Green Champions Training Programme 2026 Concludes Phase One: A Journey of Learning, Faith and Action.
As we conclude Phase One of the Green ELCSA Green Champions Training Programme 2026, we give thanks to God for a meaningful and inspiring journey of learning, reflection, and fellowship.
Over the past weeks, participants from across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) and beyond have gathered online to deepen their understanding of climate justice, environmental stewardship, sustainable development, and the role of faith communities in responding to the ecological challenges of our time. What began as a training programme has become a growing community of passionate individuals committed to caring for God's creation and promoting environmental justice in their local contexts.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the participants who dedicated their time, energy, and enthusiasm to this programme. Your active engagement, thoughtful contributions, and willingness to learn from one another have made this journey both enriching and hopeful. The quality of discussions demonstrated that there is a growing movement within our church that recognises the urgency of environmental challenges and the important role faith communities can play in addressing them.
A special word of gratitude goes to our guest speakers and facilitators who generously shared their expertise, experiences, and wisdom. Through your presentations and discussions, participants were exposed to a diverse range of perspectives, from climate science and policy processes to eco-theology, community action, and international climate governance. Your contributions have helped equip a new generation of Green Champions with the knowledge and confidence needed to engage effectively in environmental advocacy and action.
We are also grateful to our partners and supporters who helped make this programme possible. Collaboration remains essential in advancing climate justice and environmental stewardship, and we value every individual and organisation that has walked this journey with us.
While the training sessions have now concluded, this is not the end of the programme. Rather, it marks the beginning of the next phase of the Green Champions journey. Participants are now encouraged to take what they have learned and apply it within their congregations, communities, schools, workplaces, and local environmental initiatives. Real change happens when knowledge is translated into action, and we are excited to see the projects, conversations, and leadership that will emerge from this cohort.
One of the most encouraging lessons from this programme has been the recognition that environmental action is not reserved for experts or policymakers alone. Every person has a role to play. Whether through advocacy, education, community mobilisation, sustainable practices, or faith-based leadership, each Green Champion has the potential to contribute to a more just and sustainable future.
As people of faith, we are reminded that caring for creation is not an optional activity—it is a calling. God entrusted humanity with the responsibility to tend and protect creation, and in a time of growing climate and environmental challenges, this calling has never been more important.
To every participant, facilitator, speaker, and supporter: thank you for being part of the Green Champions Training Programme 2026. We celebrate what has been achieved during this first phase and look forward to walking together in the months ahead as we put faith into action for the sake of creation.
May God continue to guide and strengthen us as we work towards a greener, more just, and more sustainable future.
"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it." - Psalm 24:1
Green ELCSA
Faith. Creation Care. Climate Justice.