On Thursday, March 13th, members of the Laudato Si’ Initiative (LSI) leadership and Care and Creation Teams from across the Archdiocese of Atlanta gathered at the chancery for a day of collaboration, reflection, and planning for the year ahead. The gathering was an opportunity not only to share updates on local parish and school efforts but also to strengthen relationships and renew our collective commitment to caring for God’s creation.

Throughout the day, a spirit of fellowship and shared mission was evident as participants exchanged ideas, successes, and challenges from their communities.

On March 4, 2025, members of the Encounter GA team joined fellow advocates from across the state for Capitol Conservation Day at the Georgia State Capitol—a day dedicated to speaking up for the protection of Georgia’s natural resources and the well-being of its communities.

Sponsored by the Georgia Water Coalition and supported by dozens of environmental organizations—including Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL)—Capitol Conservation Day brings together people of faith, environmental advocates, and concerned citizens to engage directly with lawmakers on critical environmental legislation.

We are thrilled to announce a positive step in the ongoing efforts to promote equitable energy practices in Georgia. On February 25, the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee approved Senate Bill 34 (SB 34) with an 8-5 vote, propelling the legislation to the Senate Rules Committee for further consideration.

Our dedicated Encounter GA team member, John Duke, of St John the Evangelist Catholic Parish in Hapeville, GA, delivered compelling public testimony during the committee hearing. John’s advocacy underscored the necessity of SB 34 in safeguarding consumers from unjust energy cost hikes. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to John for his witness to caring for creation and the poor - ensuring the burden of power bills are equitably distributed across our state.

On February 23, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light hosted the Annual 2025 Green Team Summit. The annual summit brings together Green Teams from congregations across the state for a time of fellowship and shared learning. This year's theme was “Seeding Life.”

Each summit hosts break-out sessions on different topics. Two Advocacy sessions were held. The first was titled “Public Service Commission 101: IRP Engagement and Advocacy”, led by Codi Norred, GIPL’s Executive Director, and Bob Sherrier, Attorney at Southern Environmental Law Center. This session discussed the Integrated Resource Plan, which is an important planning document that outlines how Georgia Power intends to procure and deliver energy over the next 20 years. GIPL has intervened in several preciously IRPs and is intervening again this year to advocate for meaningful bill relief for customers and the expansion of energy efficiency and solar programs.

On January 29th, Drew Reynolds of Encounter GA was featured on the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s Faith and Sustainability Podcast.

The podcast, hosted by the Archdioceses’s Laudato Si Initiative leads Leonard Robinson and Kat Doyle, explores how faith and sustainability connect. Guests appearing in each episode include environmental experts and influential members of different faith traditions as they discuss how we can better care for our common home.

On this episode, Drew shares about his faith journey as it relates to environmental stewardship and addressing the challenges of climate change. He talks about the origins of Encounter GA and the work to create a non-partisan Catholic advocacy organizations working across Georgia to build relationships with legislators to support climate solutions and protect our common home.

On January 29th, Georgia Conservation Voters held a gathering and press conference at the capitol to launch its legislative agenda for the current legislative session.

A key hallmark of the GCV platform is the 100% renewable campaign, which aims to put Georgia on a path for 100% renewable energy by 2050.

Across the country, 22 states have committed to achieving 100% carbon-free electricity—but Georgia isn’t one of them. Despite the lack of a statewide plan, local communities like DeKalb County, Atlanta, Athens-Clarke County, Augusta-Richmond County, Clarkston, Decatur, and Savannah have stepped up, setting ambitious goals for 100% clean energy.

The Okefenokee Swamp, one of Georgia’s most iconic and biodiverse natural wonders, is at a critical juncture in its protection. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has proposed a minor expansion of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge boundary, aiming to add approximately 22,000 acres adjacent to the existing refuge. This proposal is designed to enable voluntary conservation actions to protect the swamp’s hydrological integrity, conserve wetlands and key wildlife habitats, and create a fuel reduction zone to help protect neighboring properties.

On August 31, 2024, Encounter GA led an Advocacy Workshop at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Atlanta, GA as a part of the Focloare Maripolois retreat. This gathering brought together members of the Focolare Movement, a global community dedicated to fostering unity and dialogue. The event reflected the heart of Encounter Georgia’s mission: empowering communities to advocate for justice, care for creation, and the common good.

On September 14, 2024, St. Thomas More Parish in Decatur, GA, hosted the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s annual Green Mass. This inspiring event brought together people of faith from across the community to celebrate our shared call to care for creation. Rooted in the teachings of Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’, the Green Mass serves as a powerful reminder of our responsibility to protect “our common home” and respond to the urgent cries of both the earth and the poor.