DO Something with that Interesting Article

by Karen Kogler

If you're a newsletter reader like me, you probably like to read and to learn and you care about the topics you chose to read about. If you're really like me, when you read a great article on an interesting topic--church volunteerism, for example!--you think, "Wow! That's good!" and then go on to read something else.

Information is interesting but knowledge itself doesn't change anything. Action changes things. So if you want to make a difference in those areas you care about, DO something with the next interesting article you read.

For my benefit and yours, here are ideas on what you can do with an interesting article. They're written for a church volunteerism article, but they work for any topic. Share your own suggestions. They'll be added to the end of this interesting article!

1. Give it to someone

Pick someone for whom it can make a difference
- Your pastor or
- Another church leader or
- Your colleagues or
- Someone interested in church volunteerism health or
- Someone with gifts for a volunteerism leadership team or
- Someone who'd be interested in what you're interested in
AND when you give it to them, say,

(Continued)

On The Equipper website

Browse a listing of all the articles on The Equipper website
The website store has reopened. If you are looking to create ministry job descriptions or to train volunteers in your church, the toolkits (Powerpoint presentations with supporting materials) in the store will help you.

"A threefold cord is not quickly broken."

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will left up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to life him up! . . . A threefold cord is not quickly broken." (Ecc. 4:9-10, 12b)

We do better together. Group Publishing, a publisher of volunteerism resources, also connects people who care about volunteerism health. Their Synergos conference, Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in Loveland, Colorado, will bring together people from across the country who are 'equippers' in their own congregations. Their Church Volunteer Central teams are regional groups that support and learn from each other. Check out the map for a CVC team near you.

Good Stuff on the Web

Celebrate! National Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 19-25. Say thank you to a volunteer. Volunteer Recognition Resources
A volunteer, who once led a youth program from a staff position and now is a volunteer in a similar program, writes what he's learned from his new perspective in "13 Ways to Help Your New Vol's Plug In." Most of his ideas would apply to any ministry; all are very relational.
What ministry positions in your church are not open to volunteers due to reasons of confidentiality or other risk factors? Has anyone really thought through why volunteers are encouraged in certain areas but not others? The same thing happens in organizations other than churches. Susan Ellis of Engerize, Inc. addresses this issue head-on in her April Hot Topic.
"A Small Group that Serves" is a great story of a group that combines serving, small group commuity and outreach -- and has fun doing it.
Are you clueless about social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube? Are you aware of the wonderful possibilities they have for connecting volunteers in support of your church's mission? The JJF eQuarterly article "Cultivating Volunteer Relationships Online" is long and sometimes a bit heavy on managerial lingo, but it does a good job of revealing the practical possibilities.

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