First Baptist Church

"It's not the church of God that has a mission, but the God of mission who has a church" - Dr. John Sentamu

As a church, our mission is to know Christ and make Him known. We all are called to know Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour, and to live that in our daily lives.

We all are also called to make Jesus known, to the best of our ability, as we share our faith through our words and our deeds. All of us are ministers of Jesus! We want to equip you to serve Jesus.

Some of the ways we serve Jesus are through ministries of the church. As you look through this brochure, perhaps there are opportunities you see to serve Jesus and love others in the church. Great!

Our ministries and church do not run themselves — they only happen through the gracious servanthood of people like you! Think about our children’s ministries, for example: babies cannot care for themselves and kids cannot teach themselves! They need caring, dedicated, loving volunteers.

Other ways we serve Jesus are not under the auspices of the church at all. If you volunteer in the community, do see your service as an opportunity to serve your Lord in ministry! As you talk with your neighbours, colleagues, or family, see those conversations as opportunities to share Jesus!

Much of the mission, outreach, and service we do — as the people of First Baptist Church — is not church-based. We “are church” — living our faith and loving people in the name of Jesus — as we live out His love in the course of our daily lives.

We encourage you to be involved in ministry in the church — and in your community! Both are fantastic ways to make Jesus known!

We believe passionately that we are a missionary people — called by God to know His love and to share that love with others. our mission field is local — Lethbridge — and global.

We want to share God’s love in Word, through evangelism — introducing people to Jesus. We also want to share God’s love in action — caring for the spiritual, physical, social, and emotional needs of people and God’s creation.

We strive to be God's missional people who live our faith in our daily activities. Mission is who we are and how we live -- not a programme we run through the church. In the course of our lives we seek to live the love of Jesus and share His hope with those around us.

We do sponsor several ministries and work with local agencies through which you may be able to serve:

-Adult Drop In (Thursdays)— we provide a variety of fellowship, community-building, and class opportunities for adults in our neighbourhood.
                                 --Art Class
                                 --Computer Club 9:30-10:00 & 11:00-noon Contact Neil at bigfootneil@shaw.ca
-Soup Kitchen — we make and serve lunch to those in need (4th Wednesday of each month).
-Food Banks — we collect food for our local food banks on the first Sunday of each month.
-New Canadian Ministry — we have new Canadians — refugees from Burma, Europeans, Latin Americans, Africans — who need friends to -help them learn English and Canadian culture.
-University/College Students — why not invite a student for lunch or dinner? Encourage those away from home with a home-cooked meal
-Intervarsity Christian Fellowship — IVCF, on the university campus, welcomes our support.
-Habitat for Humanity — each July, Habitat has a “blitz build” in the city.
-Crossroads Counseling Centre — we support our local Christian counseling centre.
-Mill Creek Baptist Camp — Our camp, which we support with other southern Alberta churches, needs summer staff and construction skills
-Creation Care — we want to care for God’s creation: in the church, our homes, and community

Short Term Mission Trips — trips to India and Quebec are in the works for 2009. For other opportunities check with Canadian Baptist Ministries (www.cbmin.org).

Many, many of our people volunteer or serve in the community, living out their faith as sports coaches, helpers in schools, visitors in health care facilities, community organization leaders, etc., etc.

Do you have ideas? Contact one of the pastors.

Find out more about, pray for, and consider financially supporting missionaries from our own church:
Ron & Sharon Harris, Canadian Baptist Ministries, India
Andy Paterson, Auditor, Serving-In-Mission
Lisa Ratzlaff, Serving-In-Mission, Zambia
Barney & Adelia Robison, Gambia
Terry & Jane Baskin, Village Missions
Our Partner-in-Mission:
Joyce Hancock, Canadian Baptist Ministries, Brazil

As a church we value our children, youth, adults, and families! There are many opportunities to encourage and support our children, youth, and educational programmes. Resources, training, and support are provided.

Helpers and teachers are needed to work in
The Manger (newborn to 2½ years), 9:30 & 11:00
The Ark (2½ to 5 years), 9:30
Daniel’s Den (Grades 1-5), 9:30
Young Worshipers (2½ to 5 years), 11:00
Kids, of course, cannot teach themselves; they need you (and they’ll love you for your time and care).

Volunteers needed to work directly with youth during Sunday morning groups (9:30-10:30), Wednesday evenings (7:00-9:00 p.m.) and occasional Friday evening activities.

Are you interested in leading or helping lead a small group or Sunday morning adult class?

Volunteers are needed for cataloguing, sorting, shelving and dusting.

We value corporate and individual worship and prayer. There are opportunities for you be involved. See our “Small Groups” Brochure” for information on small groups that focus on these ministries, including a Tuesday Evening Prayer Group and Wednesday afternoon Power of Prayer Group. Here are some other opportunities:

We want to greet our visitors and regular attenders warmly. Do you love to meet and greet people?

Each Sunday we need people to make coffee, tea and juice, set out cups and glasses, and clean up.

Once a month (generally the first Sunday) we share communion together. We need people to set up the trays, serve during worship, and/or clean up afterward.

Our morning worship is designed to invite people of all ages to be involved through singing, playing an instrument, reading Scripture, participating in drama, or using other gifts. Contact Kathy Heidebrecht


We have teams of people willing to pray with people following our morning worship services. Support and training is provided.

We can praise God through banners, seasonal decorations, and other visual arts.

For more information on any of these ministries or if you have ideas for how we can serve our congregation in worship and prayer, contact one of the pastors.

One of the important things we do as the body of Christ is care for those in our community and church with the love of Jesus. We want to live Jesus’ command to “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

Do you enjoy visiting people who are shut-in, new to the church, new to Canada, seniors, in hospital, ill, or simply need encouragement? Speak with the pastors.

We lead short worship services and Bible studies at several seniors’ lodges each month. You are welcome to come just to be there, to help with music, or to help lead. Speak with the pastors.

We need help with catering and hospitality events including Thanksgiving Dinner, Children’s Ministry events, breakfasts, and funerals.

Sunday mornings we need drivers and hosts to help seniors on/off the bus.

When a new baby is born we like to provide a week of suppers meals for the family. Can you make a meal?

We are always happy to receive any assistance with general maintenance throughout the church and landscaping on our property. Anyone willing to share their knowledge or experience in gardening, electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation, construction or woodworking is welcome. If you like to clean, repair, paint, garden. or build, please let us know.

"As a Christ-centered community, our mission is to know Christ and make Him known."