Blog: Where Faith And Protecting the Earth Meet

is inviting the public to attend a Cool Congregations Coffee from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., on Thursday, March 20, at 4000 Hudson Rd., to learn about the benefits of their new ground source heat pump system.

Bethlehem Lutheran has cut their energy use by 45 percent by installing a ground source heat pump system to heat and cool their facility and have now added the water heating function to the system to cut their energy use even further.

Cool Congregations offers Coffee events to build the network of faithful Iowans caring for the earth by bringing them together to inspire and assist one another in reducing their energy use as an act of faith.

The Coffee will begin at 7 p.m. with a chance for participants to share their stories of success in saving energy at home or in their congregations. At 7:30 p.m. Bethlehem Lutheran will give a presentation and tour of the conversion process from electric heating and cooling to ground source heat pump and the results of two years worth of energy and cost savings.

Pete Olson from will also be on hand to tell about the incentives for GSHP and other energy efficient measures for homes and houses of worship.

Cool Congregations is a program of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, which is one of 39 state affiliates of the Interfaith Power & Light campaign who work to create a religious response to climate change.

“We’ve helped many congregations conserve energy, and pay attention to the connections between the faiths they claim and the way they live on the earth,” said Susan Guy, Executive Director of Iowa IPL. “The Cool Congregations workshops and Coffees are a great way to learn more about our obligation to love our neighbors and protect the earth - and lower energy costs while we’re at it.”

Register for the Cool Congregations Coffee on Tuesday, March 20 at iowaipl.org/calendar or contact Sarah Webb at coolcongregations@iowaipl.org. The Coffee is free and open to the public.