By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Voices of Praise from Mt. Gilead Baptist Church sang out their uplifting hymns. With melodious notes and lyrics such as “When I woke up this morning, I was blessed,” it was hard to feel anything other than praise and gratitude.
The choir opened the Gospel Brunch fundraising event for St. Vincent’s House in Galveston on Sunday. Fundraising may have been the goal, but honoring the Rev. Ray Pinard and his wife, Vivian, was truly the highlight of the early afternoon event.
Pinard gave the blessing for the event. As he began with a Bible verse, the audience bowed their heads in deep reverence, allowing his voice to fill the room.
“Psalm 92: ‘It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name,’” he began. His prayer continued with praise for the 70 years of service provided at St. Vincent’s House.
“For over 70 years, St. Vincent’s House has touched the quality of life, both spiritually and physically, for many in our community who have lived at the edge of helplessness,” Pinard said.
With a strong voice, he continued his blessing: “Ezekiel 37:4. Oh, hear the word of the Lord, and those dry bones came back to life with hope for a brighter tomorrow because of the healing and compassionate care offered at St. Vincent’s House.”
He ended his blessing with “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. For this is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad.”
Pinard’s ministry began when he was young, on a mission with the Catholic Church in Venezuela, where he met his wife, Vivian. The couple moved to Galveston in 1978 and began serving the people of their new island home through their faith and leadership. Early on, they worked with Galveston’s senior residents. Later, Pinard took a role with Moody Methodist Church, leading its Hispanic community.
Dr. Vivian Hernandez, engagement director of the Galveston Independent School District, could barely keep her voice steady, and she could not stop the tears that swelled in her eyes as she reminisced for the audience about the years, the hours, and the moments of service that Ray Pinard and his wife had given to Galveston.
Her reverent, emotional introduction came from her personal experience working with the Pinards to serve families whose needs would not have been met without their dedication.
“Ray and Vivian Pinard represent what it truly means to live a life of service. Their legacy is not simply measured by the organizations they have served but by the countless lives they have touched,” Hernandez said.
Pinard does not see his life’s work as heroic. Rather, he sees it as a calling. “We’re all God’s people, and being in service to others is a calling,” he said.
In honor of their years of service to the community, the Pinards were presented with the Houston Heroes Award.
The audience responded with reverent applause as the Pinards humbly accepted their award.
St. Vincent’s House in Galveston is a nonprofit service center where people with needs ranging from food to utility bills to medical care can find compassionate, caring professionals ready to match their needs with assistance.
