Missions and Ministries
At First Church, we believe that every person matters. To that end, we have established ministries and outreach missions designed to spread the word of God and help people locally, nationally, and globally.
At Our Church
Several of our local missions take place on site at First Church, primarily to serve those in need in our local community.
Shower Ministry
Each Tuesday morning at 8:00 AM in the Uptown Ministry Center, we open our doors for those in the community without access to shower facilities. We also provide personal hygiene items for those in need.
Lunch Bunch
Each Tuesday morning at 11:00 AM in the Uptown Ministry Center, we provide lunch so that those in need can enjoy a prepared meal and join us in fellowship and friendship.
Food Bank
Our Food Bank is located in our Uptown Ministry Center and is open on the third Saturday morning of each month from 9:00 to 11:00. Those in need in our community can visit the Food Bank for boxes of food they can take home and enjoy.
For those who may have a more immediate need, we also have Karen's Pantry, which can accommodate people on an as-needed basis by providing a bag of food sufficient for a few meals to anyone who comes to the Church Office.
Clothes Closet
Our Clothes Closet offers clothing and some limited household items and is run in conjunction with our Food Bank. The Clothes Closet is also located in our Uptown Ministry Center and is open at the same time, the third Saturday of each month, as the Food Bank, and at other times as may be necessary by appointment.
In the Community
In addition to the services and ministries we operate at the church, we also provide prayer and support for local agencies, organizations, and schools.
Partnership with Local Schools
At the beginning of the school year, we provide school supplies to Albert Harris Elementary School to assist students in need. During the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter breaks from school, we provide food bags to Albert Harris, Patrick Henry, and Campbell Court in order to supplement the children's meals at home when they would not otherwise be provided with a school lunch.
back2school
We partner with several other uptown churches through the back2school mission to provide local students with new socks and shoes and a backpack full of school supplies to begin their school year. In addition to sponsoring students, our volunteers also assist with registration, filling backpacks, and helping with distribution on the day of the event.
Nationally and Globally
While much of what we do at First Church focuses on the many needs of our local community, we also have mission and ministry work reaching outside of our area into other parts of the nation and around the world.
We support the work of Ellyn Benson Dubberly, a leadership development coordinator working with the Evangelical Methodist Church in Central America.
We have been actively participating in the development and growth of The City of Hope, a residential care facility for vulnerable children, including orphans and girls rescued from abuse in Tanzania. Several of our members have traveled to the Tanzania to assist on site and help better the lives of the people served by the City of Hope.
We also sponsor the Roma Education Project in North Macedonia.