By Ray Diaz, Local Missions Committee Co-Chair and Daniel Diaz, Local Missions Committee Member

The words “sleep in heavenly peace” usually stir a feeling of comfort and rest for those who have a comfy bed to sleep in at the end of the day.  Think about how much more this means to a child who has been sleeping on a couch or on the floor for much of their life and will now have a comfortable bed to sleep in.  This is the mission of “Sleep in Heavenly Peace” (SHP), a national nonprofit organization which has been building beds for children that have no beds since 2012 when it was founded.  With a mission statement of “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town”, SHP now has over 350 chapters nationwide.

The Opportunity for Trinity United Methodist Church

As part of Trinity’s Bicentennial fundraising effort, a commitment was made to allocate 10% (a tithe) of the total amount of gifts to the Bicentennial Campaign during the Fall 2023 Stewardship Drive. This was intended to reflect the missional heart of our congregation and the desire to grow the relationship of the church with the community.  After seeking input from our congregation, praying and discussing the ideas presented, the Local Missions Committee voted in June to devote these funds to the sponsorship of a SHP bunk bed build.  This ministry would also give the congregation an opportunity to be directly involved with a local mission.

What It Means to Sponsor a SHP Build

Sponsoring a SHP bunk bed build requires three things: funding, a location, and volunteers.  As a sponsor, Trinity will provide the funding necessary to build 15 bunk beds.  These 15 bunk beds can be assembled as bunk beds or as individual beds, accommodating a total of 30 children.  The cost for each bunk bed is $400 and includes the wood frame, rails, fittings, mattresses, bedding, and pillows.

After consulting with the Tallahassee Chapter of SHP, it was determined that the Trinity UMC parking lots would not be adequate for a build site.  The Local Missions Committee considered alternative sites that would provide the space needed for set up and parking for volunteers.  Ultimately, the committee selected the Wesley Foundation at FSU as the build site.  This site offers the added benefits of building the relationship between FSU/ FAMU Wesley students and Trinity UMC as well as providing a larger source of volunteers.  It will take a minimum of 50 volunteers for a 15-bunk bed build, which includes the delivery of the unassembled beds at the end of the build.

A primary goal of local missions is to be the hands and feet of Jesus for those in need in our community.  This is an opportunity for members of Trinity UMC to engage in an activity where we are literally using our hands and feet to build beds for children in the community that have no beds.  Every bed we build is handcrafted and constructed by volunteers willing to donate their time.  The joy that comes from delivering the beds to a child that otherwise does not have one is a life-changing experience.

Due to the popularity and impact of the SHP ministry, the first available build date for Trinity UMC is February 22, 2025.  There will be ample notification and opportunities for volunteers to sign up prior to our scheduled date.  Read more about SHP at SHPbeds.org. For more information, contact Ray Diaz at raydhhs@msn.com.