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NORWALK, Conn. Faithful folk all over Norwalk who are concerned about the heating bills at their houses of worship might want to head to Norwalk's First Congregational Church on the Green on Wednesday evening for a free seminar on conservation.
It will be the opening session of "This Old House of Worship," a 15-hour class broken up into five three-hour sessions that teach the faith community about savings through energy management. The class addresses the issues of heating, lighting and insulation and teaches participants how to decipher their energy bills and calculate their savings.
The information session and class will be led by Wilson Educational Services Inc. and the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network, or IREJN, of Connecticut and is funded by the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund. This Old House of Worship begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, in the First Congregational Church on the Green's Church Hall, located at Park and Lewis streets in Norwalk.
"I have been working on environmental justice issues in Norwalk for many years, and I know the faith community has been a tremendous advocate for these issues," Diane Lauricella, an environmental consultant and member of the First Congregational Church on the Green, said in a statement. "This class will be a wonderful opportunity for churches, synagogues and other houses of worship to save money, teach their congregations how to save money at home and help the planet.
"The first five churches to sign up to take the free classes after the information session will receive a free energy assessment for their church building, a value that can place the monetary savings into other important programs."
It's the first time the class will be offered in southwestern Connecticut. An RSVP is requested.
"In this difficult economy, many faith communities are struggling," Terri Eickel, IREJN's director, said in a statement. "Graduates of This Old House of Worship report a savings of 30 percent on their electricity bills, which is significant. We are very glad to be able to offer this program for free to the Norwalk religious community."
The benefit of This Old House of Worship goes beyond monetary concerns. Eickel said the program also helps faith communities establish a faith mandate for environmental stewardship. "Some religious communities come to us because they already understand the importance of caring for creation," she said. "For some, it is a new subject. This Old House of Worship is an excellent introduction to the concept of faith and the environment."
Lauricella agreed. "I think that This Old (Green) House of Worship will be a great way for religious communities to really examine their energy use and its impact on the planet. After this initial effort, we hope that each congregation will consider continuing to explore other ways that members can learn how to become better stewards of their community."
"Ultimately," Eickel said, "we would like to see environmental stewardship woven into the mission tapestry of the faith communities, much the way hunger and poverty are. But first we start with energy conservation and energy savings, so that faith communities can see a real and immediate benefit to their choices."
For more information or to RSVP, call Lauricella at 203-858-1537, email her at dlauricella24@yahoo.com or call the church office at 203-847-9551.
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