In July 2023, the Durban Circuit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) gathered for its 28th Annual Youth League Conference, an inspiring assembly of over 500 delegates representing 10 parishes. Among the highlights of this gathering was a powerful presentation by Khulekani Magwaza, who attended in his capacity as a Council Member of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).
Magwaza’s address invited young Lutherans to see climate change not merely as a crisis, but as a call to faith and innovation. Speaking about the upcoming 13th Assembly of the LWF, he reflected on how the global Communion of Churches is wrestling with questions of justice, sustainability, and intergenerational responsibility. He reminded participants that the future of the church is inseparable from the future of the planet, and that both require bold, and hope-filled leadership from young people.
“We should not only think of climate change as a problem,” he emphasized, “but as something that can create many opportunities for all of us as the youth.”
This perspective captures the heart of Green ELCSA, the church’s growing movement for ecological and energy justice. Rooted in the Gospel’s call to “proclaim good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15), Green ELCSA encourages congregations and youth to engage practically, through tree-planting, clean-energy education, waste reduction, and climate justice advocacy, reflecting both faith and action.
During the conference, Magwaza also highlighted the importance of collaboration between church-based youth and broader networks such as the South African Youth Climate Change Coalition (SAYCCC) and World’s Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ). Formal partnerships between these bodies could strengthen the voice of faith communities in national and international spaces, demonstrating that theology and transformation belong together.
The Durban Circuit YL gathering thus served as more than a youth meeting, it became a moment of awakening, affirming that creation care is central to discipleship and leadership today. It showed that young people in ELCSA are ready to re-imagine their mission, bringing spiritual energy, creativity, and courage into the fight for a livable future.
As the world prepares for the next LWF Assembly and as the Green ELCSA initiative continues to grow, the Durban Circuit experience offers a simple truth: when faith meets action, and when youth rise as stewards of creation, the church becomes a living witness of God’s renewal