Program Coordinator with ServiceLink, and Resource Catalyzer with the Connections Project, working from the Burlington (ON) office.
I am a member of The Carpenteros and Friends, a group that began at Calvary CRC (Flamborough, ON) and has expanded to include members from several other CRCs and non-CRC churches. For the past 17 years, the Carpenteros have been supporting community development in Honduras through short-term service teams and various fundraising activities that support micro-finance cooperatives, agricultural and sanitation projects, health and nutritional training, justice advocacy, and crisis/emergency relief, in partnership with World Renew, Diaconia Nacional, and other Honduran partner agencies. Funds to support this work are primarily raised through the 'Building Hope for Honduras' banquet, normally held on the last Thurs. in September, and through a Valentine's Dinner.
In partnership with Diaconia Nacional of Honduras, the Carpenteros also coordinate the Rio Olancho Direct Trade Coffee Project, which provides training and support for coffee growers in Olancho. They are paid a premium for producing high-quality coffee, which is the exported to Canada and distributed in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.
Recently LifeWay’s Todd Adkins, Daniel Im, and Eric Geiger (hosts of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast) released five episodes specifically related to recruiting volunteers in churches. Here are some of the highlights!
The article below, from Smart Church Management, suggests four ideal opportunities for surveying your volunteers.
Effective volunteer management incorporates many things that contribute to a positive experience for the volunteer. Here are 12 things that your volunteers are expecting from your church.
This article offers a number of suggestions for small churches that are looking to engage deeper with their community. With the right approach, it is possible for a small group of people to make a big impact.
These 50 Ways will help your congregation make a good first impression and extend hospitality in meaningful ways.
Which of these characteristics are evident in your congregation, and how can your church strengthen these traits for more effective local ministry?
This Christianity Today article by Calvin C. Ratz explores what it takes to have newcomers stay connected to your congregation.
The Lewis Center for Church Leadership has prepared this list of 50 Ways you can engage your local school effectively. Great ideas for churches looking to reach out to their local schools!
This free 50 Ways resource provides strategies to identify and support new leaders, continue to develop existing leaders, and build and maintain effective ministry teams.
How can we reach our communities if they have no idea we love them? And how will they know we love them if we don’t work alongside them?
The Bridge App, which the CRCNA is currently being rolled out by Canadian Ministries to congregations in Canada is a smartphone app (Apple and Android) that includes a directory component.
...
In developing The Bridge, one of the principles relating to the directory is that churches and individual users would have primary control over that content. We have sought to make it as easy as...
Hi Doug. You are correct that at this point in time, there is only one US church (Bellevue, Washington) because they have agreed to be part of the pilot/testing process. The Ontario churches...
Hi Peter -- you may already know this, but BTGMI publishes 'Cada Dia' -- a Spanish equivalent to the 'Today' devotionals.
http://backtogod.net/global-ministries/spanish/
and
...
Eagerly awaiting part two!
Here is a list that ServiceLink has compiled, with 10 tips for showing church volunteers how much you appreciate them. Many of these ideas are 'common sense' actions that volunteer leaders will...
ServiceLink's website has a section under the Engage menu with 'Helpful Information and Job Descriptions for Elders and Deacons'
Direct links to the webinars for new elders and deacons can...
Hi Kory -- do you mean the police will only do 3 per month, or that turn-around is 3 months? If turn-around is 3-months, you could phase it in. If the police will only do 3 per month, that is a...
Hi Leon -- toward the bottom of this page:
http://www.crcna.org/servicelink/engage/job-descriptions-church-volunteers
there is a downloadable Ministry Evaluation form that a CRC...
Hi Kory.
Here is a link to a page on the ServiceLink site with some additional info on background checks, and there is a link to ScreeningOne, which processes online background checks in...