Outreach and Mission
Discover what impact your life can have when invested in caring for others . . . near and far. Caring for people in our church and those outside . . . demonstrating the love of God. What you choose to do can make a world of difference.
Read Stewardship Brochure for more information.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
First Presbyterian has a long history of supporting the community by partnering with community organizations. The Outreach Ministry is responsible for identifying and coordinating partnership with those organizations and programs, which serve a vital function in our local, national, and global communities. Outreach recommends funding and projects to the Session for approval. Outreach is also responsible for ensuring funding to Presbytery, the Synod, and General Assembly and for administering scholarships.
Over the years, First Presbyterian has been instrumental in developing several prominent community organizations including Providence House, Volunteers for Youth Justice, Interfaith Pharmacy, and the Samaritan Center. While many individual members give their personal time to these organizations, hands on mission varies depending on the organizations= needs. For several years First Presbyterian has committed a significant portion of its Outreach budget to Providence House, The Northwest Louisiana Food Bank, and Volunteers for Youth Justice, which are briefly described below:
Volunteers for Youth Justice
Utilizes volunteers to provide direct intervention, support, and advocacy services to at-risk children and youth. Includes several program components including: Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) which trains and supervises volunteers who speak in court proceedings on behalf of abused or neglected children (10-15 hours/ month during business hours); and Jumpstart, a volunteer-staffed report/resource center open at night and on weekends for delinquent youth on probation.
VYJ's latest program is an anger management/intervention program created to divert students who fight from the juvenile justice system. This is being housed at Caddo Parish schools, with follow up at the VYJ offices. The follow up program needs volunteers who can speak with the participants about alternatives to violence, better decision making and general methods to become adults. VYJ=s offices are located at First Presbyterian Church, where the program was developed in 1981. Call 425-4413 to volunteer or for more information.
PROVIDENCE HOUSE
In the past year, a Youth Advisory Board has been established to work with children who are residents at Providence House through programs and advocacy. This Board is headed by our youth member of Outreach. While not an ongoing project of the Outreach ministry, individual church members volunteer to tutor Providence House children (elementary through high school) with homework assignments and skill development on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons during the school year from 3:45-5:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church.
NORTHWEST LOUISIANA FOOD BANKThe Food Bank services church food pantries and social service agencies in the seven parishes of Northwest Louisiana. Volunteers are needed to sort food in the salvage operation and periodically throughout the year for fund-raising and food collection help.
Finding there are infinite needs in our community and finding there is a need to emphasize our connection to a global village, there is a renewed spirit in Outreach to develop new commitments to our pre-existing connections as well new service areas through funds and hands-on involvement. In addition to the significant commitment of time and talent the church has made to the organizations listed above, Outreach looks forward to building community in new areas including:
THE HIGHLAND CENTER Lighthouse Program
The Highland Center Lighthouse started in late 2004. It serves children in the Highland Area by providing after school activities including help with homework and tutoring. Though the children, this program often reaches parents as well. In 2006, through Outreach, the Celebrations class has committed to plan at least 4 events for the Lighthouse. Anyone interested in participating with the Lighthouse in this way or in tutoring or otherwise becoming part of these children=s lives should contact Brandy McNeill at 221-8404.
NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR -
This is a pilot program envisioned and initiated by one of our church members at the end of 2005. Through this program, Highland area residents are given assistance with high utility bills. In 2006 Outreach hopes to help this project grow through coordination of volunteers and through finding additional ways to help these community neighbors. Particularly in 2006, we look forward to starting a diaper distribution center for the working poor in the neighborhood. If you are interested in assisting with utility bill needs or in donating or helping to sort and distribute diapers once a month, please call or email Sarah Kirkpatrick at 934-4012 or skirkpatrick@lemle.com.
Read about The Diaper Closet project here
HOPE HOUSE - Read more here
Hope House is the only day center for homeless people in Shreveport. It provides a “reintroduction” to society by
· providing its clients individual voice mail boxes, to allow the clients to leave a call back number for jobs,
· providing a P.O. box to allow clients to receive mail, which is necessary for the clients to begin receiving veterans’ and other benefits, and
· assisting in reestablishing their identities through replacement ID cards.
FAIR TRADE COFFEE - Read more here and at PCUSA http://www.pcusa.org/coffee/trade.htm
Coffee is very important in our daily lives and the lives of our congregation. Coffee is also important to those small farmers who harvest this commodity in Latin America, Africa, and Asia because it is their primary source of income. Unfortunately, the profits from the coffee are painfully small. Middlemen such as processors, creditors, exporters, etc., often reap the rewards from the sale of the coffee while paying small farmers the lowest price possible.
Fortunately over 1,800 Presbyterian churches working in conjunction with Equal Exchange are making a difference in the lives of these small farmers. Equal Exchange is an organization that guarantees that coffee and other products meet the fair trade guidelines which includes paying a fair price to farmers and purchasing organically grown coffee while at the same time protecting and preserving wildlife habitat and utilizing sustainable farming methods.
THE PHILADELPHIA CENTER / MERCY HOUSE Read more here
Mercy House is an AIDS hospice directed through the Philadelphia Center. In 2006 we plan to provide meals at Mercy House twice per month. There are no more than 14 residents of Mercy House at any one time and home cooked meals make the residents feel they are not forgotten. If you are interested in cooking or coordinating a meal once or twice during the year, contact Sarah Kirkpatrick at 934-4012 or the church office at 222-0604.
PRESBYTERIAN CHILDREN'S HOMES AND SERVICES
Serves the needs of children by providing preventative, in-home services to families with the goal of family preservation. Rebecca Mayfield directs this program, which is housed at First Presbyterian Church. These families need donated items from school uniforms to household items and Christmas gifts. Call the church office 222-0604 for more information.
SHREVEPORT BOSSIER COMMUNITY RENEWAL HIGHLAND HOUSES
The SBCR Highland Houses offer shelter to young children and teens who live in the Highland area. Here they can find help with homework, meals and supervised social events. In 2005, Outreach was able to contribute to two events planned for the SBCR Highland Houses. In 2006, Outreach is asking a Sunday school class to plan at least 4 events for the Highland House kids, paralleling the program at the Lighthouse. Through both of these, we hope to make an impact on the children in our immediate community. For more information, call Sarah Kirkpatrick at 934-4012.
BLOOD DONOR PROGRAM
This ongoing program has lived longer than all other Outreach Projects! There are 3 or 4 Sunday morning blood drives each year in connection with the Lifeshare Blood Drive. Watch the bulletin for dates and times. If you are interested in coordinating the Blood Drives, call the church office at 222-0604.
THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY
We have become aware that actions in our local community may have a global effect and are working to establish a more global view through international partnerships. For several years First Presbyterian has committed its Christmas Eve offering to ministries in Bangladesh and in 2005 met with representatives of the Bangladesh church to dialog about more intentional community with that church.
In 2005, Outreach sponsored a mission trip to Guatemala to begin a relationship between our church and the churches there. In stepping towards the relationship with Guatemala, we have determined to serve Fair Trade coffee at our church beginning in 2006. Fair Trade coffee ensures that the growers are paid a fair price for the coffee they grow, with the goal that farmers in Guatemala and similar places will earn a living wage and raise their standards of living. 
In 2006, Outreach will be exploring new ways to support the global community through programs such as micro-financing, which provides small business loans to people, usually women, or cooperatives who do not have the political power needed to get loans through traditional means.
Through these and other means identified through the year, Outreach is emphasizing ACommuning at the Table: Building Community with Our Local and Global Neighbors.@ This year, come to the table and get to know your neighbors!