2027 Church Furniture Mission to the Dominican Republic

In 2006, we learned that the Episcopal Diocese of the Dominican Republic needed church furniture for both new churches and older ones that had fallen into disrepair and were being restored to active service. Our Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast responded to that need by organizing a construction mission team to the Dominican Republic to primarily build church furniture.

2027 marks the twenty-second year we have been sending adult mission groups to the Dominican Republic. Over the past 20+ years, we have furnished many Dominican Episcopal churches with pews, altars, pulpits, lecterns, baptismal fonts, acolyte benches, credence tables, clergy chairs, bishop's chairs, tables, bookcases, and other needed church furniture. Our objective during these 10-day mission trips is to provide Episcopal churches with all the furniture necessary fo rthem to have an attractive, comfortable, and functional house of worship.

Our next mission trip is planned for February of 2027, and we have already begun fundraising and recruiting team members, as both are necessary to make these mission trips possible.

Historically, team members pay for their own airfare, meals when not working, and other personal expenses. Our fundraising covers lodging, meals when at work, lumber, tools and equipment, transportation while in the DR, and other incidentals necessary for the mission.

The out-of-pocket expense for each team member is around $1,600 (depending on airfare, which seems to keep rising each year). In addition to this expense borne by each team member, the team must still raise approximately $25,000 each year to make this mission ministry possible.

Team membership is open to all adult communicants of our diocese. Neither speaking Spanish nor experience building furniture are necessary to be a productive team member.

If you are interested in being a part of this hard-working yet rewarding ministry, please contact Marty Ollinger (a communicant of St. Paul's Daphne) at 251-651-5902 or via email at wmollnger@bellsouth.net for an application.

If you can contribute to support this mission ministry, please note that St. Paul's Mobile, 4051 Old Shell Rd., Mobile, AL 36608, is the designated custodian of the mission fund.

Checks can be mailed to them with the note "for DR Mission Fund."

Mission Trip Application: