Let there be light: Solomon’s United Church of Christ ‘Goes Solar’

PennEnvironment hosts Franklin County residents for tour of Solomon’s United Church of Christ’s solar array

Chambersburg, PA – Local officials and residents joined leaders from Solomon’s United Church of Christ and the nonprofit environmental group PennEnvironment for an informative tour of the church’s innovative solar project. The tour was held to educate Chambersburg residents about the benefits of solar energy and how they can go solar if interested.

PennEnvironment Joins Solomon’s United Church of Christ for a solar tourPhoto by TPIN | TPIN

“There’s never been a better time for houses of worship to use the power of the sun to electrify their congregations,” said Hanna Felber, organizer for PennEnvironment. “Plentiful sunshine and generous solar incentives are here. Now is a critical time for more congregations in Pennsylvania just need to take advantage of them.” 

In November of 2024, Solomon’s United Church of Christ worked with GreenBrilliance to install a 12.6 kW rooftop solar array large enough to offset 100 percent of its annual electricity usage. This is not only saving the church money on its utility bills, but the panels have also eliminated 5,600 pounds of carbon emissions since their installation. 

“Our decision to go solar was based in our desire to care for the earth and our environment – what we believe is God’s creation – and our commitment to responsible stewardship of our financial resources,” stated Solomon’s United Church of Christ Pastor Julia Brown. “By spending less money on our electric bills, we’ll have more available for our outreach and missions, including our backpack meals program, blessing box (mini food pantry), and community garden. From a theological or faith perspective, solar panels are a way to love God and to love our neighbors, which (according to Jesus) are the two greatest commandments we have as Christians.”

Solomon’s United Church of Christ was able to go solar with the support of federal clean energy incentives that reduced the cost of the installation and will deliver significant savings to the church, cutting their monthly electricity bill in half.

“This solar system is not a sale to Revolve or GreenBrilliance,” emphasized GreenBrilliance Project Manager Adam Seaman. “This solar system isn’t just a collection of panels; it’s a beacon of hope, a symbol of our faith in action.”

Solar energy is abundant, efficient and increasingly affordable, and houses of worship often are great candidates for rooftop solar panels. While people may frequent these buildings less during the week, their panels will still generate power that churches can sell back to utility companies. And come prayer services and other activities offered by religious institutions, churches and other congregations can also stand to benefit from the clean power and lower utility bills.

“We’re not just reducing our carbon footprint; we’re investing in a cleaner, more sustainable future,” said Adam Seaman. “We’re harnessing the power of the sun, a gift from above, to illuminate our path forward.”

Right now, Pennsylvania is ranked 26th in the nation for solar power. Church leaders hope that their array can inspire other houses of worship across Pennsylvania to follow their lead and get their power from above too, so Pennsylvania can turn into a solar leader.

PennEnvironment is holding events like this throughout the state to help spread the word about the benefits of going solar so that more houses of worship, nonprofits, businesses, and individuals can invest in a clean energy future too.