Monthly Highlight

Walking Together on the Path to Success: Tofield United's Retrofit Progress Updates

Keeping your community in the loop on projects is beneficial as it fosters transparency, trust, and support. Faithful Footprints participant, Tofield United Church (Tofield, AB) exemplifies this by regularly updating their congregants on the progress of their retrofit project, ensuring everyone feels informed and engaged in the process. This open communication not only strengthens the bond within the community but also encourages active participation and support for the project's success.

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Unveiling Potential: From Audit to Action at St. James United

The strongest lessons St. James United Church (Etobicoke, ON) learned from their building retrofit project derived from conducting their energy audit. Before the audit, St. James had no idea of the potential benefits of reducing their utility consumption. The energy audit provided a measurement system of where improvements could be made and their associated payback. The energy audit helped the congregation understand the link between building gas usage and CO2 emissions.

"The energy audit really opened our eyes to what is possible and it remains a very helpful tool in explaining our energy efficiency and carbon reduction efforts to the congregation. Church members want to know what we are doing as a congregation to help deal with climate change and how we are going about it." reflects Bob Harris, Chairman of the Property/Finance Committee at St. James United.

"The Faithful Footprints grant was the catalyst to get moving and start on a climate change program, focused on greenhouse gas reductions and energy use efficiency. We have started a fund within our church for members to support this program. We are planning to support our property team with funding programs to support projects identified by the energy audit." shares Harris.

Take advantage of the benefits of getting an energy audit. Explore the types of Building Audits offered by Faithful Footprints Delivery Partner, Faith & the Common Good.

Approved

West Side United Church (Pentz, NS)

St. Andrew's United Church (Lacombe, AB)

St. Peter's United Church (St. Peter's, NS)

Trinity United Church (Vernon, BC)

Work Completed

Oak Hill United Church (Oak Hill, NB)

Received a grant to install two heat pumps as its primary heating source and replace light fixtures with LEDs.

St. James United Church (Etobicoke, ON)

Received a grant to conduct an ASHRAE Level II Energy Audit, replace 12 single-pane windows in its basement with new Energy Star windows, and upgrade lighting in its Fellowship Hall with LEDs.

St. Paul's United Church (Cobourg, ON)

Received a grant to replace its existing heating system with two energy-efficient propane furnaces, install two propane tanks on a new concrete pad, and replace the existing wooden entrance door to its Sunday school with a new custom order steel door/frame with keyed lock/panic bar.

Wesley United Church (Montreal, QC)

Received a grant to replace 12 window unit air conditioners with 9 heat pumps.

Energy Results

Crystal City United Church (Crystal City, MB)

Received a grant to replace windows and a refrigerator, and install LED lighting tubes in church office, lobby, bathroom, stairwell, and basement. A year following their projects, Crystal City United reduced its weather-normalized source EUI by 17.9%, GHG emissions by 100%, electricity usage through grid purchase and onsite generated renewable system by 11.3%, and energy costs by 5.5%.

Middlewood United Church (Middlewood, NS)

Received a grant to replace windows and insulate its building. A year following their projects, Middlewood United reduced its source EUI by 34.5%, GHG emissions by 31.5%, fuel oil usage by a single source by 44.2%, and energy costs by 32.4%.

Trenton United Church (Trenton, ON)

Received a grant to replace refrigerators and freezers, replace all windows on the main floor, and install LED lighting. A year following their projects, Trenton United reduced its GHG emissions by 4.6%, natural gas usage by 3.9%, and electricity usage by 22.5%.

Inspiration

Coming Together to Combat Climate Change: The Unified Mission of Deer Park United and Calvin Presbyterian

Bringing together church communities, ecumenical ministries help combine resources, knowledge, and efforts to address common challenges — promoting a sense of solidarity and shared purpose among Christian believers. By uniting their efforts, these ecumenical partnerships hold the potential to be formidable allies in the ongoing battle against climate change — raising awareness, advocating for sustainable policies, and inspiring eco-friendly practices within their congregations. With a shared ecumenical ministry spanning 13 years, Deer Park United Church and Calvin Presbyterian Church in Toronto, Ontario, serve as a compelling example of the impact that a united mission can have in the realm of climate action. The two communities of faith came together to complete a building retrofit, replacing its boiler with support from Faithful Footprints funding.

South Gloucester United Church: A Green Audit Update from Cara Prest

In the spring of 2022, South Gloucester United Church (Ottawa, ON) had the opportunity for its 140-year-old church building to be virtually assessed by Faithful Footprints Grant Manager and Faith & the Common Good's Building Audit Manager, Stephen Collette. This virtual audit was part of Faith & the Common Good's Greening Sacred Spaces Green Audit Program. The Virtual Green Audit arms clients with the information and tools necessary to help make their commercial operations as energy- and cost-efficient as possible. Cara Prest of South Gloucester United shares a reflection on their experience.

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[Image credit: Jennifer Henry/The United Church of Canada]

Kindred Works Breaks Ground on Housing Project

Earlier this month, representatives from the General Council and Shining Waters Regional Council joined Kindred Works to break ground on a housing project in Orillia, ON.

This—the first of Kindred Works’ redevelopments—is on the site of the former Regent Park United Church and will add 48 new climate-safe rental homes, a third of which will be below market rent to meet the core housing need of the local community. Ground-floor units will be barrier-free. Project design and landscaping will make the most of passive ventilation and daylight, and retain and enhance surrounding trees.

This first groundbreaking is a huge step forward for Kindred Works and The United Church of Canada, both in responding to the housing crisis and in transforming churches and their sites to meet shared or community needs. Twenty other projects are in the works.

Learn more about this project

KAIROS Climate Action Week blog-a-rama

KAIROS Climate Week ran September 11 to 17 but the blogs live on! In September their informative blogs followed the theme - Decolonizing Climate Action: Keep the Oil in the Soil and Let Justice and Peace Flow, focusing on the root cause of climate change… fossil fuels. Stay tuned for the next Climate Action Week, which runs from November 13 to 19. It will focus on the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) and will be co-sponsored by For the Love of Creation.

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Opportunities

Eco-Mystics Zoom Workshop

Oct. 3 – Feb. 13Register

Karl Rahner has said that if the church is going to survive we need to become mystics—perhaps if humans are going to survive we need to become eco-mystics.

In this course you will:

Become familiar with practices that enable us to become eco-mystics—including meditating outside.
Use liturgy and ritual with the four elements and poetry to stay present to our beautiful, rapidly changing biosphere and the resulting emergence/cy.
Create a relational container to name what is most alive, from grief to joy, new thoughts, emergent actions, and new connections.
Use Mark Coleman’s A Field Guide to Nature Meditation for personal weekly practice.

Register

Faithful Footprints Grant Webinar - Prairie Region

November 3, 1 PM CST

Are you interested in learning more about the Faithful Footprints Grant? Find out how your congregation can access up to $30,000 to green community faith spaces. The webinar will be presented with a focus on communities in the Prairie Region. All are welcome.

Speakers include:

Kalen Taylor: Executive Director of Purpose Construction and Faithful Footprints Prairie Hub Coordinator

Stephen Collette: Faith & the Common Good’s Green Audit Manager, Faithful Footprints Buildings Grants Manager, Building Science Specialist, a Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals Member, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional, a Building Biology Environmental Consultant and a Building Biology New Build Consultant.

Register by email

Near Net Zero by 2030?: Harnessing Community Resources

November 4, 1 PM EST

Looking for ways to expand climate action within your community? Network with other communities of faith at Shining Waters Regional Council's 'Near Net Zero by 2030?: Harnessing Community Resources' event and gain expertise on awakening climate action in your community. Help your Faith Community become a center for inspiring political change and ecological justice to create a sustainable future.

Learn more

Documentary Screening of 'A Faithful Commitment to Sustainability'

November 5, 1 PM EST

Price Family Cinema, Accolade East 004

Come out and see the documentary screening of 'A Faithful Commitment to Sustainability', directed by Peyman Naeemi. Discover the inspiring stories of people who are making a difference in their communities through sustainable practices.