Trees for Hope is a ministry of Summit Church in Homestead that raises funds for disaster relief and local missions by selling freshly cut Christmas trees and wreaths each holiday season. Since 2016, trees are shipped directly from a small farm in North Carolina and set up at a lot hosted by Heritage Market on Krome Avenue. The tree lot opens on Thanksgiving Day and remains open until every tree is sold.

This year, the 720 trees sold out completely in less than two weeks.

Alex Pecina, Summit Church pastor, says that the ministry started in 2016 with an order of 150 trees and the desire to raise funds for people in the community who had been affected by the hurricanes and tropical storms that year.

Pecina, a Florida native, recalls how hurricane Andrew devastated his community after making landfall as a category 5 hurricane in 1992, becoming one of the most destructive storms in U.S. history. When the Red Cross showed up to help with recovery, 8-year-old Pecina witnessed the hope and relief the community felt. Through the funds raised from Trees for Hope, Pecina wants to bring the hope of the Gospel and relief found in Christ to those facing hardship after devastation.

Christmas tree shoppers had two ways of joining the mission. They could add a donated tree during check out or drop by to purchase a tree specifically to donate without no purchase for themselves necessary.

In the past, funds raised through Trees for Hope have supported disaster relief efforts in the Florida Keys, the Florida Panhandle, Southwest Florida, Louisiana, Kentucky, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and Haiti. In addition to disaster response, proceeds have benefited local nonprofit organizations, schools, and homeless outreach efforts in the Homestead area.

This year, the ministry was also able to provide free Christmas trees to 90 families in the local community, ensuring that households facing financial hardship could still celebrate the season.

Volunteers from Summit Church staffed the tree lot throughout the season, helping customers, accepting donations, and engaging with neighbors. For Summit Church, the Trees for Hope ministry as a simple but meaningful way to build relationships and demonstrate Christ’s love in practical ways.

“We are grateful for everyone who came out, bought a tree, donated, served under the tent, and showed up with so much heart,” church leaders shared in a message to the community. “Your generosity truly makes a difference.”

For the past ten years, The Summit Church has embraced a mission to make disciples and support other churches. When presented with the opportunity to assist The Movement Church, there was no question about stepping in—it was simply a matter of determining the best way to do so.

“I don’t ever really know what’s unique about it because I’ve never done this before,” said Pastor Alex Pecina of The Summit Church. “We’re just doing what we know—supporting a fellow church in a way that makes sense for everyone.”

In January, The Summit Church committed to a six-month partnership with The Movement Church. This partnership included financial assistance, leadership support and staffing help. Pastor Pecina himself has taken on a leadership role at both churches, providing guidance and continuity during the transition.

This partnership already has had a profound impact on both congregations. The Summit’s youth group has merged with The Movement’s, bringing together more than 75 young people to worship and learn together on Wednesday nights. The churches have also begun integrating their congregations in tangible ways, such as shared picnics, community meals and outreach events. This connection has strengthened both churches, fostering relationships and encouraging cross-cultural understanding. Al Fernandez, Southeast regional catalyst for the Florida Baptist Convention, noted, “The Summit Church’s adoption of The Movement Church is a great example of Florida Baptist churches looking out for the best interests of struggling sister churches. This is what makes our convention so unique.”

Beyond logistics, The Summit Church, through this partnership, has been rooted in a deep respect for The Movement Church’s congregation. Rather than approaching the transition as a takeover, The Summit Church is ensuring that The Movement Church maintains its identity and dignity throughout the process.

“I don’t want to remove dignity from people,” Pastor Pecina emphasized. “This decision isn’t something to be made by one person alone. The congregation has a voice, and they should be the ones to determine their future.”

While the future remains open-ended—whether The Movement Church will call a new pastor or merge under shared leadership—one thing is certain: the goal is to lose no one in the transition.

“If we lost nobody, that would be a God thing,” Pastor Pecina said. “That would be miraculous.”

Already, signs of renewal are evident. In just the first month of this transition, The Movement Church baptized three new believers. Financial stability is improving, and the church is engaging actively in outreach opportunities alongside The Summit Church.

Pastor Pecina hopes that this model of church-to-church partnership will inspire other Florida Baptist congregations to extend a helping hand to sister churches in times of transition. “Pastor Alex Pecina has a heart and a desire to lead his church to expand the kingdom of God through church revitalization ministry,” Fernandez added.

“The first step is relationships,” he advised. “Consistent and meaningful relationships between pastors create opportunities for churches to support one another in ways that feel natural, not forced.”

As the two congregations continue this journey together, their partnership serves as a powerful testament to the strength of community, the importance of unity, and the faithfulness of God in seasons of transition.