Meet the United Methodist Delegation to COP31
Fourteen United Methodists from the United States, Finland and the Philippines will represent Church and Society at COP31, the UN climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, from Nov. 9-20.
From Nov. 9-20, governments from around the world will meet in Antalya, Türkiye, for COP31. The conference is held under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the 1992 treaty under which nearly every nation meets each year to carry out the Paris Agreement.
For United Methodists, what happens in Antalya is connected to the church’s call to care for creation and seek justice.
Read more about what is at stake at COP31.
Voices from the Delegation
The delegation includes pastors, a district superintendent, annual conference creation care leaders and Church and Society staff. Five delegates lead creation care work in their annual conferences. Church and Society will also join the joint ecumenical delegation of the World Council of Churches (WCC), ACT Alliance and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).
Darina Regio
Director of Environmental Justice, Church and Society “Climate change, the loss of nature and biodiversity, and pollution are what the UN calls the triple planetary crisis, and the communities that live with one usually live with all three. Our Social Principles say creation belongs to God, and that is why GBCS treats these as one justice question, not three separate issues. COP31 is where governments decide how fast and how fairly they respond.”
The Rev. Ann Jacob
Member, World Council of Churches Central Committee, Pacific Northwest Annual Conference “I am really passionate about the intersection of various social justice issues. The climate crisis of course stands at a huge intersection of many of the issues that face our world and communities.”
Jacob Stone
Member, Saline First United Methodist Church, Michigan Annual Conference “In Michigan, climate change looks like increased intensity and frequency of severe storms: tornadoes, ice storms, wildfires. Longer and harsher droughts. And threats to the world’s largest source of surface fresh water, the Great Lakes. It looks like some Michiganders not having access to clean drinking water while elsewhere, major corporations extract water for profit.”
The Rev. Laura Baumgartner
Pastor, Haller Lake United Methodist Church, Pacific Northwest Annual Conference “One issue that I’ll be watching in Antalya is the just transition away from fossil fuels and how that plays out in communities most affected by the impacts of a changing climate. The transitions that we need to make are not simply technological. Justice and belonging must be at the center of the witness that people of faith bring to COP.”
The Rev. Jackie Celin
Associate Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Seattle, Pacific Northwest Annual Conference “I am particularly interested in the topic of Resilient Cities and the Built Environment. I practiced as a licensed engineer in the civil and structural engineering field for twenty years prior to seeking ordination as a deacon in the United Methodist Church, and I am interested in the ways our built environment can better relate to the natural environment, to support the well-being of the communities in which we all live, and especially in consideration of the most vulnerable communities across our earth that are often impacted the most by climate change.”
The Rev. Harriette Cross
Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Wilmington, Northern Illinois Annual Conference “I plan to report findings directly to our Conference Creation Care committee. This will help us to align our work with what is being done internationally. I also hope to bring resources to help us with our local work. I will be watching for how richer countries are willing to listen and deal with the climate problems in poorer, more vulnerable countries.”
The Rev. Markley Rogers
Pastor, De Kalb and Naples, Texas Annual Conference “I’ll be paying particular attention to energy and land use. My community is primarily agricultural and a local city council just approved the sale of a large parcel of land to a data center. I imagine in the years to come this will be a major issue we don’t yet understand all the implications of.”
The Rev. Sarah Tiainen
District Superintendent, Finland Swedish Provisional Annual Conference “Our Wesleyan understanding of social holiness teaches us that faith is never merely personal. Spiritual formation and social responsibility go hand in hand. John Wesley was deeply committed to a faith expressed through action, compassion, and care for all of God’s creation. Therefore, what happens at COP31 matters to us. Climate change is not simply an environmental or political issue; it is also a moral and theological one.”
Delegation Roster
On site in Antalya
Darina Regio Director of Environmental Justice, Church and Society Aimee Hong Assistant General Secretary of Programs, Church and Society The Rev. Camille Henderson-Edwards Senior Executive Director for Advocacy, Church and Society The Rev. Ann Jacob Member, World Council of Churches Central Committee, Pacific Northwest Annual Conference Jacob Stone Member, Saline First United Methodist Church, Michigan Annual Conference
Joining online
The Rev. Dr. Liberato (Levi) Bautista Assistant General Secretary for United Nations and International Affairs, Church and Society The Rev. Glofie Baluntong United Methodist elder, Southwest Philippines Annual Conference The Rev. Laura Baumgartner Pastor, Haller Lake United Methodist Church, Pacific Northwest Annual Conference Jennie Birkholz Coastal Watch Association; Member, Journey of Faith United Methodist Church, Horizon Texas Annual Conference The Rev. Jackie Celin Associate Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Seattle, Pacific Northwest Annual Conference The Rev. Harriette Cross Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Wilmington, Northern Illinois Annual Conference The Rev. Robert Prud'homme Coordinator, Creation Care Ministries The Rev. Markley Rogers Pastor, De Kalb and Naples, Texas Annual Conference The Rev. Sarah Tiainen District Superintendent, Finland Swedish Provisional Annual Conference
Additional contributors
Cornell University students Holly Doran and Ethan Ko will contribute to Church and Society’s coverage of COP31.
Follow Along
Church and Society will publish daily coverage on the COP31 page and share updates on its social media channels.
