Prayers for volunteers

“May your Spirit strengthen us; so that we will be: strong in faith, discerning in proclamation, courageous in witness, persistent in good deeds.”

Thanking and Recognizing Volunteers

Within a church, volunteers are members who use their talents or their background, to aid the church and fulfill its needs with service and actions. Without volunteers, our churches – especially in the educational arena – would be a shell of what they are. After all – it is the people who make the church! And they are not just volunteers, they are Christian ministers.

Have you put on the church calendar a time to thank and honor volunteers? Or if this is the beginning of the program year, will you dedicate or install these important ministers in the midst of your worshipping community on a Sunday? If not, check that calendar today!

2 Prayers for Volunteers

For Those Who Volunteer in Churches
Everlasting God, strengthen and sustain all those who volunteer in our churches;
that with patience and understanding they may love and care for your people;
and grant that together they may follow Jesus Christ,
offering to you their gifts and talents;
through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Adapted by Sharon Ely Pearson from the Collect at a New Ministry, Episcopal Book of Common Prayer)

May Your Spirit Strengthen Us
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, the privilege is ours to share
in the loving, healing, reconciling mission of your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord,
in this age and wherever we are.
Since without you we can do no good thing, may your Spirit make us wise;
may your Spirit guide us; may your Spirit renew us;
may your Spirit strengthen us; so that we will be: strong in faith,
discerning in proclamation, courageous in witness, persistent in good deeds.
This we ask through the name of the Father. Amen.
(from the Church of the Province of the West Indies)

Need Volunteers? How to Call Volunteers

These two articles on Building Faith will help you with the process of volunteer “calling” volunteers. Identify your needs, pray for guidance, personally invite people.

5 Steps for Calling Volunteers by Sharon Ely Pearson

Need Church Volunteers? : A Step-by-Step Process that Works by Liz Perraud

Sharon Ely Pearson is a 30+ year Christian formation veteran, currently serving as an editor and the Christian Formation Specialist for Church Publishing Incorporated. Wife, mother, soon-to-be-grandmother, and author, she enjoys connecting people with each other and the resources they need for growing in the knowledge and love of Jesus.

www.buildfaith.org

There are three volunteer opportunities for church groups or for individuals.

Participate in The Upper Room’s The Living Prayer Center by becoming a Phone Volunteer or a Prayer Partner. The prayer center offers a way for small groups, church leaders and individuals to be a part of prayer fellowship beyond their local communities. 

Phone Volunteers receive the phone calls that come to our toll-free number. They listen to prayer requests and then pray with the callers. The volunteer shares the prayer request with the Prayer Center, which then forwards the prayer concern to covenant prayer groups across the globe to be held in prayer for an extended time.

Prayer Partners are individuals or small groups of people (Covenant Prayer Groups) who receive the prayer requests from people all over the world and spend time lifting those concerns in prayer. Prayer requests are forwarded from the prayer center once a week for extended prayer.

Our Online Prayer Wall We launched a new feature on our webpage, the Prayer Wall, where people can share their needs, praises, and concerns with others online. You can visit our wall at our Prayer Wall.

The idea behind this project is to create an online prayer community that enables more people to pray for each other. This is simply a new tool to do what The Prayer Center has always done. Join this global community of prayer. Pray for—and respond to—the requests you see. We invite you to request prayer for yourself or a loved one . . . or even someone you do not know.

To become a volunteer, all you need is a vital Christian experience, a willingness to open your heart to those in need, and a desire to grow in your own prayer life.

Submit an application for the role to which you are called. Our prayer center staff will respond to your application and supply you with training for your role.

Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. GALATIANS 6:2

Phone Volunteers

Become a prayer volunteer by answering The Upper Room’s prayer line (forwarded to a number of your choosing) for a period of time. Choose at least a 2-hour time slot that fits your schedule.

Download Phone Prayer Volunteer Application PDF

Prayer Partners

Become a prayer partner who receives weekly prayer requests via email from the Upper Room Prayer Center and then prays for the persons in need.

Download Prayer Partners Application PDF

prayer-center.upperroom.org

Volunteers are the life blood of any community. As we venture into this week that celebrates volunteers, let us remember that their hands are the hands of power that heal, rescue, mend, teach, love and represent Christ on Earth.  If you have had the time  to do something for others you know how great that feels. If you haven’t , now is the time to do so. Let’s call to mind all those who have stepped forward or are stepping forward.

Creator

We thank You most humbly for caring for all the people that we have laid before You and pray that You will continue to guide each of us to find our place in joyful service. For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory Forever. Amen.

Today’s challenge is to say thank you to those who give of their time, talent and abilities to make our lives better.

Let’s build a better world today.

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