Mennonite Church USA’s  Climate Justice Ministry has awarded the 2024 Pam De Young Net Zero Energy Fund grants to four congregations: Covenant Mennonite Fellowship, Sarasota, Florida; Roanoke Mennonite Church, Eureka, Illinois; Zion Mennonite Church, Hubbard, Oregon, and Zion Mennonite Church, Souderton, Pennsylvania. Covenant Mennonite Fellowship received $1,800 for its Electric Vehicle charging station, while the remaining three churches were each awarded the $5,000 solar grant.

Each recipient congregation demonstrated a long-term commitment to energy efficiency, with steps such as conducting an energy audit, adding insulation, installing LED light bulbs, replacing older HVAC systems with energy-efficient systems, switching from a natural gas range in the kitchen to an induction stove, restoring church property to prairie, and composting on church land.

The Pam De Young Net Zero Energy Fund provides $10,000 for installing solar panels and $1,800 for car charging stations per year to assist interested MC USA congregations. The term “net zero energy” describes buildings or communities that generate enough energy to meet their own needs.

Russell De Young, a member of Huntington Mennonite Church in Newport News, Virginia, established the fund in 2016 in memory of his wife, Pam. To date, the Pam De Young Net Zero Energy Fund has granted funds to 19 congregations. The fund is administered by MC USA.

“The goal of this fund is that all Mennonite churches will become independent from fossil fuels,” wrote Russell de Young, in his recent Menno Snapshots blog. “I am encouraged that so many Mennonites have become engaged in care for God’s creation,” he added.

Thanks to the generosity of Landisville Mennonite Church (a solar grant recipient in 2021) who paid it forward, the MC USA Climate Justice Ministry was able to offer solar grants to three congregations, one more than the usual two congregations, as well as one car charging station grant, a record number of grants.

“We are so pleased with the number and diversity of applicants to the Pam DeYoung Net Zero Energy Fund this year,” said Karla Stoltzfus Detweiler, MC USA’s climate justice coordinator. “We pray that their actions are like leaven in the dough, spreading the good news of climate justice in their communities.”

A longer version of this article was originally published by Mennonite Church USA on Nov. 6. Learn more about the Pam DeYoung Net Zero Energy Fund here.