Community outreach and engagement at FUMCA extends beyond meeting immediate needs to creating opportunities that enrich life throughout the year. Alongside efforts educate youth, feed the hungry, and provide for those in need, these ministries include free public events such as neighborhood concerts in the Be Kind Series, the drive-through Live Nativity, and the annual Tom Peyton Memorial Arts Festival.
FEEDING THE HUNGRY: The Lord loves a cheerful giver, and our church volunteers love to feed those who hunger. From weekly budget-friendly meals for The Gathering, to supplying local outreach ministries with hundreds of emergency meals, the kitchen at FUMCA is at the heart of our community ministry.
ANNUAL PUMPKIN PATCH: A fundraiser for our First United Methodist Preschool ministry, the annual Pumpkin Patch is more than just a fruit sale...it is a community event. Many come to get their pumpkins for holiday decor, and others come to take family photos in the patch at no charge.
SEASONAL FAMILY FUN: Throughout the year, we offer opportunities for families to come have a good time. These include family festival days in the Spring and Fall, and seasonal photo opps around the holidays.
LIVE NATIVITY: Our Live Nativity Drive-Through is more than a holiday event; it is an immersive retelling of the Christmas story. Guests are invited to experience the wonder of the nativity from their cars, while community members of all ages bring the story to life as costumed, non-speaking characters, creating a meaningful evening of faith, fellowship, and shared tradition.
YOUNG AT HEART: A special friendship between FUMCA and Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim celebrated each month with socials alternating between campuses.
There is even the occasional field trip!
ANNUAL TOM PEYTON MEMORIAL ARTS FESTIVAL: A celebration of creativity, faith, and community. through art exhibits, workshops, and special programming. We invite participants and visitors alike to explore the intersection of artistic expression and spiritual life, offering an enriching experience that engages the wider community..
ART COMMUNITY PARTNERS: As often as possible, we partner with other art community leaders that include special art tours and Urban Sketching meet-ups to classes and workshops with art educators from the CENLA community.
COMMUNITY CONCERTS: Music can always be found in our worship spaces, and we offer it through the year in our public spaces, like Jazz on Jackson to the all-new Be Kind Garden District Concert series,
ALEXANDRIA FARMER'S MARKET: For several years, we have partnered with the Alexandria Farmer's Market on our campus. Every Tuesday, hundreds of visitors visit our campus to take home fresh, locally sourced produce, natural products, and various handicrafts.