News / DISCOVERING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR STEWARDSHIP, MINISTRY FINDS - FROM LCEF, INTEREST TIMES

DISCOVERING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR STEWARDSHIP, MINISTRY FINDS - FROM LCEF, INTEREST TIMES

A New Jersey congregation is taking the opportunity to not only produce part of its own energy, but expand its outreach.

Village Lutheran Church, Lanoka Harbor, members are having solar panels installed on the church roof, financed by an LCEF loan. The energy produced, will not only help the church operate, but can be sold back to the utility company.

“New Jersey has a pretty aggressive renewable energy program,” said Michael Colling, Village’s chief financial officer and LCEF congregation representative. Colling said he and another congregation member have solar panels on their homes and approached the council about installing them on the church. “The congregation was all for it.   It’s a win-win for the congregation. Once the loan is paid back, it’s income that we can use for additional outreach to the community.”

Colling said the congregation is excited about the project, possible with the good rates LCEF offered to finance the project. Plans are to have the panels installed by the late summer; even as the summer winds down, the congregation can expect to save about 40% on its energy bills.

“Not only will there be income from the generation of the renewable, but it will be a reduction in our energy bills throughout the year,” Colling said. The panels even produce energy when there is snow on the roof.

Solar renewable energy credits, or SREC’s, Colling said, are measured in units of 1,000 kilowatts of energy and currently trade for $600. Even as more people become sellers of this energy to the utility company (which is mandated by the state to have renewable energy sources), Colling said the congregation estimates it will pay off its 10-year loan in five years, even while setting aside money for outreach.

“The goal is to pay the loan off early so we can save on the interest and help LCEF by giving that money back so it can help other congregations like us,” Colling said. “We will also be helping our community by increasing our outreach.”

Village members will use those extra funds to support the local Meals on Wheels program, “which uses our kitchen to prepare meals and as a central distribution area for our community,” Colling said. The congregation is looking for other ways to help however. “We want to continue to be on the top of people’s mind when they think of a church doing good for the community. We want to increase our place in the community.”