‘We feel called to care for that environment’: Pennsylvania church goes solar
The panels will cut pollution and save the church tens of thousands of dollars.
(Image credit: Photo courtesy Pastor Julia Brown)
A small church in rural Pennsylvania is doing big things for its community and the climate.
“We do believe that the Earth and the cosmos are created by God, by a divine being. And because we love God and love our neighbors, we feel called to care for that environment, especially as we see climate change and more extensive natural disasters.”
That’s Rev. Julia Brown of Solomon’s United Church of Christ in south-central Pennsylvania.
Last fall, her congregation worked with a nonprofit called RE-volv to have 30 solar panels installed on the church roof.
The main goal was to reduce carbon pollution.
Brown: “To do what we could in our little corner of the Earth.”
But the solar was also a smart financial move. It’s expected to save the church tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the system.
Brown: “With less money going into our operations and our overhead, it means we have more money to put into our missions and outreach.”
… including a community garden where people can grow food for free and a program that sends meals home with elementary school students on weekends.
So for this congregation, installing solar is a way to care for God’s creation and their neighbors.
Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media
This article was originally published by Yale Climate Connections.
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