“O beautiful star of Bethlehem, shining afar through shadows dim…”  VT 275

A star plays a prominent role in the nativity story, guiding wise ones from the East as they travel to visit the Christ child in Bethlehem.  Whatever astronomical sign that may or may not have been, it is one of the ways Matthew connects heaven and earth at Jesus’ birth.

This Advent our congregation is deepening our relationship with another star, the closest one, our sun.    Last week a crew from ARP, Appalachian Renewable Power, was hard at work, doing the manual labor of connecting heaven and earth.  They skillfully installed solar panels on the South, East, and West facing portions of the church roof.  We hope to have them fully functional in the next few weeks.    

This project is a major part of our What Is This Place? capital campaign from last year.  The goal has been to update key features of our building in ways that honor, as best we’re able, our relationship with the earth and one another.  Electric heat pumps for our HVAC systems, and a new roof have already been installed.  Now these panels better connect us earth-bound people to the heavens by catching our star’s energy and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

This Sunday is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year – perhaps not the ideal time to flip the ON switch to a solar installation.  Or perhaps it’s the perfect time.  As we celebrate the birth of Christ, through whom God reconciled the world to Godself, we take this small step toward that vision of reconciliation.  As the days begin to lengthen, we have additional cause for praise and wonder, each photon of light that comes our way another gift from the heavens.

And if you’re into numbers, here are some, courtesy of our Building Manager Jeff Delcamp:

* 135 panels at 410 watts each

* Panels are 75 by 42 inches (6.25 by 3.5 feet)

* Estimated 62,000 kWh per year production

* Estimated to generate 2/3rds of our annual energy needs

* Will save us about $12,000 per year, paying for itself in 10 to 11 years, then adding an additional $200,000 of electricity over the remaining life of the system. 

Joel