St. James & St. John United Church, located in Miramichi, New Brunswick, operates three buildings including its manse, church, and its church Centre, which houses offices, Sunday School, and a number of congregational activities.
In response to rising fuel costs and the environmental impact of fossil fuels, the church has been transitioning to mini-split heat pump systems as the primary source of heating across all its buildings. As part of this commitment, mini-splits were installed in the main church building, allowing the congregation to eliminate its reliance on oil for heating.
Focusing on where it matters most
Between the church’s two remaining buildings, upgrading the Church Centre was the next top priority, as it is used most frequently by both the congregation and the wider community. The Centre is a hub for community programs and activities and hosts the church’s offices, Sunday School program, bible studies, dessert theatres, church suppers and special events. The church also rents the building on a regular basis to an organization that teaches English language primarily to immigrants, a yoga group, pickleball players, and to other organizations.
“The Centre is vital to who we are and how we operate as a congregation. It’s where all daily activities take place.” shares Kimberley Shaddick, Office Administrator at St. James & St. John United Church
The church directed all of the funds received from the Faithful Footprints program to upgrade the heating system in the Church Centre. The improvements included removing the existing oil furnace, oil tank, and radiators throughout the building. Although some mini-split units were already in place, several rooms and areas remained underheated. The church replaced three older mini-splits in the auditorium, originally installed in 2013, and installed new units in two rooms with rental potential, two offices on the main floor, and one in the foyer.
“Installing the heat pumps in our Centre would increase our rental possibilities and allow us to rent a couple of our rooms, bringing in more income. We often have large gatherings that include the congregation and visitors and the planned upgrades would help to provide a more comfortable meeting space.” states Shaddick
Continuing work throughout the Centre
While the heating system upgrade marked a major step forward, St. James & St. John United Church recognizes that further improvements can still be made to enhance the overall efficiency, accessibility, and usability of the Church Centre. Future projects for the Centre include upgrading a basement bathroom, replacing the roof, and installing new, energy-efficient windows throughout the building. Plans are also underway to relocate the minister’s and church administrator’s offices from the second floor to the main level, making them more accessible to aging members and those with mobility challenges. Beyond the Church Centre, the church building itself is in need of exterior painting, with interior updates to follow. These ongoing efforts reflect the congregation’s commitment to maintaining a welcoming, functional, and sustainable space for both its members and the broader community.
Testimonial
“Through the generous support of the Faithful Footprints grant and guidance from the program staff, we were able to install seven new mini splits throughout our Church Centre. These units are not only keeping us nice and warm in the cold months and cool in hotter weather, but also enabling our faith community to lower our carbon footprint. Because of this upgrade we will also have better control of heat in individual rooms throughout our large building compared to our previous central heating system. We will lower our monthly costs and energy consumption, making it all around, more efficient and certainly more appealing to entice new renters.” — Kimberley Shaddick, Office Administrator at St. James & St. John United Church