Creation Care Partners

TO REACH OUT TO SYNAGOGUES AND EVANGELICAL CHURCHES IN INDIANA AND PROVIDE THEM WITH TOOLS AND RESOURCES, TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND PEER SUPPORT TO MOTIVATE AND EQUIP THEM TO SERVE AS MODELS OF CARING FOR CREATION BY CONSERVING ENERGY AND SWITCHING TO RENEWABLES IN THEIR HOUSES OF WORSHIP AND HOMES.

1. RECRUIT GRANTEES / OUTREACH TO CONGREGATIONS. OBJECTIVES: AWARD SOLAR AND/OR ENERGY CONSERVATION GRANTS TO 17 TO 24 PROMINENT DIVERSE CHURCHES ACROSS INDIANA. (GRANTS ARE TIED TO COMMITMENTS TO DEEP ENERGY CONSERVATION IN HOUSES OF WORSHIP AND HOUSEHOLDS.) ENGAGE AS MANY OF INDIANA'S 22 SYNAGOGUES IN SIMILAR CREATION CARE ACTION AS POSSIBLE. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: RECRUITED AND APPROVED TWO EVANGELICAL CHURCHES TO RECEIVE GRANTS - ONE OF WHICH INSTALLED THE PANELS AND WAS REIMBURSED AND THE OTHER WHICH IS WAITING FOR THE CONTRACTOR TO DO THE INSTALLATION. MET WITH NUMEROUS OTHER CHURCHES TO PROMOTE GRANT. PROACTIVELY REACHED OUT TO CLERGY AND LARGE CHURCHES THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED OR HELP WITH RECRUITMENT. CONDUCTED GRANT INFORMATION SESSIONS AND PROVIDED SUPPORT TO POTENTIAL APPLICANTS. ORGANIZED STATEWIDE EVENT FOR SYNAGOGUES CLERGY AND LAY LEADERS. ENGAGED WITH A MAJORITY OF THE SYNAGOGUES IN THE STATE.

2. SUPPORT GRANTEES AND OTHER CONGREGATIONS TO INSTALL GRANT-FUNDED SOLAR PANELS / ENERGY CONSERVATION AND TO DEEPLY REDUCE ENERGY USE IN HOUSES OF WORSHIP AND MEMBERS' HOMES: OBJECTIVES: OVERSEE GRANT-FUNDED ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURES AND SOLAR INSTALLATIONS. DEVELOP AND PROVIDE TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND TECHNICAL AND PEER SUPPORT TO EVANGELICAL CHURCHES AND SYNAGOGUES TO MOTIVATE AND EQUIP THEM TO UNDERTAKE DEEP ENERGY CONSERVATION AND TO SWITCH TO RENEWABLES IN THEIR HOUSES OF WORSHIP AND MEMBERS' HOMES. ACTIVITIES: ORGANIZED FOCUS GROUPS AND USED FEEDBACK TO FINALIZE 12 MONTHLY ENERGY ACTION SHEETS THAT CONVEY WHY AND HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE 33 MOST IMPACTFUL MEASURES A HOUSEHOLD CAN TAKE TO REDUCE ITS ENERGY FOOTPRINT - WITH A COMBINED IMPACT OF AN APPROXIMATELY 30% TO 50% REDUCTION. SECURED BASELINE DATA FOR TWO CHURCHES AND APPROVED HOUSEHOLD AND HOUSE OF WORSHIP ENERGY CONSERVATION PLANS FOR EACH. HELD MONTHLY ZOOM WORKSHOPS TO SUPPORT CONGREGATIONAL LEADERS AND MEMBERS TO UNDERTAKE TASKS. TRAINED TEAM TO RUN THESE WORKSHOPS AND SUPPORTED YOUTH TO IMPLEMENT ENERGY CONSERVATION SUPPLIES FAIR IN ONE CHURCH, THAT WILL RECEIVE A GRANT IN FY 2023. GAVE NUTS AND BOLTS ENERGY CONSERVATION TALK AT CREATION CARE FAIR AT CHURCH THAT RECEIVED A GRANT IN FY 2022.

3. PROMOTE, ORGANIZE AND CONDUCT WORKSHOPS / SECURE MEDIA COVERAGE. OBJECTIVE: THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND MEDIA COVERAGE, MOTIVATE MANY OTHER CONGREGATIONS TO FOLLOW THE LEAD OF THE GRANTEES AND OTHER CONGREGATIONS THAT HAVE MODELED DEEP ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE ENERGY. ACTIVITIES: CONGREGATIONS ARE NOT YET AT POINT TO UNDERTAKE AND SERVE AS MODELS FOR THESE WORKSHOPS.