Russell De Young established the Pam De Young Net Zero Energy Fund in memory of his wife, to help Mennonite churches install solar panels and move toward net-zero fossil fuel usage.
This blog is part of the ongoing Learn, Pray, Join: Climate Justice: Seeking Shalom series.
Russell De Young stands at the Huntington Mennonite Church level two car charging station.
Russell De Young retired from NASA’s Langley Research Center, in Hampton, Virginia, after working there for 40 years. He graduated from the University of Illinois. He is an active member of Huntington Mennonite Church, in Newport News, Virginia, and collaborates with Mennonite Church USA on the Pam De Young Net Zero Energy Fund, which helps Mennonite churches use solar panels to conserve energy, while honoring the memory of his late wife, Pam.
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While I worked at NASA’s Langley Research Center, in Hampton, Virginia, I was involved in researching aerosol — dust particles — pollution, using a lidar to transmit a pulsed laser beam into the atmosphere to detect aerosols and cloud heights and, then, calculate where the aerosol pollution was originating. The origin usually turned out to be the Washington, D.C., corroder, which was emitting pollution from the large number of vehicles located there. I also evaluated the impacts that climate change would have on the research center and proposed solutions to preserve the center.
Almost daily, I would receive emails and reports about the damaging effects of climate change, both locally and around the world. The evidence for the changing climate was overwhelming and initiated several protection measures for the center, such as preparing for rising sea level and rising heat effects on employees. As a result, I was convinced that I needed to be more seriously involved in caring for the creation God has given us.
Caring for creation requires 1,000s of daily micro-decisions that bend toward creation care. Likewise, there comes a time when a major commitment to preserve creation is needed. Such a decision came to me after my wife, Pam De Young, died of cancer in 2015.
While there are many ways to remember and celebrate a person’s life, I was struck by an idea to start a grant program that would honor Pam, as she loved the beauty of all creation. She would plant flowers and bring their beauty into our home. She also loved admiring the beauty of the forest, while walking there.
Thus, I started the Pam De Young Net Zero Energy Fund, which provides $10,000 each year to Mennonite Church USA to help Mennonite churches install solar panels, to help them move toward using net-zero energy from fossil fuels. While this funding does not cover all of the installation costs of solar panels, it does offer encouragement for churches to make significant progress in caring for creation.
Sixteen churches have received grant funding, producing 365 kilowatts of installed solar panels. There are an additional 11 churches that have requested grant applications or are in the process of receiving a grant.
God has taken the grant seed and multiplied it many times over, far beyond my expectation. But if Jesus can feed thousands with a paltry few fish and loaves, why not expect him to do the same to preserve his beautiful creation?
The goal of this fund is that all Mennonite churches will become independent from fossil fuels. This is challenging, but most Mennonite churches are relatively small, thus not requiring a large number of solar panels. I am encouraged that so many Mennonites have become engaged in care for God’s creation.
Applications for the Pam De Young Net Zero Energy Fund are available from April 1-June 15 each year. MC USA-affiliated churches are encouraged to contact climatejustice@MennoniteUSA.org for more information and the appropriate forms to start the application.
As followers of Jesus, we seek God’s dream of shalom for all people and all of creation, including our climate. Shalom requires that we seek justice and healing for our relationships with God, with one another and with the earth that sustains us.
You are invited to get involved with Learn, Pray, Join: Climate Justice: Seeking Shalom.
Support Mennonite Church USA’s Peace and Justice Initiatives by giving here.
The views and opinions expressed in this blog belong to the author and are not intended to represent the views of the MC USA Executive Board or staff.