Missions
First Baptist Church of Athens shows Jesus Christ’s love by engaging in transformational ministry in relationship with its neighbors both locally and globally in the community spirit of Matthew 25:34-40.
Opportunities
Jesus calls us to Celebrate our life in him through participating in God’s mission and being TRANSFORMED by God and TRANSFORMING the world through Jesus. One way to participate at FBC is by serving with one of our mission partners each month.
The options listed below for sign-up are regularly recurring commitments to wonderful, Jesus-centered ministries that provide hope by meeting real needs in the greater Athens area. Join us as we celebrate, participate, and are transformed through God.
Our Daily Bread Community Kitchen
Our Daily Bread is a safe space for those in need to gather around the bounty of a table prepared by the compassion of the greater Athens community and be fed. First Baptist Church is partnered with Downtown Ministries to provide weekday meals to our neighbors in need. During the restrictions of social distancing due to COVID -19, prepackaged. take-away meals from local restaurants have been served daily from noon to 1:00 p.m. We have now transitioned back to volunteer meals four days a week. One volunteer team will prepare and package the meals with another team handing them out. There are new guidelines in place to address Covid-19 concerns. Please click here for details about our volunteer guidelines. Watch this space for information about a return to service in the Fellowship Hall at First Baptist Church. Sign up to help online today and if you are able to help at Our Daily Bread on November 12, please contact Interim Minister of Missions Connie Ivester.
Normal Operations:
Two meals are served daily, Monday through Friday. Breakfast is served from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., and lunch is served from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Meals are served in the fellowship hall of the First Baptist Church of Athens, located at 355 Pulaski Street.
Many community volunteers from congregations, businesses, student organizations, and civic organizations are among those who give of their time and resources to provide these meals year-round.
First Baptist Church and its members provide a lunch meal each month on the second Thursday. Our members also serve as lunch volunteers and greeters each week. If you are interested in volunteering to help with one of these meals please contact Connie Ivester, our Interim Minister of Missions for more information.
Additional opportunities to volunteer as a greeter or helper are also available through Downtown Ministries. For more information and to inquire about additional volunteer opportunities, follow this link to Downtown Ministries.
Provide a Meal Volunteers
What’s Involved?
Preparing lunch for 100 people
When?
Monday through Friday:
Lunch: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Where?
FBC Fellowship Hall
Family Promise of Athens
Several weeks each year, we host guests from Family Promise of Athens. A number of volunteers are needed to serve with this vital ministry. Whether you’d prefer to serve as an evening host, make a meal, or simply help with set up, we invite you to consider volunteering for our next hosting week. New volunteers will be paired with someone with experience. If you have not volunteered for this mission work before, it will require some modest training that is very quick and easy and can be done via computer.
For more information about our partner Family Promise, click here see a video that tells some of their story.
Foodbank
Athens Area Community Food Bank
What?
Provide donated food for distribution through the Food Bank.
When?
Food can be delivered at your convenience. See FBC publications for donation suggestions.
Where?
Drop items on the loading dock at 640 Barber Street
Angel Tree
Angel Tree Project
Clarke Department of Family Services’ Angel Project provides Christmas gifts for children in Foster Care. If you would like to adopt a child, click here for details. Cash donations are also welcome. Unwrapped gifts should be delivered to FBC by Wednesday, December 7.
Questions? Contact Carol Rayburn Cofer.
Local Mission Partners
If you are interested in working with one of our ministry partners we don’t have regularly scheduled volunteer opportunities with, please email info@firstbaptistathens.org.
For more information about our partner Family Promise, click here see a video that tells some of their story.
Non-Budgeted Partners
Receives special offers, volunteer support, and grant funding as needed.
Global Mission Partners
The Samuel Project
The Samuel Project seeks to be a community center offering pre-K programing for Roma students, educational training opportunities for Roma, and Christian spiritual community for the Roma of Vazec, Slovakia. In the near future, a home should be purchased by the Slovak non-profit called Jekh Drom (One Way) to be transformed into the Samuel Project. As a place of ministry and development for the Roma, the Samuel Project is where we at FBC Athens will be putting our money and effort, in Vazec and with the McNary’s. We believe in the power of Jesus to change lives in Vazec, of Slovaks, Roma, and anyone else who is open to his call!
The Samuel Project Opened its doors in October 2016, the answer to prayers from around the world!
