Volunteer opportunities

There are many ways to serve God through the Church of the Brethren. For details, visit web pages for the specific offices or projects listed below. If you do not see an opportunity here that matches your gifts, please contact us to tell us how and where you feel called to serve.

Opportunities by age

All ages

Put together relief kits (BDM)

Hold a fundraiser for Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM)

Provide support/cards for BVS volunteers (BVS)

Support missions/mission workers (GMS)

Junior high

All of the above, plus workcamps

Senior high

All of the above, plus the following:

Rebuild homes (age 14 with parents and older) (BDM)

Global workcamp (age 14 with parents and older) (GMS)

Volunteer at the Brethren Service Center (age 14 with permission and up) (BSC)

Work at the Material Resources warehouse (age 14 with permission and up) (Material Resources)

Work with the communications team or Brethren Historical Library & Archives (Elgin)

Christian Citizenship Seminar takes place in the spring for high school students and advisors. Time commitment: one week plus individual preparation and follow up. Learn about an issue and travel to Washington, DC, to do advocacy work.

Young adult

All adult opportunities, plus the following:

Ministry Summer Service

Time commitment: 10 weeks in the summer

Age requirement: college students. Watch for application forms the previous fall or winter.

Youth Peace Travel Team

Time commitment: summer

Age requirement: ages 19-22 (college aged). Watch for application forms the previous fall or winter.

Young adult workcamp

Adult

All ages opportunities or serve as an advisor for youth and young adult opportunities (above).

Rebuild homes with BDM or serve longer term as apart of a project leadership team (BDM)

Assist children following disasters (CDS)

Become a BVS volunteer for a year or longer (BVS)

Attend an overseas workcamp (GMS)

Become a mission worker/partner (GMS)

Process health/hygiene kits, baby kits, cleaning supplies or unload boxcars and trailers (Material Resources)

Help the communications team (Elgin)

Assist the Brethren Historical Library and Archives (Elgin)

Brethren Disaster Ministries

Rebuilding homes

Age requirements: 14 years old (with parent), 15 and up without parent

Time commitment: usually one week (Sunday through Saturday)

Location: various around the U.S. and Haiti

Opportunities for all ages (location and time commitment vary)

Assemble relief kits

Hold a fundraiser for Brethren Disaster Ministries

Longer-term opportunities (age 18 and up)

Train to serve as part of a project leadership team

Serve as a project cook or other longer-term volunteer

For details about any of these opportunities, see cms.brethren.org/bdm

Children's Disaster Services

Certified CDS volunteers assist children following a disaster

Requirements: age 18 and up, successfuly complete a 27-hour workshop, clean background check

Time commitment and locations vary according to the circumstances

For more information, visit cms.brethren.org/cds

Brethren Volunteer Service

Time commitment: One year or more

Age requirement: varies by project, age 18 and up, including opportunities for older adults

Locations: U.S. and worldwide

For detailed project information, see cms.brethren.org/bvs

Opportunities for all ages: "Adopt a BVSer," pray for volunteers, and/or send Christmas cards. E-mail bvs@brethren.org for more information or sign up to receive e-mail notification from BVS two or three times per year (including the list of volunteers for Christmas cards).

Global Mission and Service

Opportunities for all ages (locations and time commitments vary)

Support a mission worker

Pray for mission workers

Invite a mission worker to your church

Plan a mission awareness event

Raise money for missions

Join the Global Mission Advocate Network

Workcamps

Age requirement: age 14-17 if parent also attends. Age 18 and up (without parent)

Time commitment: one to three weeks. Watch for dates for upcoming workcamps.

Location: Nigeria, South Sudan, and other locations.

Mission workers

Age requirement: age 18 and up. Please contact GMS for details on current opportunities and how your gifts might fit.

cms.brethren.org/global

Workcamps

Opportunities exist for junior high (grades 6-8), senior high (grades 9-12), young adults (18-35) and intergenerational (11 and up).

Time commitment: four days (junior high) to one week during the summer

Locations: Various places around the U.S., with a few opportunities in other countries

For more information, see cms.brethren.org/workcamps

Opportunities in Elgin, Illinois

Communications team - filing assistant

Age requirement: high school and up

Time commitment: flexible, during weekday office hours

Someone is needed to update our communications files, a decades-long resource that has been crucial to our communications efforts over the years.

Contact the office for more information.

Brethren Historical Library and Archives -filing/cataloging/other

Age requirement: Age 18 and up or age 16 with parental permission and transportation to and from the General Offices

Time commitment: flexible, during weekday office hours

Volunteers will be involved in various filing and cataloging pursuits in the fascinating Brethren Historical Library and Archives collection. Great project for someone interested in majoring in history or library science! Contact Bill Kostlevy, BHLA director, for more information 800-323-8039 ext. 368 or 847-429-4368 or bkostlevy@brethren.org.