Established in 1855, Allen Chapel AME is the oldest Black church in Kalamazoo and has a rich history of advocating for social and justice issues. Reverend Millard Southern explains, "since 1855, the members of Allen Chapel have been on the front line of many different community concerns from health and wellness, to arts and humanities, to food insecurity, to housing."

Yet, over the years, the age of the building and its systems has often left members uncomfortable during the hot and cold seasons. This posed a challenge to congregants' willingness to come back to church for services and programs after the early days of COVID.

Thanks to our Sacred Spaces project, the church and its office/classroom space are now MORE comfortable and welcoming and LESS costly to operate!

Pastor Southern shows us one of the four HVAC units that were installed on the exterior walls of the sanctuary.

“[The Sacred Spaces program] has brought in our awareness, deepened our educational base, and it has allowed us to come together as a church around a central project, which is environmental justice and energy efficiency” -Rev. Millard Southern, III

A pillar in the community, Allen Chapel established the first “colored school” for former enslaved people who came to Kalamazoo from the South. Additionally, according to Pastor Southern, “Allen Chapel AME established the first integrated jazz big band. Music is the heart and center of our worship.”

Pastor Southern shares about the Christian imperative to care for Creation to a group of congregants and community members gathered for a Climate Conversation.

Improving service to the community through energy upgrades

As part of the Sacred Spaces program, the congregation's energy audit report recommended prioritizing the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Cooling) replacement and update due to the age of the equipment and significant potential energy and utility cost savings. Allen Chapel hired a local contractor who upgraded the HVAC systems. The congregation also replaced 2 inefficient cold food storage appliances. “These heating and cooling units help us to worship in a comfortable environment,” said Rev. Southern. After these upgrades, the church estimates its energy usage will be reduced by 14%! Congregants are returning to church and new programs have been initiated. People can now feel comfortable in the building.

Spreading the good news

Beyond this, Pastor Southern explains that before Sacred Spaces, the congregation had limited knowledge about energy efficiency or environmental justice. But as they came together through meetings and discussions about making their church more energy-efficient, they grew stronger as a community. They learned a great deal, which empowered them to reach out and emphasize the importance of energy efficiency to others. They view this work as part of their faith—"This is God's work," says Pastor Southern. With boots on the ground, they’ve been raising awareness, sharing information, and building a base of knowledge so that both their community and others can learn and benefit. It’s truly inspiring, and they’re excited to welcome others to join them.

"Faith is not just belief that is stored in your heart and your mind, but faith is acting on what you know," says Pastor Southern. "The call to action is to move outside of the four walls of your church and advocate for change." This is precisely what Allen Chapel is doing - spreading the good news of energy efficiency and sustainability. Southern shares that it is essential that more churches are equipped to do the same.