GET INVOLVED
For more information about serving in our community or to volunteer for any of these mission opportunities contact Karen Stagg, Director of Missions, at 225-383-4777 or karen@firstmethodist.org.

Christian Outreach Center
A combined ministry of several downtown churches, the Christian Outreach Center provides help for the working poor and local families having a hard time facing the challenges of everyday life.


Connections for Life
A twelve-month re-entry and housing program for women who are released from prison. The program provides housing, transportation, job placement and other needed services. Volunteers are needed to assist with a variety of projects and work in the program thrift store, known as Bargain Depot. Visit Connections on the web at www.connectionsforlife.net.

Habitat for Humanity
Habitat For Humanity is a volunteer driven organization that welcomes people from all walks of life to join in building simple, decent, affordable houses in partnership with God and families in need. Construction on the “Methodist” home begins in mid-September and volunteers are needed on Wednesdays and Saturdays. No construction experience is required.

HOPE Ministries
HOPE Ministries serves impoverished residents of North Baton Rouge, providing resources and helping clients to establish relationships that will help them move toward self-sufficiency with dignity. HOPE operates a Client Choice Food Pantry, the Family Mentoring Program, Community Education and Neighboring Initiative. Volunteers are needed to work in the food pantry and to be trained as Family Mentors.

Kairos Prison Ministry
Church members are active in providing the love of Christ to residents at both Angola Penitentiary for men and the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women at St. Gabriel. Retreats are held several times a year for residents who have not attended a Kairos weekend. Reunions and prayer-and-share groups meet on a weekly basis.

Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS)
VIPS is a program which provides reading and math tutors to public elementary  school students in East Baton Rouge Parish. Our School Task Force, at First Church, recruits volunteer reading and math tutors for our two  partner schools: Bernard Terrace Elementary and Magnolia Woods Elementary. Tutors are assigned one or more students in grades Kindergarten through 3rd  who need help in the areas of math and reading. We typically encourage tutors to meet once a week with the same student for 45 minutes or more, to help them improve their reading and/or math skills. Materials and training are provided. For information about our Partner Schools, contact Monica Bradsher, monicab3@cox.net (Bernard Terrace) or Joan Pennington at donald1095@cox.net (Magnolia Woods.)

Walk to Emmaus
The Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual renewal program intended to strengthen the local church through the development of Christian disciples and leaders. The Walk to Emmaus experience begins with a 72-hour short course in Christianity, comprised of fifteen talks by lay and clergy on the themes of God's grace, disciplines of Christian discipleship, and what it means to be the church. The course is wrapped in prayer and meditation, special times of worship and daily celebration of Holy Communion. The "Emmaus community," made up of those who have attended an Emmaus weekend, support the 72-hour experience with a prayer vigil, by preparing and serving meals, and other acts of love and self-giving. The Emmaus Walk is held at Broadmoor United Methodist Church of Baton Rouge in the spring and fall.  The Walk begins Thursday evening and concludes Sunday evening. Men and women attend separate weekends.