Church of the Holy Comforter Solar Energy Project Nears Completion

Church of the Holy Comforter is pleased to announce the near completion of its new solar energy project, a significant step toward sustainability and environmental stewardship. To celebrate this milestone, the church will host a ribbon cutting and blessing ceremony outdoors on Sunday, October 27 at 11:15 a.m. in the lower church parking lot, located at 543 Beulah Road NE, Vienna, VA 22180.

The event will feature remarks from church leaders, local officials, and representatives from the solar project partners. The ceremony will conclude with a blessing of the solar panels, symbolizing the church’s commitment to renewable energy and care for creation.

Church of the Holy Comforter’s solar project includes the installation of 325 solar panels, which are expected to generate 216,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, producing all the electricity for its current usage. This initiative will not only reduce the church’s carbon footprint but also lower energy costs over the 30-to-50 year lifespan of the panels, allowing more resources to be directed toward community outreach programs.

“This is a substantial step towards our shared parish and diocesan goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions,” said the Reverend Jon Strand, Rector at Church of the Holy Comforter. “Our faith calls us to be stewards of the Earth, and this solar project is one of many efforts we are taking to care for this one place we call home. We are grateful to Victor and Joan Brown and the Brown family, our congregation and shared leadership, the Town of Vienna, Fairfax County, Dan Govan of Govan Builders, Bob Pegnato of Structural Solar, LLC, Ipsun Solar and many other community partners who have supported this endeavor. Also, the recent Inflation Reduction Act allowed us to do substantially more than we would have originally been able to accomplish alone.”

The event is open to the public, and all are welcome to join in the celebration.

Event Details:

• What: Ribbon Cutting and Blessing Ceremony for Church of the Holy Comforter Solar Project
• When: October 27, 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
• Where: Church of the Holy Comforter, 543 Beulah Road NE, Vienna, VA 22180 - Lower Parking Lot
• Who: Open to the public. Light refreshments provided.

For more information, please contact Peggy Miller at pmiller@holycomforter.com or (703) 938-6521.

About Church of the Holy Comforter:

As Episcopalians we at Church of the Holy Comforter are a people of the “Middle Way”, a balancing between Catholic and Protestant traditions, taking the best of both. Our baptismal covenant calls us to respect the dignity of every human being. That means people of every race, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, socioeconomic status, physical or mental health, or other circumstances are welcome. In response to the love of God and the power of the Resurrection, we at Holy Comforter are called to be a source of transformation, wholeness, and healing for all within and without the parish community.