Community

Parker Road Baptist Church is located in Florissant, Missouri.  Florissant is the largest municipality in St. Louis County with a population of more than 53,000.  The city of Florissant is located in the heart of a valley near the confluence of two rivers, the Missouri and the Mississippi.  Florissant was founded in 1767 by French farmers and fur trappers and nicknamed the Valley of Flowers.  When Florissant celebrates the Valley of Flowers Festival during the first weekend of May, Parker Road is a visible presence. 

Jim McCaughan, minister of missions, assists the Board of Community Oriented Problem Solving (COPS) for Florissant.  Several groups have served Florissant because of this cooperation including Missions Fuge (M-Fuge) and World Changers.  M-Fuge spent time during 2005 doing painting, cleaning and yardwork on several derelict properties.  World Changers sent four groups to do construction work in the city of Florissant.  World Changers worked on roofs, fences, storage racks and at least four handicap ramps.  Several Parker Road congregation members also have built about six handicapped ramps in cooperation with groups from the police and fire departments.

Parker Road participates in other Florissant mission programs including Shield a Badge and the School Adoption Program.  Shield a Badge is an organized praying effort to protect the firemen, EMT workers and members of the police force.  The School Adoption Program is a praying effort for the community schools.

Parker Road Baptist Church also draws members from other nearby communities of St. Louis County including Ferguson and Hazelwood.

McCaughan has received positive feedback and thank yous from many.  "It means we are really making a difference in the community," he says.