The 2014 Venice Deanery Dominican Republic Mission ProjectIglesia San Miguel

Doña Ana, Dominican RepublicThe 2014 Venice Deanery’s mission project is to finishthe construction of the new San Miguel church in DoñaAna. Bishop Holguín has used funds from themissionary fund to advance the construction to thestate shown in these photos, but there are no morefunds available to finish the new building. The currentbuilding pictured below has been donated by aparishioner for use by the congregation for the pastseveral years. This temporary building is in poorcondition and floods during hard rains. Thecongregation has long outgrown this small building andis in real need of a larger facility to continue serving theneeds of the community. The goal for 2014 is to compete the first floor of thebuilding in the picture to the right. Our teams will paintthe entire building inside and out, seal the roof, formand pour sidewalks and landscape the exterior of thechurch. The funds we raise will complete the electrical,plumbing and iron security protectors. This work will bedone by local workers, providing much neededemployment for those in the community.

The 2014 Venice Deanery Mission projectmarks the 13th consecutive year wherechurches from the Venice deanery have sentteams and provided much needed support tothe Dominican Episcopal Church and itsprograms to help the poor in many differentcommunities. The San Miguel church is in abarrio called Doña Ana. It is located betweenSanto Domingo and Bani on the southern partof the island. The new San Miguel churchbuilding’s first floor consists of a sanctuary,sacristy and bathroom. The new churchbuilding will eventually be two stories; thesecond floor will house a parish hall andkitchen.The priest in charge of the church is Fr.Roberto Castro.The congregation has a regularSunday attendance of 20-35.

A Mission Project in Coordination With The Dominican Development Group

San Miguel (under construction)

San Miguel (temporary building)

The Venice Deanery will send two 12-14 person workteams to the Dominican Republic during the summer of2014. Team I will travel from June 11-18 and will paintinterior of the new building, seal the roof and work withlocal workers to form the sidewalks around the church.Team II will travel from June 18-25 and will paint theexterior of the building, pour the concrete sidewalks andlandscape the front of the church. The estimated cost ofthe 2014 Venice Deanery project is $18,000 whichcovers the cost of the materials we will use as well asthe cost of completing the plumbing, electrical,windows, doors and protectors (burglar bars).

The DR Diocese really needs and appreciates this helpfrom the Venice Deanery in completing this importantbuilding. The Diocese’s resources are limited, and theconstruction of this church has already taken severalyears.The good will of the deanery’s missioners, andthose who will support them and the project, will have amajor impact on the community and on the long-termgrowth of the Dominican Episcopal Church.

San Miguel congregation has communityoutreach program on Tuesdays and a Biblestudy on Thursday nights. The Mission started 8years ago in Doña Ana and has developed as astrong ministry in the community. The youthministry, consisting of 15 teenagers and 7 youngadults, is in need of musical instruments to beused by the choir during the church servicesand for local outreach programs to help thechurch grow when it moves into its new building.

The Dominican Episcopal church builds its newchurches by faith and in many cases relies onmany different groups working incompanionship to complete a new church. TheSan Miguel church and community of DoñaAna will host a team from the Diocese of theCentral Gulf Coast who will contribute to thecompletion of the church by building new pewsand altar furniture.

Team Details: The Venice Deanery Team plans to travel to the Dominican Republic onWednesdays. They will work Thursday, Friday, a half day on Saturday, then Monday and Tuesdayof the following week. The Deanery Coordinator is Janet Spooner of St. James, Pt. Charlotte FL.

For more information contact: Janet Spooner (941-661-9464; spoonwomanpc@hotmail.com) or Bill Kunkle (813-400-2722; bkunkle@dominicandevelopmentgroup.org)

San Miguel (temporary building)

San Miguel (under construction)

Team I June 11- 18, 2014 Team II June 18 -25, 2014