The Christian Post
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The United Methodist Church has launched a program to provide solar panels to congregations across the United States, along with training to help churches advance sustainability efforts.
The General Board of Global Ministries Environmental Sustainability and the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) U.S. Disaster Response have launched the UMC Solar and Battery Pilot Program.
Up to 20 churches will be selected as part of the program, with applications open until Nov. 2. Chosen will congregations will be notified in December and training beginning in January.
The Rev. Jenny Philips, director of Environmental Sustainability at Global Ministries, told The Christian Post that the mainline Protestant denomination’s program grew out of coordinated efforts between UMCOR and Global Ministries “to make disaster response and recovery more sustainable.”
“In a standard response, when the power goes out, responders use fuel-powered generators to provide necessary electricity,” Philips explained. “The generators are noisy and smelly, and they pollute the air with greenhouse gases.”
“With the advance of solar and battery technology, we can now move these tools anywhere. With climate change increasing the frequency and intensity of severe weather events, this technology allows us to avoid sowing the seeds of future disaster when we respond to current disasters.”
Over time, UMC bodies considered how technologies like solar panels and batteries could be used better at churches, which in turn could provide such services to their communities.
“We wanted to help those churches keep the lights on when the grid goes down,” Philips told CP. “We recognized that there are barriers for churches looking at solar, including cost, building concerns, distrust of new technology, and lack of familiarity with the process of purchasing and installing solar and batteries on their property.”
“We know from other programming that mentoring and peer support can make a huge difference in the process of making a decision to install solar. With that knowledge, we decided to build a program that would offer that support.”
Although the UMC has long supported solar power for medical facilities, shelters and schools overseas, this program will focus on the United States.
Representatives from each selected church will take part in a two-month cohort training session beginning in January, centered on advancing sustainability projects for their campuses.
Some churches selected for the training will receive a grant to install solar panels. Philips said the “main criteria will be whether or not the project is viable.”
“The process of working with solar vendors will help participants know the strengths and shortcomings of their property. Is the roof in good condition? Is there space to mount panels on the ground?” Philips said.
“Besides property questions, the participants will have good information to help their church leadership discern whether they want to move forward and will actively support next steps.”
Philips told CP that the program fits the mission statement of Global Ministries, which declares that “God’s Mission reclaims the life of all creatures and redeems all creation for God’s intended purpose.”
“Genesis tells us that God’s first act of creation was the sun — a massive star burning with energy. Humans have relied on energy from the sun since their beginning — for light and warmth, food and sustenance,” she said.
“We are damaging God’s creation through the burning of greenhouse gases that exacerbate climate change, which disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable among us. Now that we have the power to harness this energy from heaven, we have a responsibility to amplify God’s light through Christ to all of creation.”
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