The following is The Suffolk Times’ annual listing of Christmas services and special events hosted by local churches.
Tag: St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
Rev. Garret Johnson greets five-year-old Emma. (Credit: Katharine Schroeder)
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Greenport held its annual Blessing of the Animals Saturday afternoon just as the rain began to fall.
GRANT PARPAN PHOTO | Deacon Jeff Sykes and altar boy Chris Massey of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Mattituck bless a horse Sunday.
It’s not every day you go to church with three horses, two donkeys, a guinea pig, several cats and a few dozen dogs. And that’s what people love about the Blessing of the Animal ceremonies held at area churches each October.
“It’s the most fun we have all year,” said Deacon Jeff Sykes of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Mattituck. “It’s particularly great out here. Other places, you’ll see some house pets. Here we have horses and donkeys, too.”
The Mattituck ceremony was one of several blessings held on the North Fork this weekend, along with events at Old Steeple Community Church in Aquebogue and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Greenport.
CYNDI MURRAY PHOTO | Solar panels are being installed at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Greenport.
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church on Route 25 in Greenport is going green by adding 100 solar panels to its roof.
Church officials began exploring alternative energy last year in an effort to reduce electricity expenses and the building’s carbon footprint.
“We felt that making a change to solar would allow us to be good stewards of the Earth,” the Rev. Garret Johnson said.
“We use a lot of electricity,” he added. “We hope to have positive impact on the community by going green.”
The reverend said wind and geothermal were also considered as sources of alternative power, but solar panels were chosen because of the position of the building, which gets a lot of sunlight throughout the day.
The project hit a snag in October when superstorm Sandy damaged the church, and the congregation was forced to replace the roof without federal assistance. The Rev. Johnson credits rebates made available by LIPA for enabling the church to move forward with the $80,000 solar project. The rebates covered half the project’s total cost, he said.
The solar panels will generate 26,000 watts of electricity, enough power to provide all the electricity the church needs and leave it with a minuscule LIPA bill , the Rev. Johnson said. The installation is expected to be complete by the end of the week.
“It was by the grace of God that we will enjoy being 100 percent powered by the sun and the Son,” he said.
