Thank You!

Once again, we want to Thank You for the amazing support we have received from the Good Shepherd family. We are humbled by the strength of support from this vote and greatly appreciate your trust in our abilities to build and manage this Initiative for the congregation! Thank you!

We are working on the final steps to set the project in motion.

• Working with our attorney make the final tweaks to the leases (we hope to give the Council a minimum of a week to review them prior to their next meeting)
• Meeting with the Decorah Bank/GreenPenny loan officer to establish a short term loan to secure deposits for all of our contractors in order to lock in prices and get on their schedules
• Meeting with all of our contractors over the next week

We hope to start construction in late June (dependent on the contractor’s schedules). When we begin, the south doors from the Fellowship Hall vestibule will be blocked off and access will not be available until such time that the area has been returned to a condition that is safe for all. Much of the backyard directly south of the courtyard will also be “off-limits." 

In our perfect world, we would have the entire system installed and operational no later than December 31st. HOWEVER, we have already been told this week that “due to supply chain issues” some of the pergola canopy may not arrive until December at the earliest. This is unfortunate but is a sign of the times. However, other parts of the project i.e. rooftop solar and heat pumps may come online earlier. We hope that these supply issues described to us are “worst-case scenarios.” We will continue to keep everyone apprised as the project moves along.

Caring for Creation with ELCA

Jim has been asked to present at the Synod Assembly at Wartburg College on Saturday, June 11th.

The presentation, "A Congregation’s Path to Carbon Neutrality," will be a description and discussion of the process we have undertaken since we first started improving our facilities in 2010, through achieving Energy Star status, changing to LED lighting, the 2019 renovation, and our plans for the final steps. The presentation will show the process, equipment, and future aspirations for a Net Zero use of grid energy. 

Good Shepherd is already a leader in many ways, and this sharing opportunity will provide another way for us to help others in their efforts in Caring for Creation.

Jim and Liz

Mission Green, LLC

Information about the Carbon Neutral Initiative for Good Shepherd can be found here:

• Good Shepherd’s website: www.goodshepherddecorah.org/missiongreen/
• Jim and Liz’s website: www.missiongreen.llc