Unsung Heroes
Every once in a while, a certain phrase drives me into a tailspin of overanalysis. Today, that phrase is “unsung heroes.” I probably don’t have to explain what an unsung hero is, but today my mind wandered to what a sung hero might be. It's probably a reference to some Greek hero or another ancient culture where stories were told, sometimes literally by singing them. But then, if I tell a story about an unsung hero, wouldn’t that make them a sung hero just by the act of me telling their story? Naturally, I had to Google the etymology of "unsung hero" and sift through the results to confirm my assumptions and understand it fully, all because someone mentioned "unsung hero." My mind is not a fun place sometimes.
Our church is full of unsung heroes. They will remain truly unsung because I can’t carry a tune, but I do have to share how some of these individuals are making a huge difference in our church and our mission of making disciples.
The young adult small group is the most active group and has grown more in the past few years than almost all our other small groups combined. One of the main reasons for this is their leader, who is the most proactive about personally inviting people to join. It doesn’t hurt that they also have some of the best snacks.
We have a father/daughter team that runs our media and lights for both services every week. Since I have been here, they have volunteered for over 1,000 church services, showing up for rehearsals during the week and arriving hours before everyone else on Sunday mornings.
One of our video producers has helped train a dozen volunteer camera operators, is committed to excellence, and is one of the most grace-filled people I’ve ever worked with. He was also the pivotal voice that convinced our church to fully invest in a robust streaming design instead of just getting by.
Speaking of the camera operators, every single one of them is committed to creating the best possible online experience. They know it is perhaps the only means of worship for some, but more importantly, it is the first experience many people will have with our church. They are such amazing volunteers that they are constantly sought after by other ministries because they are fully invested in the mission of making disciples.
I can’t even begin to do justice to the next-gen volunteers. These are the ones who have volunteered in youth ministry for decades, love the cry of infants, can listen to a toddler explain the war between diesels and steamies, or the amazing volunteers who take a week of vacation just to lead a small group at VBS.
There are the greeters who make people feel welcomed as soon as they step into our sanctuary, the ushers who just make things happen, and the coffee fellowship volunteers who show up early to make sure we’re caffeinated, help us treat guests well, and ensure everyone has a chance to have a conversation with someone.
On any given Sunday, I can name over 70 volunteers who give their time and talents to the church to help us make disciples. This doesn’t include the paid staff or all of the volunteers and committees who work throughout the week to make sure the AC is working, bulletins are made, and people are prayed for.
Don’t get me wrong, we are incredibly blessed to have those 70 volunteers, and it might sound crazy to ask for more, but 70 isn’t enough. Many of our volunteers serve in multiple capacities. One of our youth-aged volunteers arrives before 8 each Sunday, runs a camera or fills in for whatever spot has a gap (this guy can do everything and is incredibly smart and humble), either goes to youth Sunday school at 11 or helps run something tech for the traditional service, goes home for a few hours, comes back for youth band practice, and stays for another 2 hours of youth.
So yes, we need you even though we already have 70 volunteers. You can make a difference in our church and be part of our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. But it’s not just about you serving the church. When you join one of our teams, you also find yourself surrounded by other amazing people. You make meaningful friendships with some of the best people out there.
If you want to help but don’t know how to get started, you can always drop by the church office and talk to one of the staff. We would love to help you find a spot to get plugged in. Mark your connect card, talk to one of the people who are already volunteering, and just ask, "How would I become a greeter?” Joining a team isn’t just about volunteering, it’s about becoming part of our church family and making disciples.