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:
Time commitment: 10 weeks in the summer
Age requirement: college students. Watch for application forms the previous fall or winter.
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)
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.
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.

Opportunities by time
One week or less
Workcamps (11 and up)
Rebuild houses (14 and up)
Christian Citizenship Seminar (high school)
Material resources warehouse (14 and up)
Global Mission and Service workcamp (14 and up)
Two weeks
Global Mission and Service workcamp (14 and up)
Three weeks
Global Mission and Service workcamp (14 and up)
Two months or more
Ministry Summer Service (college)
Youth Peace Travel Team (19-22)
One year or more
Brethren Volunteer Service (adult)
Mission worker (adult)
Flexible
Relief kits (BDM)
Fundraise for Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM)
Support BVS volunteers (BVS)
Support missions/mission workers (GMS)
Communications, Brethren Historical Library & Archives (high school and up)
Material resources warehouse (14 and up)
A Children's Disaster Services volunteer helps a boy rebuild his world.
Courtesy of Brethren Volunteer Service
Language learning in South Sudan
Prayer at the table in Brazil
Workcamp participants