Volunteers Make a Difference, Each and Every Day

By LELAND JONES, The Vicar

A non-profit, charitable organization relies on the goodness and talents of volunteers in order to exist. Just the Sunday services (a -little over two hours in duration) require the work of altar guild (4), acolytes (4), choir (14), coffee-makers (4), greeters (2), lay eucharistic ministers (4), oblation bearers (4), teachers (6), ushers (4). A conservative estimate of these person-hours is around 85 per week!

In addition, there are tellers (who count the offering), recorders (who help keep track of permanent records) and people who help with mailing and folding and answering phones. There are those who help with building or grounds maintenance and beautification, those who do outreach, those who minister to the needs of others in the congregation, those who put together The Net (and those who write articles for it), and those who serve on various ministry groups, task forces and committees, including the Bishop’s Committee. People visit newcomers, pray for others, fix soup for suppers, provide transportation to doctors, help with shopping, move chairs and tables, and literally dozens of other tasks which will come to me after this article is published. At Saint Andrew’s, we are no more cursed or blessed than most other places when it comes to volunteers—there is always more that could be done if more folks stepped forward, but so much gets done by those who do — we ought not to complain, as we have many, many blessings to count.

If you have a gift — of time or talent— to offer to your church home, please consider offering it. We could use more help in a number of areas, including phone answerers in the mornings, and would be pleased to explore with any potential volunteers the ways in which your talents and time may make a positive difference in the doing of God’s work through Saint Andrew’s. We offer thanks to God and to the following, who have so far been acknowledged as 1999 Volunteers of the Week in the announcements each Sunday:

Jan. 31: John Rodrigues

Feb. 7: Sally & Dan Menzel

Feb. 14: Georgie & Tom Olson

Feb. 21: Jane & Don Cornett.

Feb. 28: Teri Poythress.

March 7: Betty Lawrence.

March 14: Ryan, Kathy & Nick Baldasari.