Parish Profile TRANSFORMING LIVES, TRANSFORMING THE WORLD Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church, Valrico
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by Lindsey Nickel
or more than 60 years, Holy School between September 2020 thru TLC is not only a way to provide food Innocents’ Episcopal Church May 2021, taking 389 volunteer man to those who are hungry, but to also has lived their mission hours to complete this mission. provide spiritual strength through of “Transforming Lives, “Holy Innocents’ is a faith prayer and ministry,” said Ray Lingrel, Transforming The World!” The church volunteer. “Not only are we feeding their community that intentionally chooses to has grown from 30 parishioners in reach out to a hurting world by trusting bellies, we’re also feeding their spiritual 1957 to just over 500 in 2021. Beyond God and going beyond the comfortable souls through prayer with whomever a robust service schedule available for place," said The Rev. Bryan O’Carroll. wishes to receive it.” both in-person and online worship, “Empowered by the Holy Spirit we are The church is also home to a local Holy Innocents' lives the gospel with picking up our cross and following Jesus.” organization, kidsPACK, that provide a variety of programs that serve the With a focus to engage meals to students over the weekends for community at large. parishioners at every age, Holy families who live in high poverty areas. Each month Holy Innocents’ Innocents’ builds programming Every Tuesday, the organization meets serves 900 meals to those with an intergenerational in need in the surrounding approach, striving to involve "Intergenerational worship brings all of area, including Dover all members in the same migrant workers and Meals worship and fellowship God's people to worship together, so rather on Wheels through their opportunities. than watching our children get escorted to TLC Feeding Ministry. Children stay in Sunday School during church, we get the Close to 50 volunteers church with their families privilege of witnessing our children become a support each feeding, during service, they receive and prayers are offered to a Children’s message during Christian before our very eyes." families at each feeding the lectionary, and several along with prayer cards. adults in the congregation “While some of the meals we work to support and assist parents to pack the meals for distribution later pack go to Meals on Wheels, the large throughout the service. They also have in the week. Through the support of majority goes to the TLC Feeding what they refer to as “The Sunshine Holy Innocents’, kidsPACK delivered Ministry and San Jose Mission in Dover. 2,481 meals to Dover Elementary Room,” which is a resource room off the chapel that parents and children can utilize throughout the service. On Wednesday evenings they host a fellowship night, which typically includes music, a potluck meal, and a study that focuses on three age groups – adults, teens, and children - all centered around the same theme or reading. “Intergenerational worship brings all of God's people to worship together, so rather than watching our children get escorted to Sunday School during church, we get the privilege of witnessing our children become a Christian before our very eyes,” said Lauren Families worship together in intergenerational worship at
14 Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church.
