The stove of the Catholic church in Erica has broken down. Repair or a new one is not an option. Yet churchgoers do not have to fear a cold Christmas celebration. The parish council comes up with a solution.
“The heating system was many years old. Then it eventually breaks down,” explains Pastor Peter Stiekema of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church.
Repair is not an option. And a new CV is not easily arranged either. “Such a large type is not on the stock shelf of installers,” says Stiekema. Moreover, it also comes with a hefty price tag: 110,000 euros is needed for a new installation.
Affordable and sustainable
And so the parish council has to look for an affordable solution. “And we have to get off the gas. So at the same time we have to look for a sustainable way to heat the church,” Stiekema explains.
It could be that we will soon see solar panels on the roof of the historic building. Infrared panels, a heat pump and underfloor heating are also possible. Experts will be considering a suitable option in the near future.
Worry about later
Those options won’t be cheap. “But those are concerns for later. We can’t do everything at once, so we take it step by step,” Stiekema concludes.
If it freezes hard this winter, Stiekema does not foresee any problems for the church’s inventory. “Not immediately,” he says. “There used to be no heaters in churches. It is mainly about the people who need to be heated.”
Warm Christmas
In the meantime, the parish council has found a solution before Christmas. Mobile heaters must heat the church, so that people who go to the celebrations are still warm. Afterwards, the parish hall provides temporary shelter for the celebrations.