Let's Plan a Volunteer Recruitment Month! - "Finest Hour" Theme!

I'm a huge fan of planning a recruiting month with a theme built around the lyrics of a song. One major benefit for doing this is it gives you a specific and focused theme you may weave throughout your recruiting month, because when people hear the song, they will be reminded of your message and it adds a touch of "fun" to recruiting! 

One feature of your recruiting month will be a music video of your ministry, so you will need video footage of your volunteers, classes and any events you hosted throughout the year. If you ask around, you are sure to find at least one or two people in your church who like to film, take pictures and edit videos on their computers. Ask them to be your film crew and have them film from time to time throughout the year to get footage of the children, youth, adults in your ministry.  Use this footage to make your annual recruiting video.  You may also use shots of people and events to make your video even more interesting!  Find someone in your church to sing the song as the video plays, so you are able to communicate a strong message through the video and song.

The first step is to plan your recruitment drive.  Know who you are trying to reach, how many people you need and select a theme to help you capture the attention of the people in your church.  I will be sharing seven complete recruiting plans with you.  Select one of these, combine them or come up with your own, but make sure you have a plan for your recruitment drive.

Each recruiting plan includes some components which are the same, for example, each plan should begin a few weeks before the actual start your recruiting month with “teasers”.  These “teasers” come from the lyrics of the song to be sung with your video and are placed on posters around the church, in the bulletin, on powerpoint or wherever you think to put them.  The point of the “teasers” is to get people wondering what they are about and to aid you in getting their attention when you actually begin the recruiting month.

Each plan also includes a week from the recruiting month where the Senior Pastor speaks to the value of serving in the Children’s Ministry.  This is important because if the Senior Pastor says there is value in serving in the Children’s Ministry; people are more likely to believe it.  The Senior Pastor needs to be your biggest fan – when he is behind the Children’s Ministry, the church will be as well.  My first recruiting theme centers around the theme from Wayne Watson's song, Finest Hour.

• Video hints – verse one you could show shots of your community, people entering your church and a cross.  During the chorus show volunteers and people in general and for verse two, focus on the kids.
•  Recruiting Plan – begin four weeks before the actual start of your recruiting month with the following “teasers" -  Week one – “This could be your finest hour” -  Week two – “This could be your greatest day” -   Week three – “This could be your place in time" - Week four/Week one of your recruiting month – “Get ready to shine!"
•  Recruiting Month – Week one – Show the video and Make “shine!” badges for all staff, CE board members and volunteers to wear. Week two – Have two or three kids share what they appreciate about their teachers,  be sure everyone is wearing their “shine!” badges and be ready to hand out more as people volunteer!  Week three –  ask your Senior Pastor to speak to the value and vision for Children’s Ministry and ask all who serve as volunteers to stand, then pray, thanking God for the ones who shine His love to the children of the church and community. Be sure everyone is wearing his or her “shine!” badge.  Week four –   ask your CE Pastor/Director to read the book, “You are Special” by Max Lucado and be sure everyone is wearing their “shine!” badges.

Each week during your month include a flyer in the bulletin for people to respond with and place in the offering to indicate their interest as well as post a sign with how many openings are available . . . be sure to update weekly the flyer and sign weekly.

Use this plan or adapt as best fits your church, get the attention of the people in your church and be sure to back it all up with solid prayer. Make recruiting interesting and fun.