Before COVID-19, you were happy to be a volunteer in church.
You were probably an usher, greeter, cleaner/decorator, or a member of a long list of helpers. But with the shutdown, your involvement has been suspended. Even with the gradual reopening, your services still not needed the way they were before the lockdown.
You are probably wondering what you can do to continue to serve the needs of the people. You are not alone. So many people have missed congregating. Notwithstanding, here are a few ways you can still be of assistance to the church.
1. Join community outreach. The chances are that your church is involved in one community outreach or another. A lot of denominations are involved in the distribution of groceries and other food items. Especially now that more people are falling on hard times. More hands are needed to help plan, coordinate and distribute items.
2. Blog or redistribute the pastor’s messages if you are a good writer. Since most services are now held online, you can write opinion pieces on the sermons and disseminate them to your constituency.
3. With the collaboration and approval of your church, offer counseling services to those in emotional distress. A lot of people are disillusioned this period and have a lot of unanswered questions. Make the burden of the church leadership lighter by offering your professional expertise in this area pro bono.
4. With the collaboration and approval of your church, offer a job recruitment service. Several people have either lost their jobs or are furloughed due to the pandemic. You can use your skills as a Human Resources professional to create a department within the church, albeit temporary, to help people find jobs. You and your team can also assist with the preparation of resumes.
5. Offer free training in specific skills and use it as a tool for evangelism. People use social media and especially Zoom and Gmeet, these days for training. It could be in catering, dressmaking, painting, coding, etc. An hour webinar a week shouldn’t hurt.
6. Continue to give. There is a temptation to suspend generosity when church services are not in person. The churches need more resources now to support the ministry. A lot of churches are assisting members in financial distress. They are also providing for those in need within the communities. So, if you are in a position to give, do so regularly. And giving doesn’t always have to be monetary. You can donate face masks, sanitizers, cleaning materials, etc.
7. Organize free health checks. If you are in the health industry, reach out to other medical practitioners within the church to organize free health checks and tests for members. This kind of service is needed now that people are at home and may be embracing unhealthy habits.
8. Rally round the bereaved: The virus took away several loved ones. In some instances, proper burials were not allowed for health reasons. This denial is very painful. The bereaved certainly need the love and warmth from the church at this time. Extended in-person visits may not be allowed, but an organized group could be assembled to manage this aspect of the ministry. A virtual service of songs can be held for relatives of the departed. Phone calls and zoom sessions should be arranged to engage those grieving.
There are several other ways to be involved. One thing, though, is that the church’s response has been impressive all over the world. This outpouring of love is mostly due to the selfless giving of time and resources by volunteers like you. Your stewardship isn’t unnoticed.
It is also recorded in heaven and your labor of love will be rewarded accordingly.
By IUE
10/05/20
