Spirit of Place
A Climate Training for Hudson Valley Faith Communities
Friday, June 13 - Sunday, June 15, 2025
Community-Building for the Journey Ahead
In June 2025, the Center for Earth Ethics will bring our faith, spirituality and climate training to the Hudson Valley. In this time of upheaval, when both nature and society are under threat, community-building and bioregional knowledge are indispensable. This training will support people of all faiths and paths to deepen their communities’ relationship with land and empower them to respond to the climate crisis with purpose and discernment. It will address climate science and policy, ethical communication, local watershed and foodshed issues, eco-justice initiatives, spiritual support and pastoral care. Our training will foster networking and collaboration, leaving participants more resourced and connected for the journey ahead.
Although preference will be given to people connected to faith and spiritual communities in the Hudson Valley, the training is open to all who feel called to apply.
By application; apply at the link below.
In person only; onsite lodging available.
Applications will be accepted through May 25.
Details & Location
Friday, June 13 – Sunday, June 15, 2025
The Ashokan Center
477 Beaverkill Road
Olivebridge, NY 12461
We gratefully acknowledge the support and collaboration of New York Disaster Interfaith Services.
Confirmed Speakers
Key Training Areas
Place-Based Understanding
Deepen your connection with land and waterways, understand local advocacy and conservation efforts, and expand what your community can do.
Pastoral Care & Spiritual Support
Practice your skills for supporting individuals and communities through the range of emotions that many are experiencing, including eco-grief and climate anxiety.
Ethical Communication
Engage the prophetic tradition and other truth-telling modalities, drawing on sacred texts and teachings, storytelling, and learning from the land.
Key Training Areas
The training will address three key areas.
Practical Action
Practical action sessions will focus on disaster preparedness and resilience efforts.
Pastoral Care & Spiritual Support
Spiritual support sessions will focus on those aspects of leadership that some faith traditions categorize as “pastoral care,” with attention to the ways in which many people process this crisis through the lens of their faith traditions.
Ethical Communication
Ethical communication sessions will engage the prophetic – or truth-telling – aspects of faith traditions, including the exploration of sacred texts and teachings, storytelling and application of moral reasoning.
Eligibility
The training is open to all who feel called to apply. Preference will be given to applicants with a strong connection to a community based in or near the Hudson Valley that is grounded in a faith, religious, spiritual and/or ethical tradition, and preferably hold a leadership role in their community. Attendance will be limited in order to create an intimate environment that allows for more candid and meaningful discussion.
Application Process
Apply at the link below. Applications will be accepted through May 25.
Application decisions will be communicated on a rolling basis.
Cost
A modest fee will apply, with options for commuter and onsite stays. Attendees must pay for their own travel to and from the Ashokan Center.
On Food and Faith
Our 2019 training explored climate change's impact on farming and food security, empowering participants to take action in a ways that align with their deepest values.
On Water and Faith
Our 2018 training examined cycles of water that give life to our planet are in distress due to climate change, mismanagement, and pollution.
A Multi-Faith Approach
Our 2017 training explored how faith traditions view the Earth and how different communities have confronted the ecological crisis.
The Gospel in the Ecological Crisis
Our 2016 training addressed the role of Christian churches, clergy and communities in addressing the climate crisis and a changing world.
