Ministries & outreach
Loving our neighbors on Big Pine and across the Lower Keys.
Big Pine UMC is known as a church that serves its community. These are some of the ways we put our faith into practice, inside our building and beyond it.
Want to help, or need a hand?
Contact Pastor Rushing. You do not need to be a member to serve with us or to ask for help.
Grow in faith
Study, questions and conversation
Everyone is welcome at our study groups, whether you have read the Bible for years or are just starting to ask questions.
Tuesdays · 9:30 to 11:00 AM
Christian Book Study
Read and discuss books on faith and the Christian life together.
Coming soon
Bible study
A new Bible study is coming soon. Contact Pastor Rushing if you would like to know when it starts.
Email Pastor Rushing →Serving our neighbors
Open doors and open hands
Our campus is open to the community all week long, not just on Sunday mornings.
On our campus
Free showers & restrooms
We provide free public showers and restrooms for neighbors experiencing homelessness, with no conditions. We also share free clothing and personal care items as they are donated.
Ways to help →Next fair · Saturday, January 16, 2027
Community health fair
Each year we host the University of Miami Medical School Health Fair, which brings hundreds of people to our campus for health screenings. The next fair is on January 16, 2027. More details to come.
Scouting
Big Pine UMC is home to Scout Troop 573, which meets here on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM. Everyone is welcome to come meet the troop.
Visit our troop’s page →Recovery
Twelve-step recovery groups
We host support groups for people in recovery and for the families around them. Anyone is welcome at any stage. You do not need to be a member here, or to have been to a meeting before.
Twice daily
Alcoholics Anonymous
AA meets here twice a day.
AA Florida Keys →Four times a week
Narcotics Anonymous
NA gathers in our building four times a week.
Florida Keys NA →Twice weekly
Al-Anon
For family and friends affected by someone else’s drinking.
Florida Keys Al-Anon →ACOA and Diverse Addictions groups also meet here. Meeting times are set by the groups themselves, so follow the links above for current schedules, or call the church at (305) 872-2470.
Across the Keys, Florida and the world
The ministries we support and engage with
Our members give, pray and serve alongside these partners near and far. We also work directly with local social service agencies, connecting neighbors facing financial, health or housing stress with the help they need.
Thanksgiving collection · through Wed, Nov 18
Local food pantries
Big Pine UMC no longer runs its own food bank. Instead, we devote our missional resources to supporting the food banks at Keys Community Church and St. Peter’s Catholic Church.
Our Thanksgiving food collection runs through Wednesday, November 18. Bring donations on Sunday mornings until noon, or during office hours, Monday through Thursday from 9 AM to 1 PM.
Wesley House Family Services
Foster care, adoption and family support for children and families here in Monroe County.
Visit Wesley House →Boys & Girls Club
After-school and summer programs that help local children build skills and reach their potential.
Visit the Boys & Girls Club →Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity of Key West and the Lower Florida Keys builds affordable homes with local families and makes critical repairs to existing ones.
Visit Habitat for Humanity →Hurricane & disaster recovery
We know what a storm can do. Hurricane Irma flooded our church in 2017, and we rebuilt. Through UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, we stand with communities recovering from hurricanes and other disasters, here in the Keys and around the world.
About UMCOR →Residing Hope
Formerly the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home, caring for children and families across Florida.
Visit Residing Hope →Branches
Education, financial resources and hope for families in Miami-Dade County.
Visit Branches →Warren Willis Camp
The United Methodist camp near Leesburg, where children and youth grow in faith.
Visit Warren Willis →Global Ministries
Through Global Ministries, we support missionaries and evangelism, education in developing countries, and healthcare initiatives around the world.
Visit Global Ministries →The Penitent Thief
A Florida outreach ministry helping people make the transition from prison to a new life.
Visit The Penitent Thief →Want to get involved?
Whether you can give an hour, donate supplies or lend a skill, Pastor Rushing can help you find a place to serve.