Like other churches, its members worship "Holy Lord, God of power and might" each Sunday. But unlike most other churches, the parish generates electrical power using solar panels -- and has a power bill that once averaged $600 to $700 a month and has been reduced to an average of $20.

During the Diocese of Los Angeles convention in 2000, Peter Bergstrom of Camp Stevens, a diocesan conference center, told the convention about renewable energy.

"We looked at that and said Christ Church can do that," said the Rev. Richard Rubin, rector of the parish. Rubin says that, as far as he knows, Christ Church is the only church in the diocese to have proceeded with installation of a solar energy system. The church building's roof has more than 2,000 square feet, and that became an ideal location for 108 photovoltaic modules which turn the sun light into DC power. The height of the church helped insure that the modules were both unobstructed by the sun and unseen from the street.

Use of renewable energy "takes a longer vision than we are used to," noted the Rev. Sally Bingham of the Regeneration Project. "You have to put money up front, and the financial investment can be major. But in six to eight years, your electrical power is all paid for."

The Regeneration Project, she explained, is a part of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. It links "religious faith and environmental responsibility," she added. Total cost for Christ Church's equipment and related installation supplies was $75,000. Half of that was paid by a grant from the California Energy Commission under a program that is still in effect for projects in California.

Parish investment funds were used for the balance. The church continues to make the old power payments, but pays most of that to itself to repay the investment fund, said Rubin. At current rates of use, the power project should pay for itself in about eight years, he noted. The church is a customer and provider of power to Southern California Edison and thereby to the power grid. Excess power is sold to the utility.

In addition to lower power bills, there have been many other benefits, he added. One was the team effort that led to members of the parish doing the labor on installing the panels. That produced a sense of fellowship and saved about $25,000. And the attention paid to the energy system led to other changes in the aging church property. "We are sensitive to environmental and social issues, and Christ Church offers a quiet witness to these concerns," said Rubin.

The church traces its roots in the community to 1889. Ontario is just east of Los Angeles. Since the panels were installed in March 2002, energy retrofits have also taken place. An antiquated heating system was replaced, as was the security lighting system. An infrequently used kitchen gas water heater was replaced with a smaller electric model.

"We're simply taking energy given to us and using it well," said Rubin. Bingham noted using renewable energy sources "allows us to practice what Jesus did--engaging in justice and love of neighbor." She explained that renewable energy means less dependence upon power plants that can pollute.

She added that St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Wyandotte, Mich., had installed wind turbines prior to the massive power failure earlier this year. "They were able to keep the lights on, and feed people, and do the work that the church is supposed to do," she said.

For more information, visit http://www.theregenerationproject.org/