Church Volunteerism & the Movies

Movies get our attention. The images, the action, and the story-- they are great communicators.

We have great messages to communicate about serving together as the body of Christ in the church. Below are segments of two movies, with discussion guides, that can help us do that. What other video segments can you come up with that demonstrate some aspect of serving our Lord?

Be creative. And share. Use the 'comment on this issue' link at right to let us know how you used these, and to share other �pictures� or video you�ve used to help people serve Jesus.

Important note: See www.cvli.com for information on licensing to show copyrighted works.

Service with a Smile . . . and a Song and Dance!

What�s your picture of a servant? Many of us picture someone quietly going about their duties in the background, like the custodian emptying the trash or the restaurant staff clearing tables. Or we picture Jesus humbly washing His disciples� feet (John 13:1-17).

The creative teams at Disney created an interesting picture of service in the song �Be Our Guest� from their movie �Beauty and the Beast.� The servants of an enchanted castle, after many long years with never a visitor, are thrilled when a guest arrives for dinner. They �only live to serve� and their service is joyful, exuberant, and unrestrained. It�s not just dinner, but music and dance with a cast of thousands! It�s definitely over the top!

"Service with a Smile" Discussion Handout: Service
"Service with a Smile" Leader's Guide: Service

The Lone Ranger Builds a Church

This clip is not about the Lone Ranger, but it is about a long ranger. We have lone rangers in the church, too.

In the movie �Lilies of the Field� (1963), Sidney Poitier plays Homer Smith, an unemployed construction worker. When he happens upon some nuns in the American southwest, the Mother Superior sees him as an answer to her prayer for a chapel for their worship with the local people. It takes time, but Homer is eventually persuaded to build the chapel.

But then the locals show up to help build their chapel, and two problems come up that are common to all of us in the church. The solutions in the movie work for us, too.

"The Lone Ranger Builds a Church" Discussion Handout: Lone Ranger
"The Lone Ranger Builds a Church" Leader's Guide: Lone Ranger

How and where might you use these clips?

Sermon illustrations
Team devotions
Small group discussion
At a ministry training or affirmation event
Staff meeting
At a retreat

Share your video clip discussion ideas here.

Good Stuff on the Web

A good discussion on appreciation gifts is in "Evolving Recognition Past Pins and Plaques." Note this quote: "Recognition and appreciation at their heart are motivators. . . . They motivate volunteers because they validate the time that volunteer has spent by showing how they�ve made a difference (and every volunteer has made a difference)."
How are you doing engaging the over-65 generation as volunteers? This group has skills and time ... and it's growing in numbers. "Best Practices in Engaging Older Adults" lists five criteria for boomer-savvy organizations.

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