Illinois ranks #1 in volunteer rate among the 8 most populated states in the U.S. That’s better than being #1 in sports, right?
Found stuff: Much help, Little good
A good reminder that we should use our heads as well as our hearts when we want to help those in need. Truly helping others can be challenging. Few countries have suffered an earthquake so devastating, or have been lessRead more…
Good Stuff: Measuring Impact
Volunteer Match collected information from nonprofits on measuring volunteer impact. They’re sharing the results here: “Here’s How You Measure Volunteer Impact.”
Good Stuff: Volunteer Match blog
The Volunteer Match blog covers the volunteerism interests of the entire nonprofit world. Here’s a listing of their most popular blog posts in 2014
Good stuff – volunteerism resources
The Energize, Inc. website is full of volunteerism resources. I especially like A to Z library and Susan Ellis’s hot topics.
Paid or Volunteer?
Paid or Volunteer? What work is done by staff at your church? What work is done by volunteers? Usually, the line between the two is pretty clear. Some positions (pastor, secretary) are filled by employees. Others (Sunday school teacher, usher)Read more…
Good Stuff on Parent Volunteers
Good stuff I’ve come across: “Tips for Engaging Parent Volunteers“ Research fact sheet on the value of parental involvement in education from the Michigan Dept. of Education. The value only increases in spiritual education.
Good Stuff from Volunteer Match
Every time you write a recruitment notice, use the three simple suggestions at the end of this Volunteer Match article, “Responsive Tech that Powers Your Volunteer Recruitment.” The article is about smart phone use, but the way we interact withRead more…
Why We Sit So Well
Why do our churches have so many more pew-sitters than active participants? Greg Finke has a provocative answer in “Why do our people sit so well?” But as his entire website, Dwelling 1:14, makes clear, he’s advocating neighborhood volunteeringRead more…
Everyday Equipping: What’s Your Score?
Everyday Equipping: What’s Your Score? You have more influence on volunteerism in your church than you think. We all do. Even those of us not in a position of authority, with no leadership gifts or inclinations; we influence others. OfRead more…
Mapping the Church
“Where is your church?” I could answer that question by telling you my church is in Arlington Heights, Illinois, in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. But I’d rather answer it by showing you the three large maps on a wall in ourRead more…
Going to the Dogs?
I’m not a dog person. Due to family allergies, we never owned a dog, much to my sons’ disappointment and my relief. But now my church owns a dog. Last November, in a “passing of the leash” ceremony, we receivedRead more…
Screening Our Volunteers
Two years ago I wrote “Protecting People and Ministry” on how our church, St. Peter Lutheran in Arlington Heights, Illinois, created volunteer screening policies as part of a risk management plan. Implementation took longer than expected, but it taught usRead more…
The Power of Stories
Are you a storyteller? Of course you are. We all are. We naturally share the stories of what’s going on in our lives – the illness, the home improvement project, the cute thing the grandchild did! Stories are part ofRead more…
How I Learned to Look Outward
It’s fall 2009. I’m in Loveland, Colorado, at a church volunteerism conference, with eager anticipation for many of the speakers and sessions. But there must have been a ‘dead’ hour, because I know I didn’t expect much from one particularRead more…
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