C with a petition.

The event will feature the handover of petitions and statements, hearing demands for climate justice from youth activists, and joining together in prayer for bold and just climate action at COP26.

Register here

Sign the petition

Panel discussion at the People’s Summit for Climate Justice

While world leaders meet at COP26, the People’s Summit for Climate Justice brings together the climate justice movement to discuss, learn and strategize for system change.  

Generally, awareness has increased that current energy-demanding lifestyles are unsustainable. Yet, governments are under pressure to satisfy their electorates, sustain their economies, and address environmental challenges. The energy transition cannot be achieved without international cooperation in developing and distributing new energy sources.  

The panel will discuss accelerating the implementation of new technologies, including local community initiatives, to achieve low-carbon lifestyles. 

It will also explore: 

• How to raise awareness and inspire real change 
• Ways of sharing success stories to accelerate new thinking. 
• How to foster a sense of global belonging and move towards a sustainable future beyond immediate family, community, faith, or nationality 

Panelists:

• Katarina Kuhnert – climate scientist and LWF youth delegate to COP26 
• Golo Pilz – Meditation teacher and Energy Advisor at Brahma Kumaris 
• Paul Allen - Knowledge & Outreach Coordinator, Zero Carbon Britain, Centre for Alternative Technology 
• Catherine Allison - Director of Future Earth Ltd 

Moderator:

• Sonja Ohlsson, Brahma Kumaris Contact Point to UNFCCC

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