Mission and Outreach
Peace Covenant reaches out to our community and the world. Thanks to our congregation and friends our church as able to touch many lives in 2014 bringing help and healing both financially and directly hands on. Our church family served people here in Key West, around our country and globally.
International
Missionaries – in addition to per capita contributions and a Mission Pledge to our Presbytery of Tropical Flordia, we continued our sponsorship of two missionaries with contributions of approximatley $2600 each. We supported Rev. John and Gwen Haspels in Ethiopia and Dan and Elizabeth Turk in Madagascar. The Haspels retired at the end of 2014 and tragically were ambushed and attacked during their last month in the country. They have returned stateside.
Our New Missionary team that we have selected to support is James and Jodi McGill – Malawi. Jim Coordinates the clean water and sanitation work of the Synod of Livingstonia, a regional body of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian. He also assists PC (USA) church partners with water and sanitation development in South Sudan and Congo. Jodi is the synod’s coordinator for primary health care, working with a congregation-based malaria prevention program. HIV/AIDS prevention and care, and other public health programs. She also works as a clinical instructor at the Ekwendeni College of Nursing.
Local
Local Mission Week – This year instead of traveling our Mission Committee put together a local work week where people young and old could come together to fellowship and work in our community. Over 20 people showed up during the week to do extensive cleaning and painting of our church and Manse on the first day. On the remaining days Peace had two work teams working on FKOC properties. One buildt an addition to the Loaves and Fishes food pantry. The other group rehabbed an apartment at Poinciana for a new FKOC family.
Past Mission Outreach
On Sunday, October 13, 2013, Peace Covenant Presbyterian Church welcomed John Haspels as a most special guest. John and his wife Gwen are our co-missionaries in Ethiopia. While in Key West, John showed a video detailing their mission. He gave a presentation with Q&A for the discussion group, followed by an incredible sermon during our Sunday service. We learned of the challenges (including his being held hostage for two weeks) and successes (improved communities, countless baptisms). Peace Covenant has been sponsoring John and his family for over 30 years. He has memories of visiting our church in the late 1970’s or early 1980’s when he and his wife were first starting out on their mission efforts in the South Sudan region. Since then, we have sent money on a monthly basis, making us “shareholders” in their efforts to bring Christ’s word to the “undiscovered” tribes in Africa. The Haspels plan to retire in 2014. We will miss them and, more importantly, the work they have been providing to the world Christian community as they have so faithfully served God, doing His work in some of the poorest areas of the world. May they be blessed in their future endeavors and may His Peace always be with them. You can reach them at: johnhaspels@hotmail.com
Also:
Rev. Daniel and Elizabeth Turk have been serving Christ together in Madagascar, in partnership with the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM). Dan and Elizabeth work to improve the lives of the Malagasy people. Elizabeth trains village health workers, helps communities develop safe drinking water sources and educates church leaders and youth about AIDS prevention. Dan has helped the FJKM develop an extensive fruit tree program that includes a fruit tree nursery and extension work with farmers. He also does environmental education, helping people live in harmony with God’s creation. The Turks say that meeting needs in Christ’s name demonstrates how much God loves them. You can reach them at: dan.turk@pcusa.org or elizabeth.turk@pcusa.org
We are also sponsoring the medical and educational needs of two children in Haiti. Thanks to everyone who contributed to help support: Maneau Louis (Born September 13, 2006 He is a young boy who lives in the high mountains of Haiti, in a rural community of Athis).and Therie Veillard (Born March 26, 2008 She is a young girl who lives in the high mountains of Haiti, in a rural community of Fermathe).
Special Offerings: Every year we participate in the Presbyterian Church’s four Special Offerings throughout the year. This year we have already had two; The Pentecost Offering and the One Great Hour of Sharing. We contributed $280 to the Pentecost Offering and half of that remained in Key West to support the local Positive Step program for children. Our support of One Great Hour of Sharing was even stronger; we raised $828 for Presbyterian mission programs both national and international. A large portion of those funds came from the fish banks that our children, old and young, filled with $442 in spare change and bills. This shows we are teaching a legacy of giving to the next generation.
Backpacks for School Children (2015):
We recently raised funds and collected supplies again this year to fill the 40+ backpacks given by our Presbytery of Tropical Florida for some of the less fortunate young students in Key West. This year, over $900 was donated in supplies and funding (to purchase needed items) by our generous congregation along with a most appreciated gift given through the local CFFK. This is a wonderful mission.
I feel confident that Peace will continue with our tradition of caring for others and help make this another effort we can be proud of. Thank you to everyone for their continued support of our churches mission efforts and God bless. – Niels Hubbell