Bishop Mark led a service of blessing for the recently installed solar panels on the roof of Berwick Parish Church, following the completion of an exciting project.
The Bishop of Berwick was delighted to be at Holy Trinity Church for the service, on Sunday 22 September. He addressed the congregation, which included members of local churches and the wider community, on the Five Marks of Christian Mission.
The installation of new panels at Holy Trinity is the most recent step towards becoming carbon neutral.
The panels are estimated to reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 6,897 car miles per annum, while the financial benefits are also significant, reducing current electricity bills and enabling money to be made through feedback into the national grid.
The Church’s Environmental Champion Anne Horne said, “The congregation and wider community have embraced this and other eco projects at Berwick Parish Church, fulfilling the Fifth Mark of Mission, ‘to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and to sustain the life of the earth’.
“We owe it, not just to future generations, but to those most affected already by climate change, the poorest and most vulnerable worldwide, to reduce our emissions and show in practical ways, God’s care for us reciprocated by our care for his creation.”
PCC Lay Chair Dr David Mason said: "The successful installation of solar panels on our church, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our eco group is a testimony to their commitment and persistence and is a significant step in our journey to carbon neutrality."
The project is the legacy of the Revd Canon Dennis Handley, who retired from Holy Trinity last year. It was made possible by grants from the CoRE Legacy Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation and Benefact Trust, and through the generosity of the congregation and wider community who supported a variety of fundraising events.
It’s quite a landmark for this distinguished 375-year-old church, with some of its historical features assisting the process. Thanks to the Cromwellian parapet around the roof, the solar panels are hidden from view even from the nearby town walls.