engaged (verb)

Volunteer Expo 2012

This January, we’re planning a Ministry Expo at Granger Community Church.  That’s awesome for many reasons. January is a great time to introduce Jesus’ perspective on serving and offer opportunities for volunteering. It will allow many people to step outside of themselves and examine the benefits of being part of a team. A team that will add value to others and fill the voids created when we’ve yet to decide to engage in ministry for the cause of Christ. 

What kind of voids am I talking about? How about the gap between our giftedness and someone else’s needs? When we use our gifts to serve and help others, we’re on mission to change the world for Christ. Or what about the lack of “koinonia” in our lives? When we’re on mission with team members, we’re encouraged, challenged, strengthened and simply made to laugh right when we need it.

January is a great time to offer a fresh start – an additional perspective – on giving, one that includes the most precious commodity: time.

The challenge (read as opportunity) comes when our teams prepare for a four-week series that will honor, inform and engage would-be volunteers, one that will only work if our plans have been put in place by December. How does your December look?  I thought so.

For the next few posts, I’ll be taking you on the journey of Expo preparation.  I’ll skip past the Guest Relations-side of my job in keeping up with December’s activities while planning for an Expo so you’ll not send me sympathy cards.

Let’s start with giving you a broad picture of the series, a sequence that’s focused on volunteerism and volunteers. I believe wrapping an Expo is paramount. Rather than just lobbing an Expo out there and “hoping” for the best, we’re making it the center piece of a series of weekend services that take into account the teachings of scripture on serving, examine the benefits, celebrate the accomplishments and honor the current volunteers. Not effectively done on a single weekend.

We’re taking these four weeks and looking at all of this and more. Right in the middle of the series, we’ve set aside two weekends where the Expo happens. It will conclude every service at every campus.

Here at GCC, we have what we call “big buckets” of ministry. From an organizational viewpoint, they simply look something like this:

1. Arts (creative, performing, communication and technical)

2. Campus Support (grounds, maintenance, facility care)

3. Guest Relations & Care (guest services, retail services, care and support)

4. Kids and Students (yep, kids and students)

5. Mission (international,  “local” and inner city)

6. Technical and Skilled (IT, Admin, Finance)

The point is, there are only six “stations” our guests could visit during this Expo.  They’re right in the auditorium with banners hanging and lit for all to see. Our guests have printed materials in their weekend bulletin to look at. After a couple of weekend teachings about SHAPE, the importance of serving, etc., we’ll encourage them to only pick one or two possible interests as a first step.

In the coming posts, we’ll look at key factors to be managed in advance, during and after the event.  I hope it helps.