The Rev. Canon Dr. Jerry Hill, who served Our Lord and this diocese with great vision and dedication, was born into eternal life January 30.  His life will be celebrated at 3 p.m., February 5, at St. Paul Episcopal Church, 624 Ovilla Road, Waxahachie. Please pray for the repose of his soul, and for comfort for his wife, Gloria, and the family.

After 50 years of ministry in the Episcopal Church, Hill recently retired from St. Paul Episcopal Church in Waxahachie where he served as Assisting Priest. He graduated from the Seabury-Western theological seminary in Evanston, Illinois and began his street ministry for the homeless on the south side of Chicago.  Eventually he land in the Diocese of Dallas, settled in Duncanville, and was again called to street ministry. He co-founded the “Stew Pot” for the homeless at the First Presbyterian church in downtown Dallas and founded the Austin Street Shelter where he ministered and championed services for the mentally ill and homeless.

Hill is also remembered as an evangelist who planted and grew churches. While directing Austin Street Shelter, Hill and his wife Gloria began a Bible study in their home which ultimately became Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Cedar Hill. Later he was sent to St. Paul, where he shepherded the congregation to outgrow their chapel in downtown Waxahachie and replant to their current location. During his years of ministry, he received numerous awards and accolades for his work with the homeless and mentally ill. He was also the founding chair of the Rural Church Ministry Commission at the direction of The Rt. Reverend James Stanton. Most recently he was Canonized and installed into the Order of Garrett by The Rt. Rev. George Sumner, who noted that Canon Jerry was an “absolute failure” at closing churches. This was due to his brilliancy at growing lay ministry. Hill was known to his congregations as both friend and pastor, a man who resoundingly answered God's call and touched their lives in a way that drew them nearer to Christ.