Reaching Out
Outreach
Inner City Outreach: First†Metropolitan United Church is active in inner-city outreach initiatives including Our Place, Inner City Dinners, and the Out of the Rain Shelter for street youths.
Lunches for Woodwyn Farm workers
A new initiative this past year of a group from First†Met and from other Victoria area churches has been providing noon meals for the people that work at Woodwyn Farm. Woodwyn Farm in Central Saanich is a 193 acre therapeutic farm for the homeless, offering an opportunity to change peoples’ lives with educational and work programs based on responsibility, dignity, independence and the principles of peer-to-peer help. The meals are for 12 to 15 people. We welcome new volunteers who would provide a lunch either once or on a regular basis. The meals are so appreciated and you are encouraged to stay and enjoy the meal with the workers. For more information, contact Janet Gray at thegrays@shaw.ca.
Inner City Dinner – Shaw Cable’s Daily News
Shaw Cable filmed a segment on the Inner City Dinner at First Met earlier in 2012. In it, Allan Saunders talks about First†Met’s outreach programs:
Youth Basketball: the First†Metropolitan United Basketball Teams is an “outreach” to the community, giving neighbourhood youth an outlet of healthy activity for six to seven months of the year.
The Mining Justice Action Committee meets once a month at First†Met usually on the third Monday of the month. This committee discusses and organizes educational opportunities about issues related to mining both within Canada and globally.
KAIROS: First†Met participates in KAIROS, a dynamic church-based social justice movement. Many First†Met members supported the Defend Our Coast Rally by marching to the Provincial Legislature on October 22 in company with members of other faith communities. Watch a short video of the demonstration.
Another important part of outreach at First Metropolitan is caring for creation. Through a variety of activities inside the church and in the broader community, awareness of and action on issues such as climate change, water quality, and sustainability are promoted.
Spiritual Care
Spiritual Care seeks to model the caring heart of Christ in our relationships with the members and adherents of First†Metropolitan as well as those in the larger community.
Health & Wellness
The Health & Wellness Ministry has programs to promote well-being, empower you through self-help and support healing through healing touch, prayer or laying on of hands.
Newcomers
The Newcomers Welcoming Network hosts several welcoming gatherings throughout the year for our newcomers. They are intimate, fun-filled events that will give you an opportunity to meet others who may be new to our church, as well as our ministers and staff. For further information, please contact the First†Met office.