Stewardship of the Earth Conference
On 14 June 2025, the Synod of NSW and ACT held a significant gathering to reflect on one of the Future Directions: Acting and Advocating for Climate Justice.
On 14 June 2025, the Synod of NSW and ACT held a significant gathering to reflect on one of the Future Directions: Acting and Advocating for Climate Justice. The Stewardship of the Earth fono (a Pasifika word meaning community meeting) brought together more than 60 participants in person, with an additional 10 joining online.
Facilitated by Rev Dr Jione Havea and the Uniting Climate team, the event explored two key dimensions of the theme "Stewardship of the Earth":
Firstly, humans are stewards of Earth (our shared home of land, sea, and sky) and we have a duty to care for it and seek climate justice.
Secondly, the earth also stewards us and all living beings. This mutual relationship calls us to care with Earth, advocating for its wellbeing and that of all its creatures.
The day opened with a presentation by Aunty Janet Johnson, an Aboriginal artist and Elder, who shared her unique perspective on Country, creativity, and connection. Her insights set a reflective tone for the rest of the day.
This was followed by a hope-filled practical talk by Alice Salomon, who invited participants to consider everyday actions that individuals and the Church can take in response to the climate crisis. The program continued with presentations from activists, scholars, and theologians who offered rich perspectives on climate justice and creation care.
Topics ranged from the ongoing unequal climate injustice, the role of Queer Ecology in calling for a more inclusive approach to caring for creation, aboriginal relationship with the land and so much more.
“What I loved was the way the various topics in the conference all worked together to reveal our common motive- our love and hope for the earth,” said Rev Dr Karina Kreminski who spoke on Climate Change Emotions and Chrisitan Contemplative Practices at the fono.
“The gathering was a beautiful moment to listen to one another and pause to reflect. Taking action in the "polycrisis" is important but so is listening to one another to learn and connect with our deep respect for nature,” she added.
“This fono celebrated the spirit of Pentecost at which people understood one another, despite their speaking in different languages. Along this line, many concerns and topics were discussed and participants were encouraged to hear and understand those as invitations to collaborate for climate justice,” said facilitator and Mission Catalyst Rev Dr Jione Havea.
The day’s conversations raised several urgent calls to action, focusing on:
· Embracing the life sources and systems of meaning-making in Indigenous Australian cultures
· Building hope and resilience through climate action
· Understanding the significance of land (fonua), boundaries, and responsibilities in Pasifika cultures
· Challenging political and economic power structures that drive climate injustice
· Reading scripture and theology through the lens of Earth stewardship
· Queerly questioning our values and actions for the sake of climate justice and to embrace the energies and gifts of young people for raising awareness and working for climate justice.
The fono was also a reminder to use AcClimatise the Lectionary launched by the Synod in early January inviting us to see, hear and feel the conditions of the climate and the environment in which we live. These reflections can be used by ministers in study groups, worships and Service events and can be assessed here.
A key highlight of the conference was when our next generation community from high school were called on to share original poems on ‘the sound of climate justice’.
“It was one of the most moving and impactful moments,” said a participant. “Everyone was amazed at the depth and heart of these poems. Their voices added emotional weight and immediacy to the conversations.”
