After yesterday's late night rumblings, something else has been bugging me today. I asked a question on Twitter and as yet, I have one response, but that's what a question that is 140 characters can do. It can stump some people...
So the question I asked was this
How do you feel about going 'beyond the call of duty'?
Does volunteering for
things outside of your remit make you a workaholic or a good church member?
As a youth worker, employed by the church, the lines between work and volunteering are somewhat blurred... because as a young person/adult most of my volunteering has been done with church.
Working with young people over 11 in any setting within the parish and with the banner of my church flying, is work... as is doing youth work with other churches taking the lead, but I'm also a Brownie leader for a pack with the church's name, which most people would count as volunteering, but because I am employed, it becomes work and I can count it as my hours for the week.
However, there are things that do count as volunteering, but are in my place of work i.e. moving chairs, cleaning etc. So my volunteering - being the first/last in the building gets labelled 'beyond the call of duty' when really, it is just the normal thing to do, I am fortunate enough to have a job that has flexible hours, so that allows me to do things that those that also have flexible hours/don't work/are retired can do.
So when I do volunteer, I have a sense that I am just being a good church member, I am looking after the building that the young people come into, that people from the outside see, I like the building I worship in, why would I not want to look after it an make it look really presentable?
Does it make me a workaholic? Probably not, I think if I were filling my time with finding youth and church events to go to, I would be, probably, very annoying to some of my colleagues!
With everything, it is a balance, when you have clear lines to cross, it becomes easier to say 'no' to things, to guard your time and protect your passions. When I worked for the council I couldn't wait to get home... now I miss the people I work with, I still struggle to get up in the mornings, but for the most part, I come home happy.
What are your thoughts?
2 comments:
Interesting. Firstly I don't think volunteering makes you a workaholic or a good church member at all, I think it makes you a servant of god. I know you are working for the church but deep down behind the smoke a mirrors you are working for god.
I think that even putting chairs away after church and tiding up all counts, volunteering is still working you're just not getting paid for it.
Mother Teresa was a volunteer, she may have been tied to a church but she was a servant of god.
I was thinking about this so I used bible gateway about serving god and cames across this verse.
Chronicles 28:9 "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever"
I also recommend a book called the Irrisistable Revolution by Jim Wallis
J
James' comment is helpful. If you are answering God's call, then it doesn't count as work. Moving chairs is something we all do, so I'm really talking about taking on responsibilities rather than just helping out (which is still important). So you could do extra added to your job, or you could do something completely different. As I read your article I thought that you might join your local church, and volunteer there now you are strictly resident in another parish. It would, of course, add complications in other areas .....
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