Greening Our Sanctuaries: Interfaith Workshops & Expo

Online, June 22, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Reducing the environmental impact of churches, mosques, synagogues and other houses of worship takes center stage during Greening Our Sanctuaries: An Interfaith Workshop and Expo at Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation on Sunday, July 17, 2011, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. (Tour of Adat Shalom's solar panels starts at 1:30 PM.) The summit, which is open to the general public, is sponsored by Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light (GW-IPL) and Adat Shalom.

"Our goal is to educate, energize and empower members of diverse religious communities to take action and improve the environmental friendliness of their institutions. Participants will have the opportunity to share knowledge, experiences and recourses," said Joelle Novey, the director of GW-IPL, which helps congregations go green by supporting energy saving energy, purchasing clean power and minimizing institutional environmental impact.

"We are enthusiastic about the cross section of religious leaders who will be speaking," Novey added. Scheduled speakers include Sarah Jawaid, DC Green Muslims; Jerry Lawson, EPA Energy Star for Congregations Program; Rosina Perthel, Presbyterians for Earthcare; Sarah Scherschligt of Gaithersburg's Prince of Peace Lutheran Church; Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb, Adat Shalom, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life and GWIPL; and Anya Schoolman, Director, Community Power Network.

In commenting on the importance of environmental consciousness, Pastor Scherschligt, said, "At my church, we trust that when God said that Creation was 'good,' God meant it. We are one of the many local communities that turn to Interfaith Power & Light for support in learning how we can operate our own sanctuaries in ways that preserve and enhance the goodness of Creation."

Topics will range from solar panels and other renewable energy sources to the ethical imperative of protecting creation to building congregational 'green teams.' In addition to the symposium and workshops, energy and conservation businesses and organizations will exhibit their services and products at the Expo.

About Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation
Adat Shalom provides Washington-area Jews of all ages and backgrounds an opportunity to experience Jewish thought, ritual and culture in a vibrant and progressive community. The congregation engages it members with tools and opportunities to locate their own personal relationship to Jewish tradition, the Jewish people and, ultimately, the world. Environmental responsibility is a core concern of its members and is reflected in its eco-conscious building and its participation in outreach programs that advance its commitment to healing the planet. Recently, solar panels were installed on the roof of its building, which is designed and built in an environmentally friendly way and is located at 7727 Persimmon Tree Lane, Bethesda 20817. Parking and public transportation are available. For more information call 301-767-3333, x. 106.

After Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light
Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light (GW-IPL), which works to build a national religious response to the climate crisis, is part of a network of local Interfaith Power & Light groups across the country. It works with hundreds of congregations of all faiths across the DC area to go green, by supporting energy saving, clean power purchasing and re-bidding electricity contracts, and shifting other aspects of institutional purchasing and practices to minimize environmental impact. GW-IPL helps congregations educate and incorporate environmental concerns into worship, teaching and preaching. In addition, W-IPL collaborates with congregations to advocate for the protection of Creation.

GW-IPL is a project of the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. Since 1978, IFC has been bringing together the diverse religious communities in the DC area to promote dialogue, understanding, and a sense of community. Eleven faith communities, from Baha'i to Zoroastrian, collaborate through IFC to deepen understanding and to build a just community in metropolitan Washington. For more information, visit http://gwipl.org/.