This past June, a group of 12 youth and seven adults gathered from the Diocese of the Susquehanna, traveling to Maine to learn about climate justice and its intersections with our Episcopal faith. They met up with youth and chaperones from four other dioceses for the Climate Justice Youth Event at Acadia National Park. The event was sponsored by the Diocese of Maine, which partnered with the National Park Service and Episcopal formation leaders to create a program that gave youth hands-on experience with the local ecosystem, immersive prayer, worship, and of course, fun!
Rihanna Alverez from Trinity, Mount Pocono, summed up her experience of the trip: “We got to meet new people and learn not just about nature, but about how we can grow our faith in God. We also learned new things about the world in general, and others.”
Along with park rangers who imparted their knowledge, youth also heard from a Wabinake guide who shared that his tribe had stewarded the land for centuries, and how we all would do well to listen to the wisdom of Indigenous people who intimately know the land and continue to care for it today.
One of the highlights of the trip was the “bioblitz” or tidal pool exploration, where youth and chaperones went on a guided walk with park rangers, identifying many types of sea life — from shells to seaweed types to anemone — and then input their findings into a website, iNaturalist, that will contribute to scientists’ understanding of the ecosystem in Acadia. They also participated in workshops such as photojournalism, phenology, and geology.
Said Ace Gair, from Trinity, Williamsport, “It wasn’t just building a deeper understand with God or with nature, it was building a deeper understanding with God throughout the whole world and how you can care for it.”
Worship was outdoors, and many of the Susquehanna youth joined as music leaders. Simeon Crouch from Trinity, Jersey Shore, said, “The beauty of the nature in Maine made me appreciate the woods and outdoors a lot more.” Most participants woke up early to see a gorgeous sunrise over the ocean at least once during the trip!
Several of the youth also interviewed individuals throughout the week, including the bishop of New Hampshire, the Rt. Rev. Rob Hirshfeld. Stay tuned to see these videos, as well as an upcoming fall Zoom where youth will share more about their trip and all they learned. The group who joined is also excited to begin meeting to plan more youth events and even revive the diocesan youth leadership team. If you know a 6th-12th grader who is interested in getting connected with youth meetings and future events, contact Canon Micalagh Moritz.
