 |
Energy Stewardship
First English Lutheran Church
Columbus, OH
First English Lutheran Church has been in the
creation care business for the past 20 years.
Combining economic and environmental concerns,
this inner-city congregation uses energy savings
to meet their limited church budget. John Fetters,
consultant and congregational member, has been
a member of First English Lutheran for 42 years.
He says, "The congregation realizes that
we are still a viable congregation due, in part,
to paying attention to environmental stewardship
in practical ways and using simple energy management
techniques, such as turning off lights and setting
back thermostats."
While the church lives in an economically depressed
area of Columbus, they offer a sign of hope by
caring for that very environment with their energy
stewardship. Their youth have helped with neighborhood
cleanup campaigns and they have recycled cans
and bottles. Not only do they practice the simple
acts of controlling lights and thermostats, they
have installed full energy-efficient lighting
throughout the church including LED exit signs,
lighting controls, and special large compact fluorescents
for the sanctuary lanterns. Other purchases and
installations of the church have included a waterless
urinal, energy efficiency HVAC units, and EPA
Energy Star approved equipment. Also, First English
Lutheran recycles aluminum, cardboard, and paper
(in addition to purchasing recycled paper). The
church budget is augmented by the small profits
from recycling aluminum cans brought in by members
and friends.
|
|
The church has built up a good system of energy
management over the years, so that by now they
have reduced the amount of energy used in the
church by 60 percent. Fetters continuously monitors energy
use to keep the environmental programs on track.
Future plans include low-flush toilets to limit
water use and, to further control energy costs,
sub-metering of electric use by their non-profit
mission partners who share space in the building.
Fetters says that, “First English
is in the city for good and takes seriously the
biblical charge to tend God’s garden, wherever
you are.”
Contact Person: John Fetters at johnlfetters@rrohio.com
Energy-saving lighting at First
English Lutheran Church
|