Any Volunteers???

So my second post on this brand new blog is going to be little more than a rant. Hopefully, I won't come across a very angry person. Here goes nothing . . . Where the heck are all the volunteers???

Ok, so I signed up to maybe assist in a Spanish class and somehow I find myself in charge and being the only teacher. "How did this happen?" you may ask. Well I'll tell you . . . I don't know.

One minute I'm getting contacted to take part in an initial volunteer meeting about the possibility of maybe having a beginner Spanish class at church, and the next thing I know, I'm putting together a bulletin announcement with my name and home phone number as the sole contact. And I find myself asking the question in vain, "Any volunteers?". And I wait, and wait.

A single, solitary email. I answer, eagerly. No response. A phone call. A call back to him. Good, good, he's interested in helping. Not teaching the class, mind you, but helping. Well, it's a start . . . And then . . . it all goes to pot. You see, the one person who was interested in helping is unable to attend any of the meetings.

Meanwhile, the pastor is holding onto me (and Dear Hubby, who also got sucked into this--it's a wonderful opportunity to minister as a couple, you know) for dear life.

You see, I am his lifeline. Apparently in this church of nearly 5000 regular attenders, this lack of volunteerism is a common occurrence. What?!??! Oh yes, he frequently only has one or two volunteers rise to the occasion.

See people in our church (as is the case, I'm told, in most churches, regardless of size) don't like to "step up". When it comes right down to it, they want to sit back, hear a sermon once a week, maybe do a good deed once in awhile outside of church, and show up for whatever sort of helpful class or seminar may be held. They don't seem to want to volunteer. No rolling up the sleeves and getting dirty, metaphorically. When it comes to literal dirtying of the person, as in construction or cleanup, they actually are quite good. We always have a huge turnout for those sorts of outreaches. Those are the easy ones. Take one Saturday afternoon, score a few points for heaven, store up a little treasure and all that. But when it comes to investing long term, there is a woeful lacking.

Every few months or so, there is a desperate cry for help from the Children's ministry that they need more volunteers. They are having to turn people away. The youth ministry, also, frequently looks for leaders to step up. Covenant Groups are open and remain unfilled because a large part of the church isn't involved in a small group.

Now I completely understand the desire for anonymity. I myself was not involved in a small group or other ministry for several years. I totally get that. There's the whole time factor, everyone's busy, blah blah blah. I get it. What I don't get is how people don't understand the whole lots-of-little-ants-working-together-can-carry-a-big-log thing. It shouldn't be like pulling teeth to get people to use their gifts. It shouldn't be up to a few people who are giving their time and energy to serve the vast mass of people who are always taking and never giving back.

How did I find myself in charge of a 10 week Spanish class that I never intended to do more than assist with? What's the point of all this? Not much more than a rant, but thanks for listening.

So be motivated. Come on, ants . . . we've got a log to move!