Compassion UMC is a young church plant in Brookfield. When Rev. Karl Sokol was offered a 90-year-old dry cleaner building to buy, it took extensive renovation. From the start they were determined make the building as low-impact as possible, from insulation to efficient windows to water-saving bathroom fixtures to LED lighting throughout. Compassion also sponsors a community garden, including a mini-pantry located at the garden, and some of their congregation walk or bike to church.
The crowning glory for Brookfield Compassion is their 13 kw solar system. Their installation is a stop on the annual Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA) tour! Take a few moments of your time to watch their video on the ISEA site that provides details about their project and resources for those that also would like to install solar panels. You can also check out their solar installation in person at the Solar Tour on September 30 from 10am-3pm.
“We believe houses of worship have a moral responsibility to be leaders in the drive to net-zero carbon emissions: to get as much energy as possible from renewable energy - solar and wind,” Beth Galbreath remarked.
Galbreath also invites anyone interested to take the Lay Servant Ministries course called Loving People and Planet in the Name of God (based on the UMW/UWFaith book Climate Justice), now open for enrollment. With a discount code of hopeful for those in the Northern Illinois Conference, the price drops to $30.
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