What volunteer roles do you have at your church?

We are building a list of typical volunteer roles at a church -- the roles for which you need to regularly schedule people. ("Each week we need two greeters, four ushers, an organist, a tuba player, a worship leader, four nursery volunteers....")

We are creating a related list of skills you might want to track within your congregation, whether spiritual gifts (hospitality, etc.), talent with an instrument (drums, piano, tuba, etc.), or specialized training (nurse, attorney, etc.).

I'd appreciate your looking at the list and adding things we missed. Feel free to add comments as well.

Anonymous, open Google document anyone can edit:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WbrWnm39Ht57E2PN3Mb-eZBvvLo-8LcbtcgNYPdW28o/edit?usp=sharing

Thanks!

-- Bob

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Comments

Jan Krohn

The current list seems to be centered around the worship services (Sunday/midweek). Are other weekly activities excluded? (Outreach, youth group, refugee work, scouts etc)

David Ames

We are building a list of typical volunteer roles at a church -- the roles for which you need to regularly schedule people. ("Each week we need two greeters, four ushers, an organist, a tuba player, a worship leader, four nursery volunteers....")

You forgot the all important cleaning crew. Including the half hour plus that it takes to remove all the bulletins, with their all important weekly notices that no one takes home, and resetting the Bibles and hymn books.

Sean

Planning on taking on Planning Center next? [;)]

Bob Pritchett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/975796#Comment_975796

The current list seems to be centered around the worship services

That's why I'm asking for help! :-)

Please do add other weekly activity roles (and skills)...

Bob Pritchett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/975813#Comment_975813

I think the team at Planning Center is fantastic, and they've built a great tool that is used by thousands of churches. We're glad for their friendship and integration with Proclaim.

We do believe that there are churches that would value a tightly integrated set of tools, and that some form of scheduling makes sense as a complement to Faithlife Proclaim and the Faithlife Calendar tool; Planning Center might not be the right tool for every church.

But you're closer to the problem: what do you think? How do you use scheduling? Do you use Planning Center? Do you like it? Do you use another tool? Does someone use an Excel sheet and a bunch of emails? How do you coordinate? What do you wish was easier?

(BTW, if you haven't looked at Faithlife's Calendar tool recently, you should -- it's getting better, and will continue to improve dramatically in the coming weeks... and if you go to your church group's Settings you can now link to an existing Google Calendar or other .ics calendar feed.... if you haven't claimed your church's Faithlife Group, you should -- there's lots of cool stuff just around the corner....)

David Thomas

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/975864#Comment_975864

I don't have time to edit your list, but you may want to contact Dave Ferguson at Community Christian Church in Naperville, IL. Several years ago the Ferguson brothers were leading conferences on multi-site. They developed a "Volunteer Matrix" that had over 200 positions that needed to be filled before they would launch a new campus --everything from chair setup to childcare to worship to hospitality to tech to teaching to follow-up. I would check with those who have learned from their errors. I have emailed an excel spreadsheet of our matrix to Bob.

abondservant

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/975869#Comment_975869

At our church, we look at each other and ask who feels like being the groundskeeper today. Then usually one or all three of us will tackle the issues.

The same is true of most of the elements of our minstry. There are maybe 25 in the church when everyone comes, and most of those volunteer their time for something. Those that don't, are too infirm.

We have a food pantry, run four awanas classes for as many kids as we have adults in the church, we have a couple sunday school classes, and a sunday morning service. We offer music lessons, have a worship team, people that clean up, and set up multiple times per week. People that run our AV elements, which was huge in my opinion. We had a projector - we just haven't had anyone to run it. We had a soundboard, but our worship leader was trying to mix audio, and lead worship at the same time - he's hard of hearing. He did outstanding all things considered. Our (new) AV guy also works IT through the week, so I have help fixing all things technological so that my time is free to be spent elsewhere (I used to work IT as well).

Most all of the people that help, wear a ton of hats, and I am grateful for each and everyone of them.

Not the least of which is my secretary (also my aunt) who is involved to one degree or another with most anything we do at the church. She is involved with at least as much as I am. I pay her (more than I make) as well as we can afford to. But its no where near what she's worth. Likewise my parents help fill in, anywhere there is need. If something needs to be done, and no one else volunteers they are always quick to jump in. There are a few with only one hat - like the lady that runs the food pantry. But what a heavy hat that can be.

Its truly a blessing to have so many people that are skilled in the necessary essentials. One lady used to be a CPA, she (and my secretary) manage the finances. We have a former pastor that helps shoulder some of the load, and mentors me when something comes up I'm unfamiliar with.

Its a lot of work for not a huge number of people. But we have all pulled together well I think.