Nearly 60 UCAN+ members gathered on Thursday of this week at our virtual roundtable to support each other in a discussion about volunteer management and care. You can download two of the resources from this roundtable here, the new guidance articles on Recruiting volunteers and Managing volunteers. However, the focus of the roundtable wasn’t on these practicalities, it was on the importance of recognising the season we’re in, listening to our congregation and church family, helping people to reconnect and taking intentional steps to be effective as the church community we’re called to be. ‘Volunteering’ is only part of this, and a lack of team numbers may be a symptom of a cause that needs attention. How would you describe your season and what are the most effective things you can do to have a positive impact on it? Now is a time to listen effectively.
One place where you can listen and receive support is the UCAN online forum on Facebook. Be encouraged: you are not alone in your role and you are unlikely to be the only church addressing your present challenges. You have colleagues across the UK with wisdom, guidance and encouragement to share.
As you ‘regather’ and start up areas of the operational mechanism of your church which may have been dormant for some time and may have changed significantly, please be encouraged to:
Listen to how you are feeling
Listen to how your church family / congregation is feeling
Listen to the experience of other churches
Listen to what God is saying to your church.
It’s definitely time to listen