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Pilgrim Hill launch with a taste of what’s coming

1:00am Friday, 28th October 2011

Emma Wilkins

Imagine raising more than $2 million, using it to build a hostel on a hill in the Tasmanian bush, moving in with your family while you are young, and sharing the gospel with travellers there until you are old.

Peirce and Christina Baehr admit it's "a crazy vision", but it's one they are, God-willing, determined to carry out.

"Pilgrim Hill" will be a non-profit ministry of hospitality in Tasmania's Huon Valley. It will offer low-cost accommodation to travellers and residencies to Christian artists in order to promote, proclaim and model the gospel to people from all over the world.

Every evening guests will be treated to a communal meal and invited to stick around and discuss a question, for example, "Can God demand perfection?", over dessert.

Already the land has been purchased, architects have been enlisted, business plans have been written and a legal structure has been created.

More importantly, regular prayer meetings have been running for more than two years.

On Saturday October 22, the project's fundraising phase began in earnest with a launch designed to give Tasmanians a taste of what Pilgrim Hill will be like.

The 100-plus guests in attendance were invited to imagine the hostel experience from an unbelieving traveller's point of view, through an interactive, choose-your-own-adventure-style story.

Guests were also treated to live harp music and local produce including salted caramel apples, mushroom pizzas and wine.

The Baehrs and their team of helpers were thrilled with the result.

"People seemed genuinely excited about this crazy vision and the possibilities," Peirce says.

In addition to pledges of financial support, Pilgrim Hill has already had offers of assistance from builders, furniture makers, accountants, lawyers and architects.

"The fact it depends on funding means it depends on God 100 per cent," Peirce says.

"If it takes the next year to raise the funding, fantastic, if it takes the next 10 years I'll have to adjust a bit, but God is in control."

To see a video outlining the vision or to donate visit pilgrimhill.org