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Serving

Contact

Chris DeHaan
Associate Director, Human Resources
cdehaan@calvarygr.org

Neil Kassuba
Facilitator, Serving Ministry
nkassuba@calvarygr.org

How will you invest your time and talents?

God has given each of us spiritual gifts, talents, and areas of passion, and He invites us to steward them well by serving His church and our broken world.

Whether it’s serving the local community through our Care Center; leading a small group for students or adults; greeting guests before a weekend service; or serving behind-the-scenes with our production teams, you can make a difference in the lives of others when you get plugged into a serving role you love. And you’ll make lasting friendships along the way. If you have any questions along the way, contact Neil Kassuba.


Steps to Get Started:

  1. From the list below, prayerfully consider where you may serve.
  2. Complete a Volunteer Application to apply for the serving position.
  3. Once your application is processed, we will contact you for an interview.
  4. You will then receive an “approved volunteer” email with instructions on orientation to Calvary & to the new role.
  5. Start Serving!


Orientation of Calvary:
Once you receive your Welcome Email about starting to serve, your ministry will have some trainings set up to familiarize you with your new role. To help prepare you for your role as a volunteer, we wanted to provide you with some orientation information on Calvary. We hope the videos below will prepare you for this role and any role you may serve with Calvary in the future.

Welcome to the Calvary Volunteer Team

History of Calvary

Needs of the Church

First Impressions Volunteers

  • Welcome Team
    Warmly welcome & answer questions of quests that come to worship on Sunday Morning. Serving opportunities include Greeter, Welcome Center or Connection Point.
  • Ushers
    Warmly welcome guests into the sanctuary. Assist guests to their seats.
  • Parking Lot Attendants
    Assist with directing traffic flow to provide order and safe entry to worshipers along with welcoming guests and alerting the safety team of any medical or security concerns.

Emergency Response Team

  • This team includes security & medical support. A high level of observation is needed in order to maintain a safe worship environment. Additional certification may be required.

Coordinator: Don Tuuri

Sunday Morning – Year Round (no 5th or Holiday Sundays for elementary)

Would you like to see an entire generation of faithful believers raised up to proclaim the gospel to a world that needs it? Then come alongside Calvary Kids to sing, dance, laugh, learn about and praise the greatness of our God!

Volunteers can serve every week or serve the 1,3,5 Sunday or the 2,4 Sundays of every month during the following times:

  • 8:30 am – 10:20 am – Nursery – 4th Grade
  • 10:15 am – 12:00 pm – Nursery – 4th Grade

Serving Opportunities:

  • Team Leaders – oversee the needs of each classroom
  • Room Leader/Teacher – runs the classroom
  • Room Helpers – assists room leaders
  • On-call substitute volunteer
  • Tech support – as needed
  • Children Check-In Area
  • Security
  • Sensory room 
  • Bible Craft Prep

Contact: ckvolunteers@calvarygr.org

 

Wednesday Night/ Kids-N-Action (birth through 4th grade) 

September-April:  6:30-8:00pm

Join us on Wednesday nights as we train and encourage kids to put their faith in action! Volunteering with KNA is like spending Wednesday nights with family — we have a blast in our large group lesson time, our elective rotations, and small group time!

Serving Opportunities:

  • Lil’ KNA (nursery and preschool) volunteers will get to interact with littles all night!
  • Room Leaders will be responsible for their small group. They will be expected to be the initiator of all small group activities and discussions, with the help of their room helpers.
  • Room Helpers will have the chance to engage with the kids in their small groups and assist in all small group activities and discussions.

Coordinator: Kirsten DeMoss at ckvolunteers@calvarygr.org

 

Midweek Daytime Serving Children & Moms

Women’s Ministry offers Tuesday Bible Study and Embrace Moms during the week, both of which present opportunities to minister to young children through songs and Bible Stories. Programs run September – May, every Tuesday and many Thursdays mornings.

Serving Opportunities:

  • Caregivers who can play with and care for children ages 6 and under.
  • Must be able to pick up a child from the floor and carry babies.
  • Both women and men are welcome to join our team!
  • We have a flexible schedule for our volunteers and we will work with the days that you are available to serve.
  • Contact Jessica Henkaline at 616-956-5186 to start the application and interview process.

Worship on Wednesday (Adults Special Needs). Go Getters are a gathering of people of all abilities on Wednesday nights to worship, learn about God’s word and enjoy fellowship together.

Go Getter Volunteers Needs:

  • Enjoy a fellowship Dinner together before worship.
  • Greet and assist with unloading people from buses.
  • Volunteers interested in buddying-up with an individual who is in need of a friend.

Contact: Zach Schumck

 

Sunday Morning – Year Round (no 5th or Holiday Sundays for elementary)

Volunteers can serve every week or serve the 1,3,5 Sunday or the 2,4 Sundays of every month during the 2nd service, 10:15 pm-12:00 pm.

We are looking for Sensory room and inclusion helpers that have the gift of helping children with various physical needs learn about Jesus in a safe and welcoming environment! Inclusion is helping with participation in large group worship time or offering one-on-one support during small group time which is held in an age-appropriate classroom or the sensory room. A person best suited to this role would be comfortable with (or willing to learn about) a variety of abilities and willing to share Jesus through one on one time.

Coordinator: Pamela Cook

Fifth & Sixth

  • If you are looking to make a student’s middle school experience excellent, this is the ministry for you! We are passionate about having you use your gifts to strengthen the mission of the church. We are always ready to have new volunteers jump in and serve on Wednesday nights with a small group, leading worship, and helping with tech. We also have a monthly event that takes place at Calvary and is sure to be a fun filled night. Our volunteers help support our vision that this is a place where every student is known, loved, cared for, and trained up in truth.

Coordinator: David Prichard

Seventh & Eighth

  • There are various needs within the 7th & 8th Ministry: Co-lead a small group, provide tech and sound support, help facilitate worship, mentor a student, or host us for an event. 7th & 8th meets regularly on Wednesday evenings and events are also scheduled throughout the year.

Coordinator: Rodney Velting

High School

  • In the high school ministry, our aim is to create a place for students to encounter Jesus, enjoy meaningful relationships with their peers, receive encouragement from older believers who are passionate about their faith, make memories that become defining moments, and embrace their place in the large church – all while having the most possible fun in community together. Leaders serve in youth group on Sundays 6:00-9:00 PM. Volunteers are also encouraged to build relationships with students during events or organize hangout time with their small groups. We look forward to having you serve as a volunteer with the high school ministry or partnering with us in some other way.

Coordinator: Josh Karhan

At Young Adults, we are passionate about empowering college students and young professionals to use the gifts the Lord has given them to serve others. Below, we have listed all the teams available at [YA] on which you can serve.

Prayer/Teaching Team: This team of leaders is passionate about prayer! They pray over the space for the night and are in charge of any congregational or prayer events. They help keep the messages accessible by staying relevant to the culture and providing feedback to team leads and staff, keeping our target audience in mind and the gospel central. They are also available at the end of programming for prayer and to answer any questions about the message.

Worship Team: This team helps set the atmosphere and environment for worship through song. They help structure Tuesday nights and point everyone to Jesus in the songs we sing, the lighting, the lyrics, and the slides.

Creative/Communication Team: This team plays a big role in making the gospel accessible to millennials and gen-z through creativity. Whether it is through social media, graphics, photography, or video! This team is essential in communicating the gospel to our people throughout the week!

Hospitality Team: This team is made up of leaders who love to create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Whether that is through setup/tear down, snacks, layout (patio, hallway, and 208), greeting and seeking out new people.

Events Team: This team helps plan and organize events and activities for [YA] and this team loves to have fun! These activities include community building, service projects, seasonal events, post-[YA] activities, Fall Retreat, and many more.

Set Up and Tear Down Team: This team practices the act of hospitality by creating a tangibly comfortable space in which young adults can worship and connect. They prepare the space ahead of time or help put away decorations at the end of the night, leaving the space clean and available for other ministries to use.

If you are interested in serving on any of these teams, please contact ministry facilitator Dan Eytcheson at deytcheson@calvarygr.org for more information.

Facilities: Custodial

  • Adopt a Room. Individual or group that takes ownership of a room(s) or an area each week doing thorough cleaning. It can be once or twice a week in 2 hour periods. Scheduling is based on room use and availability.
  • Office Detail Team. Individual or group cleaning private offices once a week. Some have found it a nice time to pray for staff while detail cleaning their offices. If you are connected to a ministry, you could consider serving them this way. Availability Monday – Thursday 5:00pm- 8:00pm in 2 hour periods.
  • Carpet Spot Cleaning. Individual using a commercial carpet machine to clean up spills, spots, and stains. Monday – Thursday, 8:30 – 3:00PM in 2 hour periods.
  • Restroom Detail Team. Two person team to clean multiple restrooms using commercial equipment. Monday – Thursday in 2 hour periods.
  • Window Cleaning Team. Individual or group that takes ownership of an area of windows, inside or outside, each month doing the thorough cleaning. Scheduling is based on volunteer availability and weather.

        Coordinator: Ken Meines

Facilities: Maintenance

  • Vacuum Preventive Maintenance. This is an individual that weekly services the vacuum and carpet cleaners keeping them operating in top performance. This can be done on a flexible schedule and can take 2-3 hours a week.
  • Painting Team. Individual or group that perform ongoing maintenance painting projects. This team flexes around the events schedule and serves a couple times a month. Individuals on this team have experience in painting large walls of various types and trim work.
  • Shop / Tool Person. Individual to keep things clean and organized. Serve a couple hours a week sweeping, cleaning, organizing the maintenance facility.
  • Project Team. Individual or group that work to perform repair and maintenance needs around the church. The projects vary from general handyman to trade skills like electrical, plumbing and carpentry. They are done on an as need basis depending on skill and time available.
  • HVAC/R Preventative Maintenance. Individual with HVAC knowledge in replacing air filters, greasing bearings and performing other preventive tasks. These items are done on a quarterly basis and would be scheduled around the events in the building.
  • Pickup /Delivery Person. Individual to drive and do miscellaneous errands. This is an on-call position that would require having a Calvary approved driver level.
  • Equipment Maintenance Team. Individual to maintain small equipment and perform preventive maintenance . This would be scheduled weekly during the main growing season.
  • Vehicle Preventive Maintenance Team. Individual to keep vehicles looking and running nice. This person performs weekly vehicle safety check, gassing, cleaning, and would take vehicles in for service.

Coordinator: Ken Meines

Facilities: Grounds

  • Mowing Team.  Individuals come on a scheduled time each week to take care of their zone. The grounds are broken down into zones that take about 2 hours to mow.
  • Edging /Trimming Team. Individual to put the finishing touches on the lawn. The grounds are broken up into zones that take about 2 hours to edge or trim. Individuals come on a scheduled time each week to take care of their zone.
  • Irrigation Team. Individual or group that repair and maintain underground sprinkler systems. You would be in charge of start up in late April and check for broken heads and make repairs. Check operation each month, making adjustments for best water use. In October you would help winterize the system by blowing out the lines with compressed air.
  • Flower Bed / Planter Team. Group of people that work both independently and together to care for the planting beds and planters around the property keeping them looking nice for all our visitors. Members of the team serve a couple hours most weeks during the growing season.
  • Bush / Shrub Team. This is best done with two people and takes a couple hours a week during late summer and into the early fall. This team shapes the bushes around the property and cuts back the grasses at the end of the growing season.
  • Curb / Leaf Cleanup Team. This is best done with two people and takes a few hours once a month during the summer and more frequently during the fall leaf clean up time. Scheduling is flexible.
  • Snow Removal Team. Weekend snow removal team members are on call every third weekend (Saturday & Sunday) to assist in clearing the snow and keeping it slip free.
  • Prayer Garden. Plant maintenance in the interior and exterior gardens under the supervision of a master gardener. Weekly or bi-weekly.

          Coordinator: Ken Meines

Embrace Grace: This program is for single moms who have chosen life for their babies. Volunteers have the opportunity to encourage a new mom in various ways. Our volunteer slots are for one semester, either for fall (Aug – Dec) or spring (Jan – May). 

    • Meals for new moms. 
    • Baby shower gifts.
    • Prayer warriors.

          Contact: Christina Leskovar

International Ministry: We are in need of a few van drivers to continue providing reliable transportation to Calvin students for the 10:45 am Sunday worship service. This is a fun way to serve and encourage students as they adjust to life in Grand Rapids.

          Contact: Vida Wilson

Neighbors International (Calvary Church’s international college student friendship family program): We are seeking families and individuals 30 or older who would like to become a friendship family or partner to a newly arrived international college student living near them. You can invite your assigned student over for dinner, help them celebrate American Holidays, celebrate their birthdays, take them to fun activities around town, and just let them know someone cares! The minimum requirement is that you meet with your assigned student(s) once a month, and talk to them weekly.

If you have the gift of hospitality, and would love to bless an international student far from home, please contact Sonja to get started in filling out an application , background check and sign up for training. Our fall students arrive the last week in August.

  • Car Buyer Helper: Do you love cars? Do you work in the used car industry? Do you love to negotiate a good deal. We need you on our car buyer team. You will go with international college students in our program who have recently acquired their drivers license and help them find a good drivable car in their price range. Time commitment varies but usually once or twice a month. Contact Sonja.

Prison Ministry:

  • Team Leader/Teacher: This person would be in charge of preparing a message for the inmates and facilitate the service. . If comfortable, they would also engage in one on one counseling/conversations following the services as well.
  • Team member: This person would be willing to open or close the service in prayer as well as be willing to read scripture. If comfortable, they would also engage in one on one counseling/conversations following the services as well.
  • Musician: This person would be willing to lead worship through singing as well as prayer and scripture reading. . If comfortable, they would also engage in one on one counseling/conversations following the services as well.
  • Pen Pals: This ministry is an important opportunity to reach out to those incarcerated who want to grow in their faith and connect with fellow believers. If you would like to write notes of encouragement and share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a brother in need, right from your own home, then consider joining our team. We provide training and support along the way.

          Contact: Vida Wilson

Refugee Care Ministry: Do you have the gift of hospitality? Would you like to be part of a volunteer team showing mercy to the strangers and the foreigners who are residing amongst us, serving them with Jesus’ love and compassion. If so, please don’t hesitate to contact us to learn more about the Refugee Care Ministry and ways to get involved loving on your neighbor as yourself. (John 13:34).

          Contact: Lana Duoibes

Renew Crew: Are you handy around the house? Like to fix things or enjoy a day outside tidying up the yard? Then join our Renew Crew! We are looking for volunteers to help with trade work for example electrical, flooring, drywall as well as more general tasks including fixing doorknobs, painting, yard work, and moving furniture. If you are looking for a tangible way to make a difference in God’s kingdom.

          Contact: Renew Crew or call (616) 956-5648.

Tech Support

  • Responsible for advancing video wall slides & moderating our online chat for service streamed online. Training & support will be provided. This position is for Sunday mornings.

Coordinator: Mark Kotlarczyk

Worship Team

  • Rehearsals for choir, orchestra, and praise band are Wednesday evenings & Sunday mornings. The team is asked to participate in both services on Sunday. There is an application, audition & short interview to participate.

Coordinator: Christie Thompson