Volunteer Portal

Without our incredible Sunday morning volunteers, The Garden would not be possible. The shape, strategies, and culture of our ministries is a product of God’s grace in bringing passionate, servant-hearted people to our teams. If you’re reading this it means that you are one of those people. We’ve created this page to help answer any general questions you might have about serving at The Garden on a Sunday morning team and any ministry-specific questions you might have, as well.

In the drop-down menus below, you’ll find general information about how all of our volunteers serve to create a healthy and cooperative discipleship environment. After reading through these, find your specific Sunday morning ministry team below for detailed information about roles, schedule, responsibilities, materials, and more. If you have any questions what you read on this page, please feel free to reach out to a team member or pastor on staff today.

  • At The Garden, we know that there are key tasks to accomplish in setting up and facilitating the ministries we offer on Sunday mornings. But we don’t engage in that work with a singular focus on task. We participate in mission together, so we strive to make Sunday mornings move at the pace of community. We are the Church, even as we set up for church.

    To be able to maintain that pace, we ask that our volunteers look ahead at the schedule for their specific areas and roles, as discussed below, and arrive promptly at the designated times. Another way to prepare for Sunday is to dress for the part. If you are scheduled for our set-up team, for example, you may want to wear more comfortable clothes or pack an extra shirt for the gathering. All volunteers are also encouraged to take a look at the weather and plan accordingly.

    This preparation allows us to maintain that comfortable pace and prevents us from drifting toward a kind of serving that looks more like a well-oiled machine than it does a deeply-rooted community. When we are most prepared we are most able to serve together and serve one another. What we are after is a “whole team” mentality, where we can complete our tasks and help others out until we all can engage in ministry joyfully and expectantly.

  • To be able to maintain a comfortable ministry pace, we ask that our volunteers arrive at the times designated for their specific areas and roles below and work together to complete their set-up and preparation before our 9:15 AM volunteer huddle, where we will pray together, take a look at the service’s psalm and sermon, and go over any unique logistical concerns for the day.

    If you are scheduled to serve on a Sunday, communication is key, whether in confirming on Planning Center that you can serve, or by letting a team leader or staff member know that you will be late or even unable to serve as scheduled. We know things come up! Communication simply allows us to adapt and ensures that we can continue to operate well as a larger team in preparing for Sunday’s ministries.

    The schedule for breaking down each area will depend on which ministry you are serving with, but for the teams that are serving in our lobby and sanctuary spaces, we ask that the tear down process begin at 11:45 AM at the earliest. We want to give people a good chance to converse with one another, pray with someone, ask questions in response to the sermon, or get to know members of our team and staff.

  • We work to cover every area and ministry in prayer, and not just on Sunday morning but throughout the week. From the drive into our parking lot to the table for coffee in our lobby or the gymnasium tables for kids snacks, we want every Garden place to be an opportunity for someone to encounter and witness the love of Jesus. We treat every area like sacred space.

    That requires of each of us deep care, faithful stewardship, and a commitment to protection. When people see us in Garden lanyards, they need to see that we take the responsibility of ministry seriously and are fully invested in the work of building the family.

    With this commitment comes a need for awareness and communication. Please read through our Garden Sexual Harassment Policy here before serving with us. The responsibility to pay attention, to speak out when necessary, and to respond accordingly falls on each of us together. Part of what makes a space sacred is that it provides rest and refuge. We can work together to ensure that The Garden offers spaces like this every Sunday.

  • 7:45 AM – Our Set-Up and Worship & Production teams arrive to unload the trailer and begin setting up the sanctuary.

    8:00 AM – The remaining Garden ministry teams arrive, and everyone gathers together for a full-team huddle, where a member of the staff will lead prayer, provide an overview of the day, and celebrate ministry wins together.

    8:15 AM – Ministry teams are dismissed to their areas, where the designated Point Person will go over the day’s checklist, needs, flow, and goals. From there, each team will set-up for ministry in its designated area.

    9:30 AM – Sanctuary doors are open to guests, and volunteers are set to minister in their designated areas.

HOST & HOSPITALITY TEAM

Volunteers in this team serve to welcome new guests in familiar ways, like greeting and connecting in conversations at our gatherings, and through the development and facilitation of unique approaches and methods for welcoming strangers to become new friends. This team will serve as the point of contact for guests and help to facilitate the church’s process for following up with them.

  • One of three lobby roles, Connectors are tasked with engaging guests through conversations on the move. This is a position that rides on awareness and mobility. Connectors meet guests where they are at and are present to answer any questions or guide anyone to specific areas or people.

  • This lobby role will serve to help guests get acclimated to our concessions table. Greeting them and pointing out what’s available and answering any questions they might have about the church or our service.

  • Designated camera operators will serve in one of two ways. We will always designate someone to use the large instant camera at our photo backdrop before and after service to serve guests with a memory of the day they can take with them. If we have an additional volunteer to use the smaller instant camera, they can “float” in and out of the lobby space, offering guests the chance to have their photo taken.

  • Volunteers scheduled at one of our information tables in the lobby will be the point of contact for guests looking for more info about our church, which can include questions to answer about membership, baptism, fellowship events, groups and Bible studies, serving opportunities, and more. It is not required to be an expert in all of these things, but we do ask that volunteers here are versed enough in who we are to answer general questions and know enough about where to go to connect guests with the people or teams that can help them best. For more information on this role, contact a member of our pastoral staff.

  • If you are scheduled to serve in the yard, you will be among the first people guests meet at The Garden. Though the task here is simple, it is a vital component of building and maintaining a welcoming environment. Be sure to wave guests in with a smile, personally introduce yourself, and point them in the right direction as they enter.

KIDS MINISTRY TEAM

We aim to create and sustain an environment that helps our kids feel loved, included, and protected. Through prioritizing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual safety in our weekly gatherings, this team offers the good news of Jesus in relational, embodied ministry. This include a variety of activities tailored to different learning styles and stages of development, such as, singing, movement, lessons, and play — with the central purpose of leading kids to a growing, personal relationship with Jesus. This month’s materials – Pre-School and Big Kids guides, lessons, activities, and more – can be accessed at this link. (The four lessons will be covered in order March 3rd, 10th, 24th, and 31st.)

  • Facilitators oversee the check-in process for families and their children. They also lead families with infants to the Baby Room, assisting them if they need to use that space. They also facilitate the transition of the school-age children during the worship service. After the corporate prayer, school-age children are directed from the main sanctuary to the gym for their lesson. Once this teaching is completed and the response song begins after the sermon, the children are directed back to the main sanctuary for communion and dismissal.

    A facilitator is likely the first person a new family will interact with. Maintaining a welcoming, attentive, and safe environment at the Check-In Table is critical to ensuring a guest’s confidence in our ability to love and teach their children. Along with this, facilitators should have an understanding of the roles of the other team members in order to comfortably communicate the Kids Ministry experience and expectations to members and guests.

    Service Schedule

    10-10:20 AM:
    Remain stationed at the Check-In table for late families and to assist walking children from the lobby to the gym

    10:20-10:30 AM:
    Escort school-age children from the auditorium to the gym after the service’s corporate prayer

    10:30-11:05 AM:
    During this time, facilitators should check with the shepherds and teachers to see if any additional assistance is needed; if not, they are free to sit in service until the response moment after the sermon begins

    11:05 AM:
    Escort school-age children from the gym back to the auditorium for communion by the conclusion of the response moment

    11:15 AM:
    After communion has ended and as closing announcements begin, facilitators will head back to the table to check preschool children out to their families

  • At the conclusion of the team huddle, shepherds are tasked with caring for children in the gym, hallways, and restrooms that comprise our Kids Ministry space. They guide children through activities and small group discussions and work to maintain an environment of belonging and learning.

    Before the start of service, shepherds help set up activities for the preschool children who will be in the gym area for the duration of the gathering. Shepherds will assist in facilitating activities, give out snacks, and recap the lesson with the preschool children after the Teachers transition to the school-age children’s lesson time.

  • Teachers are tasked with overseeing the lessons for both age groups. One teacher will take the lead teaching the preschool children, and the other will take the lead teaching the school-age children. The teachers should be familiar with the materials for both groups, including the Bible passages and activities, before lessons begin on Sunday. When our teachers are engaging, inviting participation, and making an effort to clearly communicate the truths of the gospel, the gift of time we have with the children entrusted to our care becomes an opportunity for deep fellowship and spiritual formation.

  • As stated in our Garden policy paper, linked above:

    To ensure protection and safety for children at The Garden, no volunteer will be alone with a minor under the care of the Kids Ministry. Volunteers will serve together in groups or as pairs, allowing for greater safety and providing the accountability of multiple observers, should any situations arise that call for witness testimony.

    Any concerns regarding a child we are caring for and his or her well-being outside of a Sunday morning must be brought to pastoral leadership quickly and sensitively to ensure an appropriate response.

    For clarification or more information about these policies, please contact a member of our pastoral staff.

LITURGY TEAM

The Liturgy team is responsible for facilitating some key elements of our weekend service. This team helps in extending the welcome of the Gospel, serving at the table the Lord prepares for us, and ministering to the family of God. If you are only scheduled in one of these areas for Sunday morning, please arrive at 9 AM to go over the service with a pastor. The Garden volunteer huddle will begin right after, at 9:15AM.

  • At the start of our service, a team member will welcome the congregation to step into the space that God has made for everyone present by reading a portion of the morning’s psalm, which will be the foundation of the worship set and corporate prayer, and presenting to the people a brief explanation of the Gospel invitation in the psalm. This welcome will conclude with a brief prayer to draw us to a place of response to the gracious revelation of God.

    If you are scheduled for the Gospel Welcome, read over the psalm of the week and discuss what you will share with a member of the pastoral staff ahead of our team huddle at 9:15 AM but preferably earlier in the week.

  • Every week, before the sermon, a member of our team will read the central passage. If you are scheduled to serve as the reader for the Sunday gathering, be sure to look over the passage in the designated translation and practice reading it aloud, working to emphasize for the congregation the language and tone already present in the verses.

  • Volunteers scheduled to serve communion will ensure that the table is set up before the team huddle at 9:15 AM with linen, the tray, and the elements (glasses of wine and bowls of bread). The pastor will communicate when the communion facilitators, arranged in pairs, will come forward with the elements. Those holding the bowls of bread will stand closest to the center and tell each guest who comes forward “The body of Christ was broken for you” as they take a piece of bread. As they come to dip the bread in the wine, the volunteers holding the glasses will say “His blood was shed for you.” After each congregant participating has come forward, the volunteers facilitating communion will serve one another.

  • If you are schedule to be a part of our prayer team, there are two moments we would like for you to be available for people needing prayer. One will be during the response moment, immediately following the sermon, where guests can go to one of three designated areas (either side of the stage, and along the section separating space, against the long wall in the middle of the room). The other time to be available for prayer will be immediately following the service.

  • Every service requires care and attention for the gifts people generously bring to The Garden. Volunteers on this team are trusted to account for each dollar given to the church and must communicate that exact amount to the pastors and a designated independent third party, who will be responsible for confirming that this amount has been deposited to the church’s account.

SET-UP & PARKING TEAM

We are deeply grateful for everyone who serves on our set-up team, which has one of the earliest arrival teams of any Sunday morning ministry area. This means that volunteers serving here will be part of the first group to prepare for the day’s service through the task of setting up and the covering of prayer.

  • The main tasks here are to unload the carts from the trailer, unpack the outdoor banners and a-frames, and set up the parking lots and outdoor spaces for the day. After this, volunteers not scheduled in another area can take time to rest or change before the team huddle.

  • If you are scheduled for the set-up team and parking lot team, you will be helping welcome and direct guests from the parking lot to the school entrance ahead of service. Be aware of families with children in strollers or guests with physical needs and provide accessibility assistance where and when you are able.

  • There is no need to push your physical limits in this role. So be sure to ask for help where and when you need. We strive to never be in the kind of rush that would imply carrying a dangerous load or carrying something quicker than is safe. In addition to this, when you break down outside equipment, be aware that the heat can make metal components dangerous to touch. Use available gloves to pick these pieces up and carry them to the trailer.

WORSHIP & PRODUCTION

Every week, our Worship & Production team prayerfully prepares to guide our church through a focused time of responding to the presence and Word of God. We believe God invites His people into a dialogue, and our weekly gatherings offer space for people to enter and become aware of that conversation through worship. If you are serving on this team, be sure to acclimate yourself to the morning’s worship songs through Planning Center, practicing your role in facilitating each one and taking note of the transitions between service elements.

  • Vocalists are devoted disciples of Jesus who are trained to skillfully sing in collaboration with the other members of the Worship & Production team. They possess the necessary training, not only to lead a song melodically, but to harmonize with the other vocalists in a way that serves the song. This role does require more of a willingness to direct a song one is leading. While each week, there will be a designated “worship leader” to direct the overall musical cohesion of the team, vocalists leading songs are encouraged to grow in their ability to exhort the church through their leadership.

  • Instrumentalists are devoted disciples of Jesus who are trained to skillfully play their instruments collaboratively with the other members of the worship & production team. They possess the necessary training to read chord charts and come prepared to play the songs as noted weekly in Planning Center. This role isn’t secondary to “leading”, but is just as much a part of it as all the other roles on the Worship & Production team.

  • Sound technicians are devoted disciples of Jesus who are trained to skillfully set up and mix and record audio for The Garden’s Sunday worship services. They possess the necessary training and experience to create a clear mix using The Garden’s portable sound equipment. Along with this, they are able to troubleshoot potential issues with sound equipment during gatherings and rehearsals.

    If you are scheduled to serve as a sound tech, please be sure to to start the recording before the service begins and remember to end the recording before shutting off any equipment. This ensures that the audio of the service is saved for our weekly sermon podcast.

  • Volunteers scheduled to operate the computer for slides are devoted disciples of Jesus who are trained to use ProPresenter to project lyrics, Bible verses, sermon graphics, and all that goes to the TVs during Sunday services. They work collaboratively with the Worship & Production team and the Lead Pastor, making sure the week’s liturgy and ProPresenter content are in alignment.