More than fifty participants from fifteen European countries gathered for the 16th Assembly of the European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN). Participants came from Catholic, Reformed, Lutheran, Anglican and Orthodox backgrounds, alongside representatives of ecumenical and environmental organisations, who shared their experiences and perspectives.
The central question of the gathering was how to maintain our commitment to caring for creation at a time when the signs of the climate crisis are becoming increasingly evident, while public attention is increasingly focused on wars and rearmament. One of the key insights of the Assembly was that action requires spiritual perseverance, a supportive community, and a strong public voice from the churches.
From Roots to Fruits
At the opening panel, Frank-Dieter Fischbach, General Secretary of the Conference of European Churches, Claire des Mesnards, Executive Secretary of ECEN, and Tamás Kodácsy, a member of the ECEN Enabling Team, reflected on the future of the network.
They highlighted that, although ECEN has become an independent organisation, it remains rooted in its founding churches. Within its new organisational framework, the network has greater freedom to shape its activities, priorities and European advocacy work. Its key strength lies in sharing experiences and good practices, as well as representing church-based initiatives for the care of creation.
Spiritual Strength for Long-Term Ministry
Ruth Valerio spoke about the emotional and spiritual burdens carried by those working for climate justice. Drawing on her book How to Survive a World in Crisis, she highlighted six important sources of resilience: maintaining a vision for the future, acknowledging pain, supportive community, taking concrete action, rest, and connecting with nature.
Her presentation was a reminder that caring for creation is a long-term ministry that requires perseverance. Spiritual renewal, community and rest can help us avoid becoming weary in doing good.
Integral Ecology and Christian Community
Carmody Grey, Professor of Integral Ecology at the Laudato Si' Institute, spoke in her presentation Practices of Communion about the relationships between human beings, God and the created world. She emphasised that social, economic and ecological issues are interconnected. The environmental crisis therefore cannot be addressed through technical solutions alone; it also requires a transformation of our relationships and ways of life.
This perspective was deepened through the shared spiritual activities of the Assembly. Participants took part in a spiritual trail and a forest walk, as well as an Anglican service celebrating the Season of Creation. A walk along the River Woluwe drew attention to urban nature, the significance of water and the possibility of spiritual renewal.
Testimony from Ukraine
Some of the most moving moments of the Assembly were the testimonies of participants from Ukraine. Tetiana Stavnychy , Director of Caritas Ukraine, described the war as a form of destruction that tears apart people's relationships with God, with one another and with the land.
The data and photographs presented made the humanitarian and environmental consequences of the war tangible. Particular attention was given to the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam on 6 June 2023, which has had long-term consequences for water supplies and the ecosystems of the region.
The Wash in War exhibition showed how Caritas Ukraine is working to provide safe access to water in wartime conditions. Rather than simply seeking to restore systems to their previous state, they are developing systems capable of withstanding a future attack. One of the important messages of the testimony was that taking action can itself become a source of healing for those providing assistance.
Natalia Kulia, representing the Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies in Uzhhorod, spoke about how environmental education and learning about nature can also support children in processing trauma during wartime. The examples from Ukraine made clear that peace, climate justice and the protection of creation cannot be separated from one another.
A Church Voice in European Public Life
Nicolae Ștefănuță, Romanian Member of the European Parliament and Vice-President of the European Parliament, called on Christians and political leaders to work together in supporting European policies that protect both people and the planet.
Manuel Enrique Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union, presented the renewed Charta Oecumenica. Reissued in 2025, the document contains a dedicated section on the care for creation. At the Assembly, it was emphasised that signed commitments acquire real significance when churches translate them into concrete action at both local and European level.
On 1 September, ECEN joined the international opening of the Season of Creation from the Assembly in Brussels. One of the hosts of the programme was Tamás Kodácsy, whose short biblical reflection for the occasion can also be read here. The event connected the local community with the global ecumenical movement and highlighted the creation-care work of churches across Europe.
Workshops and Practices to Share
Alongside the plenary sessions, the Assembly also featured workshops and short project presentations. Henrik Grape presented opportunities to engage with the Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action, covering the period 2025–2034. Corinne Bitaud introduced the idea of a European future-oriented initiative entitled Churches in 2050, while Sarah Corbett led a workshop on craftivism, which combines creative craft-making with peaceful social action. Adrian Shaw's workshop explored the example of eighteenth-century Scottish minister-naturalists, demonstrating the long history of churches' interest in the natural world, while also encouraging a critical examination of the ecological consequences of the era's understanding of progress.
Further presentations focused on A Rocha's international work on creation care, measuring the carbon footprint of churches, the relationship between faith and regenerative agriculture, and dialogue between Christian and Muslim creation theologies.
The nearly twenty projects presented demonstrated the wealth of practical knowledge that has accumulated through church-based creation-care initiatives. One of ECEN's important tasks is to connect this knowledge and make it accessible to others.
Take-Home Reflections
At the end of the Assembly, participants identified several shared lessons:
- The urgency of responding to the climate crisis does not diminish in times of war and other political crises.
- Creation-care ministry can remain sustainable in the long term only when community, spiritual practice and concrete action support one another.
- Environmental destruction is one of the serious and lasting consequences of war; therefore, restoration is also part of the work for peace.
- Churches need not only to make their own operations more environmentally sustainable, but also to raise their voices in public and political dialogue.
- ECEN's greatest strength lies in sharing European experiences, relationships and practical resources.
By the end of the gathering, new partnerships and friendships had been formed. Participants returned home determined to share the stories they had heard within their own churches and organisations, to make existing initiatives more visible, and to advocate with renewed energy for the common good of people and the created world.
The next ECEN Assembly is expected to take place in Switzerland in 2028.