Committees, services, outreach

Learn more about the programs we offer for adults and children. Pick a committee that matches your skills, talents and expertise. Or come to learn new ones!

Mission and Outreach

Peace Covenant has a robust tradition of supporting missions and charitable organizations.  Our members follow the credo: “I am the church, you are the church, we are the church TOGETHER.”  Our minister has been a strong leader in making our mission and charitable work a key component of our church life and has taught the congregation the importance of mission and outreach by his deeds and sermons.

While many in Key West and the Florida Keys enjoy a comfortable lifestyle, like all communities, there are substantial needs to be filled. Homelessness, domestic abuse, hunger, mental health and poverty are all areas of concern to which Peace Covenant has always played a significant role in assisting with those needs.

Our members are generous with their time, money and talents in supporting the Church’s mission and outreach.  But we do not limit ourselves to the needs of the local community.  Our congregation provides support for two mission families in Niger and Madagascar and has assisted with the crushing crisis that Haiti has and continues to experience.  In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, several of our members traveled to the New Jersey shore to provide assistance with housing repairs.

Our church was a source of financial assistance to those who suffered and continue to suffer from the aftermath of Hurricane Irma that struck the Keys with a vengeance in the fall of 2017.

Some of the organizations and charities supported by Peace Covenant are: Florida Keys Outreach Coalition for the Homeless; S.O.S Foundation; Presbyterian Mission Agency; Florida Keys Children’s Shelter; Save the Children; Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition; Baptist Haiti Mission; Take Stock in Children; Heifer International; Hospital Albert Schweitzer – Haiti; Key West Health and Rehabilitation; Alcoholics Anonymous; and the children and teachers of a local elementary school.  Many in our congregation serve on the boards of or are otherwise actively engaged in supporting those organizations and charities.

In a few words, Peace Covenant is one of “the thousand points of light” serving the needs of the less fortunate and displaced souls. As part of our recent Mission Study, we asked members to tell us how they and their families carried out their service to Jesus Christ in the community. The responses are a testament that this congregation understands the power of taking our faith into the world. In addition to roles as elders, teachers and church volunteers, these are some of their responses:

• Teachers credit union board
• Stand Up for Education
• Humanitarian work in Haiti and India
• Founder of Grameen Foundation, affiliated with the Nobel Peace Prize
• U.S. Navy
• U.S. Coast Guard
• Rotary
• Chamber of Commerce
• MARC House
• Florida Keys Outreach Coalition
• Florida Keys SPCA
• Affordable housing advocate
• Taking care of five great-grandchildren
• Tennessee Williams Theater board
• Monroe County Land Use Authority Advisory Committee
• Community Foundation board
• Key West Citizen editorial board
• Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden board
• Audubon Society board
• Florida Keys Kitchen Cabinet
• Star of the Sea Foundation
• Prepare communion
• Member Care committee
• Choir
• Musical composer
• Women’s March
• One-one witness and assistance in community
• Navy League
• Bell choir
• Property and Grounds committee
• League of Women Voters board
• United Way of the Florida Keys, CEO
• Beta Omega, women’s service organization
• Citizens Review Board
• Keys Housing Help
• Habitat for Humanity
• DePoo Hospital/Lower Keys Medical Center for Behavioral Health
• Lower Keys Medical Center volunteer
• Sugarloaf School mentor
• Tourist outreach through Conch Train and hotel guests
• Active supporter of gay rights and higher education
• Food bank volunteer
• Equality Florida host committee
• Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, board
• Truman Waterfront Advisory Board
• Hospice social worker
• Collect donations for local organizations: food, clothes, toys, books
• Soccer coach

Christian Education

 Peace Covenant offers both adult and youth Christian Education programs. The Adult Sunday School, which fosters wide-ranging study of Bible-based theology that supports Christian actions in today’s world, regularly draws 10-15 participants and is led by the pastor.

The Youth Christian Education program is designed for K-grade school children and is led by well-prepared teachers who also lead and direct children’s programs at Christmas. Our Sunday School regularly draws eight to a dozen children. Ad hoc adult study groups are led by church members when specific interests arise.

Worship and Services

Sunday services follow a traditional liturgical pattern with a willingness among the congregation to explore different musical and worship approaches. We are blessed with exceptional musical talent among our music directors and vocal and bell choir members. One of the benefits of living in Key West is the island’s commitment to and appeal to musicians, and we benefit from world-class talent each Sunday. Communion, which is prepared by members, is served on the first Sunday of each month, and followed after service by a congregational “after church punch,” which gives members and guests a chance to share with each other. Services begin at 11 a.m., preceded by Adult Sunday School. Summer worship begins at 10 a.m.

Special celebrations throughout the year include our Member Care-sponsored potlucks and receptions for Souper Bowl Sunday, Mother’s Day, Dads and Grads, Christmas Holiday Lights Train, Snowbirds Reception, Thanksgiving with Trinity Presbyterian Church, Trinity Vacation Bible School and Christmas Open House.

Property and Grounds

Peace Covenant has a traditional church campus.  The campus is located in “new town” on a thoroughfare that provides access to Old Town Key West as well as to our shopping facilities.  The facilities are well maintained; however, we continue to struggle with our paved, parking lot that requires attention as a result of heavy rains and King Tide flooding from the adjacent salt ponds.

Our sanctuary comfortably handles our regular worship services as well as our Easter, Christmas services and other special services.  The sanctuary is well lit, comfortably air-conditioned and has an impressive, modern organ and sound system.

Immediately adjacent to the sanctuary and under the same roof is our music/choir room. We have several classrooms and one administrative meeting room adjacent to the class rooms.  The class rooms are used for children Sunday School, as well as for the day care operations that are conducted on our campus by the Key West Preschool Cooperative, Inc., during the fall and spring of the public-school term.

Our fellowship hall and administrative offices are located in a separate building immediately adjacent to the sanctuary. Those facilities are all air-conditioned and also well-maintained. There is a noncommercial kitchen in the fellowship hall.  The fellowship hall comfortably accommodates our church activities, primarily dinners and meals for our congregation that follow Sunday worship.  The fellowship hall also is used during the week day by the Key West Preschool Cooperative, Inc., and once a week in the evening for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

The church manse is located on our campus and is a one-minute walk from the church facilities.  The manse is concrete block construction with an open, covered carport and ample, additional parking located in front of the manse.  The manse is four bedrooms and three baths.  It is air-conditioned and enjoys the shade from mature shade trees.  An added feature is a mango tree that typically provides enough fruit to feed a small army.

Our congregation is quite proud of our facilities and our visitors and guests always complement our well-maintained facilities.  One truly feels God’s presence when in our sanctuary and other facilities, all of which are dedicated to the service of Jesus Christ. Property and Grounds Committee takes responsibility for the maintenance and upkeep of the property, hiring professionals to ensure the mechanicals are up-to-date and no deferred maintenance is allowed to occur.

Member Care

Member Care might be known in other congregations as “the church ladies.” Member Care is responsible for planning and coordinating our social events and for providing extra care for members and friends needing extra assistance. Yes, we do “keep the kitchen” and cook for the potlucks and after-service patio fellowship — but we’re just as likely to order from Publix. After all, it’s about the fellowship, not who cooked the meals.

Other Committees include

• Personnel & Administration
• Stewardship
• Finance, Audit and Budget
• And other ad hoc committees as needed.