Preparing Your Volunteer Team for an “All Hands on Deck” Easter

The Easter season is, for obvious reasons, a big deal each year. We’re celebrating the resurrection of our Savior and want to share the hope of the Gospel with our communities. This usually involves special services to commemorate Palm Sunday and Good Friday.

Most churches go out into their communities in the weeks leading up to Easter Sunday to do various outreach projects and invite people to church. And, of course, there’s the big celebration on Easter Sunday. All of this extra effort requires an all-hands-on-deck mindset from church staff and from your volunteer team.

Here are seven tips for preparing your volunteer team:

Tip #1 - Plan Easter Season Activities Now

If you want to have a full slate of volunteers lined up for Easter, you need to respect their time by telling them when you need more volunteers (and in what capacity).

Ideally, you should provide this information 4-6 weeks before you’re asking them to serve. This gives people time to check their schedules and move other things around if possible so they can help. It also gives you time to spread the word about your volunteer needs.

Planning this far in advance might require you to make decisions sooner than you typically prefer. You'll need to finalize service times, plans for multiple services, and plan for outreach events and other activities.

It might mean you have to scale back a few ideas to make them easier to achieve in the time allotted. Remember: Easter Sunday doesn’t have to be a huge, fancy production to be successful.

Success will come if your church members each take some time to invite a friend to Easter service.

Tip #2 - Document Your Volunteer Needs

Once you have a solid plan ready for Easter activities, the next step is to decide what volunteer roles you need and when. Create a list of volunteer roles, along with the dates and times each role is needed.

Next, document a brief description of what each volunteer role entails. Note any applicable dress code, whether a background check is required for that role, what tasks a volunteer in that role will need to complete, any specific training requirements for that role, how long that person will need to be at the activity, etc.

Volunteer roles for Easter services may include:

• Greeters
• Children's ministry
• Parking lot greeters
• Guides for first time guests
• Ushers
• Actors/actresses for a special performance
• Coffee Bar
• Bookstore
• Merchandise
• Photographers
• Social Media Creators
• Security
• Worship Team
• Ministry Team
• First Impression Team
• Volunteers to decorate the church for Easter (flower arrangements, special signage, photo booths, and more)

Volunteer roles for special events or outreaches may include:

• People who are able to distribute groceries, clothes, or other items to those in need.
• Volunteers willing to clean up a local park or school.
• Skilled workers such as plumbers, carpenters, electricians, and welders could repair homes for those needing assistance.

Tip #3 - Set Up the Sign-Up Method

Before you put out a call for more volunteers, make sure you have a quick and easy way for people to sign up. Ideally, this would be an online system where they select the volunteer role and date/time they can serve. This system should also send them a reminder the day before they’re scheduled to serve.

Tip #4 - Invite People to Volunteer

Share the vision behind the activities and services your church leadership has planned for Easter Sunday (and leading up to that weekend). Then invite people to be part of that vision by signing up to serve. Provide them with information on how to find a list of the roles and times needed plus how to sign up.

A link on the church website to your online signup system is best.

Opportunities to invite people to volunteer include:

• During a weekly service
• At a small group or Bible study
• Via the church’s email newsletter
• On the church’s social media accounts
• In the weekly bulletin
• On the church website

Tip #5 - Provide Training

Some volunteer roles require more skill and special training than others. For example, if you anticipate needing more children's ministry volunteers than usual, you'll need to provide that training to newly approved workers.

For some roles, you might be able to provide a quick briefing 10 minutes before volunteers get started. Other roles will require that you ask volunteers to attend a training session a week or so before the actual event.

Don’t assume volunteers know what you want them to do or how to handle various situations. Provide them with any procedures or instructions needed on how to be successful in their volunteer role.

Tip #6 - Take Care of Your Volunteers

Offer coffee, water, and snacks to volunteers - especially if they’re participating in a physically taxing effort. For those serving outside, like in the parking lot, provide umbrellas or shade depending on the weather forecast in your area.

Make sure volunteers have the appropriate gear and tools for the job you’ve asked them to do. For community clean-up efforts, this might include work gloves, trash bags, hand sanitizer, masks, paint brushes, paint, rakes, etc. Have all supplies ready and pre-positioned so that volunteers can get started as soon as they arrive.

Tip #7 - Express Gratitude

While volunteers aren’t serving for the accolades, everyone likes knowing when their efforts are appreciated. Sharing gratitude doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming.

Here are a few easy ways to show volunteers that you appreciate their hard work:

• Walk around and say “thank you.”
• Get to know volunteers as you serve alongside them.
• Mail out handwritten thank you cards the week after Easter.
• Share a few photos on the church’s social media channels of volunteers serving with a note saying how much you appreciate all the volunteers who came out to help.
• Ask volunteers to stand during weekly services the week after Easter and give them a round of applause.

The weeks leading up to Easter weekend can be an opportune time to reach out to your community with a team of volunteers. Easter Sunday is your moment to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness and compassion.

Invite your congregation to share in this effort and join your team of Easter season volunteers. As they're being the hands and feet of Christ, they'll also cultivate stronger relationships with fellow believers and they'll enjoy the feeling that comes from serving others.