Reach Rwanda Trip
The REACH Rwanda USA board of directors are planning a return trip to Rwanda. Rev. Philbert Kalisa, the founder and director of REACH Rwanda, has recommended the USA Board invite supporters and other interested people to come along for this Pilgrimage of Reconciliation. This trip to Rwanda centers around the work of this ministry, the history of the genocide and how such hatred impacts all of humanity. We will witness how God is working in Rwanda through this ministry. People are choosing to forgive even those who killed members of their family. In the forgiveness, there is reconciliation. We will visit the genocide memorial. Visitors will also hear survivors speak about their journey to reconciliation. We will also learn about all the ways that REACH Rwanda is impacting the lives of children and adults to help them in their daily life. We will also participate in a spiritual retreat while there. For fun, we will visit an animal habitat one day and also have some time to enjoy the local markets and shops. All of those who journey together are ambassadors, bringing to the people our care and love. When we return, we can then be messengers of the work of REACH and a new perspective for our own need for reconciliation in the day to day of life.
The cost of this journey is approximately $3,000 and covers air fare, in-country transportation, lodging and most meals and some fees. Air travel is typically around 26 hours, due to time changes and plane changes, each person will also need money to cover personal shopping and also any meals purchased in airports. Various inoculations are necessary in advance of travel and a current Passport. For further information, contact jshelton@bbpinellas.com. A meeting will be scheduled soon for all those who are joining us on this trip. Our team will be set in early April.
Debby Tripp, REACH USA Board Secretary.
Episcopal Relief and Development Competition
Between November 2012 and Easter 2013, parish groups competed to raise money for the ERD Gifts for Life Program!
We helped impoverished families alleviate hunger and produce a food supply that is nutritious, easily available and affordable.
The adults of St. Hilary’s raised enough money to purchase a cow, the teens and tweens purchases a pig, and the Sunday School kids hope to purchased goats and chickens.
Pantry Sunday
Bring a canned or dry food item to church the first Sunday of each month, which is Pantry Sunday. All donations benefit Community Cooperative Ministries.
CCMI has provided us with a wish list for donations. This is posted on the bulletin board just outside Browning Hall. All donations are greatly appreciated and can be placed in the collection bin in the narthex or Browning Hall to the right of the glass doors.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me …” (Matthew 25:35)
Recent Collection Drives
St. Hilary’s collected school supplies for The Harlem Heights Foundation on July 29. Parishioners donated about 300 spiral notebooks, which were distributed free of charge to needy school children on August 2.
Our Center for Independent Living collection drive was held May 13. Four baskets, totaling more than 300 personal care items, were donated by parishioners, and delivered to CIL. Those items were distributed free of charge to people with disabilities at CIL’s “Day of Sharing” Friday, May 18.
We also recently collected cans of sweet potatoes for Harlem Heights families in order to help provide Thanksgiving dinner, along with Christmas gifts for more than 90 children through the Children’s Home Society.
Community Involvement
Our church encourages members to become involved in outreach ministries and provides the resources to do so. We actively support, through funding and volunteer hours:
- ECHO
- Gabriel House
- Faith In Action
- Brightest Horizons Child Development Center
- Community Cooperative Ministries
- El Hogar
- The Harlem Heights Foundation
The CCMI Soup Kitchen and Everyday Market
Groups from St Hilary’s regularly volunteer at the Community Cooperative Ministries Soup Kitchen located at 3429 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard. Financial support is also provided through our parish and its groups. We also support the Soup Kitchen through collections on Pantry Sunday, which is held the first Sunday of each month. The donations of non perishable food items we collect are given to support CCMI’s Everyday Marketplace. CCMI has provided us with a wish list for donations. This is posted on the bulletin board just outside Browning Hall. All donations are greatly appreciated and can be placed in the collection bin in the narthex or Browning Hall.
Dominican Republic
The Diocese of Southwest Florida and St Hilary’s Church support the ministry of the Episcopal Church in the Dominican Republic. We have helped to establish and continue support by funding neighborhood projects, along with annual visits to provide vacation Bible school to local children. The mission is located on the southern coast of the Dominican Republic. There are opportunities for mission trips usually once a year.
Guatemala Mission Trips
A group of adults and youth traveled in 2010 and 2011 to Guatemala to offer practical assistance and share the love of Christ. Through Camino Seguro (Safe Passage), which works with the poorest at-risk children of families living and working in the Guatemala City garbage dump, our mission team experienced great joy and sadness. All the while they were “surrounded by the goodness that is. That’s how it is with Jesus.”
Florida Mission Trips
During these summer mission trips our teens have provided assistance to at-risk populations in the Florida Keys and Pine Island. These mission efforts help our youth understand the need in our own backyard.
