March 25th, 2026Emissions Reduction Grant: Erb St. Mennonite Church
Green upgrades convert to eco-mission projects for Erb St. Mennonite Church
When Erb St. Mennonite Church in Waterloo, Ont. Installed solar panels on the roof of their building, they decided that revenue from the energy sold to Ontario’s power utility would be used to fund mission projects.
The 25-year contract they signed with Hydro One in 2012 offered a generous $0.80/kWh for the energy. The panels were paid for in 7 years, and have generated circa $20,000/year since — income the church has used to plant trees in Haiti, Africa, and nearby Wilmot Township, in addition to funding kids who could not otherwise afford to attend Silver Lake Mennonite Camp.
The congregation of 200 was founded in 1850, and its current building dates back to 1902. Older buildings like Erb St. can be difficult and expensive to green, but so far, the challenges of vintage architecture have not stopped the congregation. In 2015 they fitted better insulated windows to further reduce their energy use. An “Act Now” sign in front of the church building invites passers by to “Join communities for climate justice.”
The congregation’s approach to capturing economic benefits from carbon emissions reduction has carried on to its recent sanctuary refresh, which included an upgrade to brighter, more energy efficient LED lighting. The project was both functional and aesthetic: they needed more space for a growing children’s time during worship, and brighter lighting for senior’s eyes.
Joanne Bender has been part of the church for 34 years and chairs the worship committee. She led the the worship space project and applied for an Emissions Reduction Grant [ERG ] from Mennonite Church Canada to help pay for the lighting upgrade. The improved lighting is a significant improvement. Bender, who plays piano at worship services, no longer needs an additional light to read her sheet music.
The congregation rents out its worship space to two other congregations, and thanks to its desirable acoustics, is a popular place for the music community to hold events. “It’s so nice and bright and airy,” is the first thing people say when they enter the freshly lit and painted sanctuary, said Bender. In addition to the $3,000 ERG and reduced energy needed for the new lights, Bender noted a side benefit from the application process. “In doing the application, I learned a lot,” said Bender. “That has opened up a whole new topic for our congregation to look at.”
Bender feels the congregation could do more greening. They are thinking of doing a comprehensive energy audit on the church building, and holding information sessions on what congregants can do to reduce emissions from their homes and activities of daily living.
