* Ignore The Volunteer – I have personally experienced and witnessed where someone stepped up to help a ministry and they were dismissed (for whatever reason). If a person keeps attempting to volunteer, and being told no… they eventually stop.
* Undervalue Your Volunteer (or not utilize their gift) – This is especially common with women, when they volunteer they are often ushered in to nursery/childcare and food/cleaning/decorating projects. Women have far more to offer than domesticated gifts, many are gifted in accounting, administration, etc. If a woman feels her gifts are not being used, she won’t volunteer or take her gifts elsewhere.
Thanks for the comment, Debbie. (My apologies for taking so long to respond!) Your question describes a very common problem, and there are no simple answers. Here are some thoughts for the leaders, and core volunteers, of a church in that situation to consider. Are the older/retiring volunteers willing to have someone else do the task in a new and different way, or at a different time? Have the non-volunteering participants been asked personally (not in mass publicity) if they’d like to volunteer, or how they might like to volunteer? Is the mission of the church clear, and is there support for it? Is serving in all areas of life taught and encouraged, and have people been asked to share where they are serving outside the church? Are all the tasks needing volunteers ones that are crucial to the church’s mission? No easy answers to any of these questions, but different generations volunteer differently, and while the church’s core teachings never change, the way we ‘do church’ together sometimes does.
Karen, This edition has been awesome!
Great topics and Q&A about various topics (including Days of Service projects)!
Continued blessings on your work!
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I would add few things that hinder:
* Ignore The Volunteer – I have personally experienced and witnessed where someone stepped up to help a ministry and they were dismissed (for whatever reason). If a person keeps attempting to volunteer, and being told no… they eventually stop.
* Undervalue Your Volunteer (or not utilize their gift) – This is especially common with women, when they volunteer they are often ushered in to nursery/childcare and food/cleaning/decorating projects. Women have far more to offer than domesticated gifts, many are gifted in accounting, administration, etc. If a woman feels her gifts are not being used, she won’t volunteer or take her gifts elsewhere.
Thanks for adding these other ways we unintentionally discourage people from serving. I’ve seen both of them, too.
Thanks for the comment, Debbie. (My apologies for taking so long to respond!) Your question describes a very common problem, and there are no simple answers. Here are some thoughts for the leaders, and core volunteers, of a church in that situation to consider. Are the older/retiring volunteers willing to have someone else do the task in a new and different way, or at a different time? Have the non-volunteering participants been asked personally (not in mass publicity) if they’d like to volunteer, or how they might like to volunteer? Is the mission of the church clear, and is there support for it? Is serving in all areas of life taught and encouraged, and have people been asked to share where they are serving outside the church? Are all the tasks needing volunteers ones that are crucial to the church’s mission? No easy answers to any of these questions, but different generations volunteer differently, and while the church’s core teachings never change, the way we ‘do church’ together sometimes does.
Awesome article, Karen. Great reminders.
Thanks, Carol. Your encouragement has been a blessing to me for more years than either of us would want to count!
Great article and reminder to find the joy!
Thanks, Jean. You are a great example of joy in serving!
Karen, This edition has been awesome!
Great topics and Q&A about various topics (including Days of Service projects)!
Continued blessings on your work!
Barb
What have you found helpful in serving with millennials?