This week’s ECN local-project spotlight features solar energy at Trinity Episcopal Church in Bloomington, IN.
In 2017, the Episcopal Church approved 44 Stewardship of Creation grants for local ministries. Every Thursday, we highlight some of that exciting work here. Maybe your own parish or diocese could do a similar local project!
According to a church press release, Trinity received $6,320 for “a solar installation project with faith formation, parish celebration and youth training and involvement.”
There’s a lot going on at Trinity, even beyond the solar project. Their website has a special page just for its Creation Care Committee, led by a professor of climate physics. Members of the congregation can take the Creation Care Covenant, and the parish Green Team offers a different task each month to help households reduce their energy use. (The task for March is to install and use a programmable thermostat, saving your home up to $60.) Over a third of the congregation has already taken action at home!
The Creation Care Committee writes, “Creation Care strives to inspire, educate and call the people of Trinity Episcopal Church to action as faithful and responsible stewards of God’s Creation. We plan events and activities throughout the year to help everyone become better stewards of our earth. We encourage active engagement. Please consider leading or volunteering at an event; participating in the task-of-the-month program; or stewarding your own domain by signing the Creation Care Covenant.”
“Trinity Episcopal Church has been named an Acclaimed Congregation by Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light (H-IPL). Trinity’s team is led by climate scientist and H-IPL volunteer Dr. Ben Brabson. We have not only reduced electricity and gas use by over 25%, but we’ve reduced water as well, installing low-flow toilets throughout the building.”
Way to go Trinity – thank you for your inspiring example! Read more at https://trinitybloomington.org/serve/creation-care/
(The picture of the church is from Trinity’s Facebook page.)
Full disclosure: ECN’s new volunteer deputy editor was a member of the committee that awarded these grants. Both volunteer editors are now volunteers on the task force that will administer the next round of grants.
Episcopal Climate News 
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