Friday, May 8, 2026
Time: 12-4PM (CST)
Online and In-Person
Join eco-organizers as they equip faith leaders, congregations, and communities to mobilize across communions, denominations, and local contexts to protect, restore, and rightly share God’s creation. This workshop grounds environmental organizing in theology, scripture, and lived faith while offering practical strategies for advancing eco-justice.
Participants will explore the history of the environmental justice movement, examine the realities of environmental racism, and engage the most current campaigns shaping climate and ecological justice today. Through case studies and organizing tools, participants will learn how to translate faith commitments into collective action that promotes sustainability, equity, and community resilience.
This training invites participants to deepen their moral and theological grounding for eco-justice while gaining concrete skills to lead transformative environmental action in their own congregations and communities.
Beth Gutzler
Beth Gutzler is the Lead Environmental Justice Organizer in the St. Louis Region. She supports EJ efforts for Metropolitan Congregations United and United Congregations of Metro-East as a Faith Based Community Organizer. She has been able to put her own faith into action working for justice in the Midwest. She has combined her Gamaliel Organizing Training and International Institute for Restorative Practices Certification to align people around shared air, water, and land. As Board Treasurer for Save Leadership, Beth continues to combine her Psychology degree and Masters in Business Administration to develop non-profits in the St. Louis region and bring about policy change in communities.
Avery Davis Lamb
Avery Davis Lamb is Executive Director of Creation Justice Ministries. Creation Justice Ministries’ mission is to educate, equip and mobilize communions and denominations, congregations, and individuals to protect, restore, and rightly share God's creation.
Avery has a background in both ecological research and faith-based environmental organizing, studying ecology in various ecosystems and organizing faith communities across the country in support of action on environmental justice. Previously he has worked for Sojourners and Interfaith Power & Light. He serves on the board for The Center for Spirituality in Nature and the North Carolina Council of Churches.
Avery has a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Sustainability from Pepperdine University, a Master of Environmental Management in Ecosystem Science & Conservation with a certificate in Community-Based Environmental Management from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, and a Master of Theological Studies, with a certificate in Faith, Food & Environmental Justice from Duke Divinity School. His research focuses on the role of religious communities in building climate resilience and adaptation, with emphasis on the virtue of “climate hospitality.”
Creation Justice Ministries’ membership includes Baptist, Historically Black, Orthodox, Peace, and mainline Protestant traditions. Through its 38 denominational and communion members, Creation Justice Ministries serves about 100,000 churches and 45 million people in the United States. Based on the priorities of its members, with a particular concern for people who are most vulnerable and marginalized, Creation Justice Ministries provides collaborative opportunities to build ecumenical community, guides people of faith and faith communities towards eco-justice transformations, and raises a collective witness in the public arena echoing Christ's call for just relationships among all of creation.
Learn more about Creation Justice Ministries at www.creationjustice.org and find Creation Justice Ministries on social media @CreationJustice.
