Each Sunday morning, we offer three distinct worship services, both in person and online. Links to livestreamed services are available on our homepage and below. Recordings are available after their initial airing, and those links are available below by clicking on the title of each service.

Why Volunteer? I see a whole ecosystem of how volunteering helps us, the nonprofit, and the whole community. Since I am a manufacturing engineer, let me show you a flow chart.

As Christians, we should serve others. I love how poetic 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 in Today's English Version. It says there are different spiritual gifts and different abilities given to each one of us by God, for us to perform a specific service for the good of all. This passage is just before the more well-known passage about the body of Christ, where we might be a foot or an eye all working together to make the body. But to me, 12:4-11 also highlights that each of us is unique and special, and each has a role to play in God's story.
Michah 6:8 tells us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. This whole message is about justice and mercy, but we sometimes need a reminder to walk humbly with God when we serve. More than once, I approached a situation thinking that I would be "God's Gift" to this problem. Note to self: serve humbly.

So, those scriptures are where we start. OK, on to the flow chart of the volunteer ecosystem:
We volunteer at a nonprofit. Of course, we do some work that needs to be done. But, by being there, we show the workers and benefactors our support and respect. We also see their problems and pray for them.
But, at the same time, it softens our hearts and increases our compassion. We start to see creation and God's children through God's eyes.

Once we start serving, we should also mentor and model others. Parents should take their children to serve. One of my earliest memories is of my dad taking me to a little old lady's house. He fixed her front door while I sat with her at the kitchen table, folding paper hats and boats. My parents' modeling service is a big reason I serve.

Most of us don't want to stand on the corner of State & Main wearing a sandwich board shouting "Follow Christ!" But after you volunteer, on Monday morning, you go to work and what do people ask? How was your weekend? What did you do? It's a perfect opportunity to tell them about your service, where you went, what you did, and maybe mention that your church encourages you to service in the community without feeling pushy.

When your co-workers hear your story, they might want to volunteer too. They might ask if they can come with you next time. They might also hear a positive story about Christians to offset the judgmental and hypocritical perceptions that are common today. They might even decide to try attending church.

Lastly, this ecosystem builds up the church. If we serve as a team together, we get to know other members better and fellowship with them. We learn more about the organizations that the church supports and grow our empathy for them. And we pray for this whole ecosystem to grow.

So, where to volunteer and what to do? Scripture answers that too. Zach 7:10a says Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. Matthew 25:35-36 talks about: When I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison. You find nonprofits supporting these same groups and needs.

Frederick Buechner said, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." We are all unique, with certain abilities and gifts. The best place is where your skills, empathy, and passions meet the world's needs. See the next newsletter for ideas that DUMC supports, or go to Volunteermatch.org to find many opportunities in the area.

If you currently volunteer somewhere, we want to hear from you. Partly, just to get a count. Better yet is if we can talk to you about what you do. Watch for an online survey in the newsletter. If you have an idea of service opportunities that a group of people from the church could do together, let us know!