Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Another Thanksgiving is in the history books. I hope yours was full of great food and fond memories with family and friends.
This special holiday is late this year, which means Christmas is right on its heels.
For churches, Christmas and Easter are two of the busiest times of the year.
This is partly because many people only attend church on these two holidays.
Churches Need Lots of Help at Christmas!
Because of this increased church attendance, there’s more to do and a need for help.
Many churches do special things during the Christmas season.
Some add a special Christmas production, host special events for children, or ramp up services for Christmas Eve.
Regardless, it is imperative to have a team of volunteers ready to meet the challenge of getting it all done.
The Christmas season is also a great opportunity to get new people involved.
You will want to have a clear goal for managing the volunteers. Focusing on their value can help you recruit new volunteers and retain faithful ones.
10 Tips for Managing Christmas Volunteers
1. Share the Vision
Recruiting volunteers during the busy Christmas season is challenging because people have many other personal and family commitments.
Share the goal and vision for the Christmas season with members and volunteers.
This awareness will help people (who may not have stepped up to volunteer before) understand the importance of getting involved.
This increased involvement will help the church reach those first-time visitors or guests of church members.
2. Create a Streamlined Approval Process
Efficient and streamlined processes make it easy for people to get involved.
Create a streamlined volunteer application and approval process during this busy time.
The goal is to get as many people through the process as quickly as possible, so you can increase the number of available volunteers to help.
The process should include gathering all pertinent volunteer demographic and background information.
Try to learn about the volunteer’s skills and experiences. This information will help you determine the best job placement.
For instance, if you learn that a volunteer has computer skills, you may recruit them to help with office work.
Or, if you find that a new volunteer does sales work, put them in a public place to interact with visitors and guests.
3. Conduct Background Checks
Volunteer background checks are an important step in managing volunteers, particularly if they work with or around children.
Churches have a legal responsibility for the children in their care. This reality underscores the importance of knowing whether a volunteer has a criminal background.
You can’t afford to miss this step.
4. Targeted Job Assignment
Consider which job you assign to each volunteer, especially during an influx of new volunteers.
Filling a hole with a warm body is not always the best way to get the job done – the way you want.
For example, you may not want to put someone who is uncomfortable around children in the kids’ church for the first time when you know you will be busier than usual.
Be thoughtful in your placement and try to match volunteers with jobs that complement their interests and skills.
5. Equip Volunteers for Assigned Tasks
Volunteers give their time to help and to make a difference.
You are responsible for ensuring that they have a detailed job description and the tools needed to do the job.
Whether providing adequate supplies, working equipment, or a uniform, ensure every volunteer has what they need to do the job successfully.
For example, a volunteer in the parking ministry may need a working headset and radio.
Ensure you have enough of the right equipment and that it’s in proper working order.
6. Provide Adequate Training
Excellence is defined by how you do things and by consistency in practice.
People pay attention to and judge a church by how volunteers interact with and treat members, guests, and visitors.
Volunteers need thorough training on their job assignments to ensure they complete tasks within the scope of ministry guidelines.
This may include setting a dress code and setting service standards while serving in a volunteer capacity.
7. Create A Reasonable Schedule
Churches are busy with countless things to do to prepare for Christmas – often with limited help.
However, it’s important to consider the way you schedule volunteers.
The Christmas season is a busy time of year for everyone. Be considerate of your volunteers and take the time to create a schedule that maximizes availability without placing an undue burden on your free labor force.
The last thing you want is for volunteers to hesitate about volunteering because they can’t manage the time commitment.
Remember, these people are volunteers—free labor.
8. Provide Leadership and Oversight
Regardless of a volunteer’s role, leadership and oversight are important to ensure they feel supported.
Someone should always be available to answer questions, resolve issues, and troubleshoot unexpected issues.
Ensure volunteers understand the chain of command and know whom to contact with questions.
9. Always Say Thank You
Following a busy season, take some time to thank volunteers for their help.
Share information on attendance, reactions, and the success of Christmas-related events to help volunteers recognize the role they played in making it happen.
Most people treasure a personalized handwritten note, so invest the time to put it in print to show your gratitude.
10. Ask for Feedback
Conclude any season or event by soliciting feedback from the volunteers. This serves two purposes.
The first provides valuable insight into the volunteer experience and allows you to learn from that experience.
Ask them how to improve systems and processes for next year or the next event, and you’ll walk away with action steps to incorporate into the planning process.
The second benefit is that sharing thoughts and ideas validates volunteers and makes them feel like a valuable part of the team, thereby engaging and keeping them involved.
Christians Celebrate the Birth of Jesus
Christmas is the time of year when Christians celebrate the birth of our Savior. We come together to share the story and its meaning with family, friends, and strangers.
To ensure smooth operations at the church, it’s vital to have an organized process to manage the influx of volunteers and those you’ve come to depend on.
A well-oiled system can not only help get new people involved but also allow you to accomplish many tasks that enhance this holy and magical season of Christmas.
Learn tips, tricks, and tools for managing your volunteers. Check out our Volunteer Management 101 course. You can explore the curriculum here!
