It is possible to be a member of a church, but never be part of the team that makes the church function properly. Here are a few ways you can be involved in the ministry of our church. It is amazing to me to see the way some people enjoy serving (and doing a good job) in ministries that others would hate to do and probably would not do very well.

God made us all in a different way. That is so that He could prepare us to be one body in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-31). Therefore, if one ministry doesn’t suit you well, try to find one or two others where you can excel in service.

Don’t let your decision on membership stop your volunteer spirit. Sign Up and Get Involved!

Cook

Those who have lost a family member appreciate having a church family who can provide a few meals. This gives them one less thing to worry about when dealing with other needs and emotions. Single parents could probably use some help trying to provide regular nutritious meals for their children.

Transportation

Your church may have a bus or van ministry that needs drivers and workers. Even if your church does not, you can volunteer to give people a ride to your church services and activities. Many times people who are interested in a ministry like this already have people that they are bringing to church, but if you do not, then ask your pastor if there is someone you could pick up. There may be a homebound person who would love to come to church if they only had a way to get there.

Cleaning

Your church may be looking for volunteers to help keep the property looking nice. Again, this does not have to be an official position. Take it upon yourself to tidy up when you notice something needs cleaning. Get with your pastor and find out if there is a day you can come in and straighten up before the next public service in the church.

Lawn Care

Lawn care can include anything from mowing the grass to pulling weeds. You may be quite good at landscaping. However, please clear any projects with your pastor first. Because the outside of the church is not behind a lock and key, it can be frustrating to the pastor to have someone take it upon themselves to redo all the flower beds at church without telling him about it first. Be conscientious and consider that there may be plans in the works for a landscape upgrade before taking it upon yourself to enact your own design.

Maintenance

Don’t assume that the pastor will notice or fix something that is broken. If you see a need to repair something at church take the initiative and fix the problem. This is an area where you don’t necessarily need to get permission to fix something that is broken. However, you should clear any big changes with the leadership of the church.

Set Up for Events

There is always a need for people to arrive early at events and help with decorations and setup. Don’t assume that you will be called “if you are needed.” Many times, whoever is in charge of setting up the event may not want to bother others to help them with the work. Take it upon yourself to contact those in charge and offer to help with setup or cleanup after an event.

Audio/Video Ministry

It is easy to sit back and criticize that the audio is too loud, or too quiet. Or that guy running the projector seems to be asleep half the time. Volunteer to help with the A/V ministry in your church. Even if you don’t have much experience with audio and video, you can probably learn all you need to know if you have any interest in helping your church do better in this area.

Usher

Some churches have certain requirements for their ushers and therefore you may not qualify. But find out from your pastor what you need to do to become one of these important people in the ministry of the church.

Church Security

The location of some churches may attract people who attempt to take advantage of our dedicated worship by vandalizing our parking lots. Sadly it became necessary for one of our men to walk around the parking lot during all services. If you can get a small group of people to help you with this task, then you would only have to miss 1 or 2 church services a month to give the congregants some peace of mind while learning about the Lord.

Nursery

A church full of young couples with babies is a good sign of a healthy church. No one wants to be pulled out of every church service to tend to the needs of others. However, the more people who will volunteer for this needed ministry, the less likely it is that you will have to miss too many services in your church.e church.

Choir

It is unfortunate to see so many churches doing away with having a choir. Whereas 30 or 40 people could have been involved in the worship ministry of the church, they are now depending on 4 or 5 very talented people (even if they are of questionable spiritual maturity) to lead the church in musical worship. If your church still has a choir, jump right in. If you can’t sing well, then at least be there as visual support for the music minister.

NEXT STEPS

Hopefully these ways to serve at church are a good start to helping you see things you can do in your local church ministry. The more involved and invested you are in your church, the more you will work to make its ministry a success in the community.

To help you decide and get you pointed in the right direction, please contact Mr/Mrs/Ms. Person Designated, at PersonDesignated@lincolnucc.org .

Thank you for your interest!
Best,
Lincoln Memorial Congregational Church