Volunteering

'Here I Am, Lord ... Use Me'

This "menu" lists dozens of ways you can get plugged into Bethlehem through volunteering.

Top Volunteer Needs

Guest Services Volunteers, Downtown Campus
Would you be interested in an opportunity at Bethlehem that involves meeting and helping people each day? We are in the process of developing and staffing a new ministry whose goal is to provide weekday assistance and a warm welcome to everyone entering our doors. If you believe that God has gifted you for this kind of ministry, and you would be available to work one or more 4-hour shifts each week (Monday-Friday, 9am-1pm, or 1-5pm), contact Brad Arthur (612-455-3477), Director of Properties Administration.

Library, Desk Worker, North Campus
We need three desk workers to join the library team at the North Campus. You would help patrons find resources; handle returns, checkouts, and renewals; and shelve books.  Expected commitment is to volunteer once a month on Sunday morning. Contact Edith Carlson (612-455-3401).

Check-In Kiosk Worker
The shifts are short, the schedule is flexible, and workers are needed. Learn to use a simple touch screen to sign in children and volunteers for the nursery, Sunday school, Wednesday Night Connection, and other activities. Training is available. Contact Amy Katterson (612-746-2651).  

Always Needed

Occasional Projects

Ongoing Volunteer Needs

Adult Ministries

Bookstore

BUI

Family Ministries (Family Discipleship)

Global Compassion (Global Diaconate)

Global Outreach

Hispanic Ministries

Library

Media Ministries

Neighborhood Outreach

Short Term Ministries

Welcome Ministries

Worship & Music Ministries

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Always Needed

Nursery Care for Worship Services
Saturday nights, Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights

Nursery Care for Women's Bible Studies
Wednesday mornings, all sites

  • Downtown Contact: Julie Harms (612-338-7653, ext. 703)
  • North Contact: Maggie Sporleder (612-338-7653, ext. 709)
  • South Contact: Bonnie Williams (612-746-2656)

Nursery Care for MOMS
1st & 3rd Tuesday mornings, Downtown & North campuses

  • Downtown Contact: Lisa Burk (612-338-7653, ext. 712)
  • North Contact: Maggie Sporleder (612-338-7653, ext. 709)

Greeters
Greeters stand at the entrance doors before services to welcome those arriving. We ask Greeters to commit to once a month.

Ushers
Greet people with a bulletin, collect the offering, and assist those who attend our services. We ask folks to serve once a month.

Visitor Reception Volunteer
Welcome visitors at the Saturday/Sunday services at the Visitor Reception area.

Kitchen Help
Assist with food preparation, serving, and clean-up for Wednesday Night Connection or for other meals (funerals, special events, etc.). To help at the Downtown Campus contact Brenda Remus (612-455-3441). To help at the North Campus contact Molly Johnson (612-455-0869).

Meal Providers
Minister to families welcoming a baby or going through illness or other difficulties by preparing and delivering a meal. Contact Lynda Hansen (612-455-0805).

Occasional Projects

Office Work Help
Support the ministries of the church through data entry, filing, and other office work on an as-needed basis. Contact Amy Katterson (612-746-2651). 

Event Support
We hold occasional events to welcome guest speakers, show appreciation to ministry volunteers, or commemorate special events. Consider this opportunity to help with these special gatherings through various preparations, decorating, serving, and/or cleanup. Contact Amy Katterson (612-746-2651). 

Adult Ministries

Senior Visitation
Minister to wise, older adults who are in nursing homes or are no longer able to get out. Singles, children, and families can make an impact while receiving a great blessing in this ministry. Contact Keith Anderson (612-751-1446) 

Bookstore

South Site Book Cart
We would appreciate help on Sundays with the setup and operation of the South Site book cart. Serve your Bethlehem family by answering bookstore-related questions, giving recommendations, and helping to maintain and re-stock the inventory. Contact Nick Laparra at 612-435-2465.

Downtown & North Campus Bookstores
Help provide a gracious, friendly atmosphere for our guests by assisting with book recommendations, purchases, and requests. Assist with store operations by effectively and efficiently running the registers (training provided). We need volunteers at the following times:

  • Wednesday evenings (Sept-May)
  • Saturday evenings
  • Sunday mornings

Contact Nick Laparra at 612-435-2465.

Bethlehem Urban Initiatives

Reach Out to Somalis
Make a Somali friend and share the love of Christ while tutoring English, helping with computers, or giving a ride to class. A growing number of Somali men and women are coming to SALT (Somali Adult Literacy Training) at the Downtown Campus, which meets every Monday through Thursday, 9:00am to noon. More volunteer English tutors, computer helpers, and drivers are needed to serve one or more mornings a week. To learn more or to get involved, contact Carol Van Ess at 612-455-3481. (For other SALT times & locations, contact Mike Neterer at salt@wr.org.)
 

Meals for Inner-City Kids
If you are a small group and would take joy in preparing a hot meal for our inner-city kids at SAY Yes! we would love your help. This ministry would include both shopping for the food and preparing the meal an hour before our program begins at the 16/33 Center. If you are interested in doing this on a Monday night, please contact Jenilyn Swett (cell: 205-994-4764; if a long-distance call is prohibitive, call Jenilyn's work number: 612-746-6438). If you are interested in doing this on a Wednesday night, please contact Amy Majors at 612-788-9436.

Help Needed at BUI's SAY Yes! Center
If you would like to make a difference in the lives of kids from the Phillips and Powderhorn neighborhoods of South Minneapolis, consider volunteering with S.A.Y. (Save America's Youth) Yes! This Christ-centered, after-school mentoring ministry for inner-city youth is seeking volunteers who could fill a variety of needs, including mentoring one or two youth, facilitating academic exercises, or driving a van to pick up and drop off kids. We're looking for those who could give 2-3 hours per week (Mon and/or Wed evenings), in addition to helping with monthly events at the 16/33 Center. If you are interested, contact Toph Majors at 612-600-4879.

Family Ministries (Family Discipleship)

Nursery—ministry to those birth to 3 years of Sundays, Wednesdays evenings, various weekdays (MOMs, Bible Studies), and special events:

  • Caregivers to nurture and pray for the youngest among us.
  • Team Leaders lead a volunteer team who love and lead children in truth.
  • Teachers who by prayer and preparation seek to understand and teach children through God-centered curriculum.
  • Substitutes who are available to be called on as needed in those roles listed above.

Volunteer Opportunity for Disability Ministry
Do you have a heart to bless and be blessed by children with disabilities?

  • The Disability Ministry has a need for one-on-one Disability Aides and substitute Aides during Sunday School on all campuses.
  • We are seeking a volunteer Disability Ministry Prayer Coordinator.  

For questions about these roles, contact Brenda Fischer at 612-746-2675

Please visit the Family Ministries Get Involved page for other potential volunteer opportunities in this ministry area.

Global Compassion (Global Diaconate)

Crisis Response
If you are interested in being a part of an International Crisis Response Group contact Steve Prater (763-753-049).

Global Outreach

Global Outreach Department Volunteer
We can always use extra office help for various office projects. Contact Anika Holst (612-455-3432).

Hispanic Ministries

ESL Tutoring / Teaching
Serve as a tutor or teacher in our English classes offered at the 16/33 Center. (No Spanish required.) Contact Kelly Clausen (612-455-3478).

Childcare
Serve in the nurseries on Sunday nights during our Spanish worship services at the 16/33 Center. (No Spanish required.) Contact Kelly Clausen (612-455-3478).

Worship Team
Use your musical gifts to be a part of the Hispanic Ministry worship team at the 16/33 Center on Sunday evenings. (No Spanish required.) Contact Kelly Clausen (612-455-3478).

Interpretation
Interpret Bethlehem's worship services into Spanish or the Hispanic Ministry's worship services into English. (Fluency in Spanish and English required.) Contact Kelly Clausen (612-455-3478).

Library

Downtown & North Library Opportunities
Our Downtown & North Libraries regularly needs the following:

  • Circulation Desk Workers
  • Shelf Reader
  • Library Cleaner
  • Materials Evaluator

If you are interested in any of these positions see our Library Volunteer Guide (document) for more details.

Media Ministries

A/V Setup Assistant
Assist in setup/take down of our A/V equipment used for worship services or events. No experience necessary. Contact Tim Frederick (612-455-0811).

Audio or Visual Technician
An Audio Technician operates the sound system, which a Visual Technician operates the worship text and/or video systems for worship services or events. Contact Tim Frederick (612-455-0811).

Neighborhood Outreach

Hidden Treasures Thrift Store
Do you have an hour or two a week to spare in making a difference in our ministry? Profits from Hidden Treasures Thrift Store support local ministry at Masterworks and two international ministries. We are in great need of volunteers to help at the store. Whether you process merchandise or wait on customers, no act of help is too small to make a big difference. Stop by the store (2915 Pentagon Dr, St. Anthony, MN 55418), call us at 612-706-3223, or visit hiddentreasuresonline.org. We'd love to meet you! It is easy to volunteer, no formal training required--just a heart to serve the Lord!

LYDIA Fund Helpers
"Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless" (James 1:27). Do you have a passion for adoption? Love to hear adoption stories? Want encourage adopting couples? The LYDIA fund assists qualified families with international adoptions. To learn more, contact the LYDIA Fund at 763-784-4578. Consider volunteering for them in these areas:

  • non-profit accounting
  • fundraising
  • application processing
  • publicity
  • interviewing and encouraging couples
  • Web content management

Reach Unreached Peoples in Our Neighborhood
Overcomers Ministries (First Nations Recovery Center, 2200 Bloomington Ave S) is one of very few evangelical outreaches to Native Americans in our nation actually founded and directed by a Native American, Gordon Thayer. Bethlehem has supported Overcomers in various ways for several years. First Nations Recovery Center is a newly-established arm of the ministry. Your skills may be just what are needed to help open wider this doorway to the gospel. If you can volunteer with office/clerical tasks, grant-writing, medical/insurance billing, Web design/maintenance, or video production, contact Sheila Thayer at 612-871-1208.

All Nations ESL Tutors Needed
Mondays or Wednesdays, 6:30-8:00pm
Downtown Campus, Room 205
Interested in reaching out to immigrants and international students? God has brought many international students and immigrants to our doorstep here in the Twin Cities. Come help our new friends with English while showing them the "hope that lies within you." You can befriend newcomers to the United States, help them with English as a conversation partner, and share the love of Christ. Contact Hannah LaFeve at 612-423-3982 for more information.

ESL Conversation Class Tutors Needed
South Site, 501 Building
Wednesdays, 1-2:30 pm
This is an opportunity for women to help international women practice and improve their English conversation and reading skills. We will also seek to build caring and Christ-exalting friendships with them. Contact Marge Jenson at 651-460-4944

Elliot Twins Grocery Van Driver
Each week we provide our neighbors with a ride to the grocery store. Driving the grocery van for those who have no other way around is a great way to show the love of Christ to our neighbors. Contact Tina Lowe (612-455-3439). 

Short Term Ministries

Short Term Team Leaders
Consider being a short term team leader. Training is required and available. Contact Tina Lowe (612-455-3439). 

Welcome Ministries

Check-In Kiosk Worker
The shifts are short, the schedule is flexible, and workers are needed. Learn to use a simple touch screen to sign in children and volunteers for the nursery, Sunday school, Wednesday Night Connection, and other activities. Training is available. Contact Amy Katterson (612-746-2651). 

Information Booth Volunteer
Be available before, during, and after one service each month to answer questions, direct inquires, visit with newcomers, and respond in the case of emergencies.

  • Downtown: Contact Erin Dung (612-455-3464).
  • North: Contact Char Ransom (612-816-3694).
  • South: Contact Amy Katterson (612-746-2651).

Worship & Music Ministries

Communion Helpers Needed
Volunteers are needed to help with preparation of communion elements once a month at the Downtown Campus. To apply to serve in this way, contact Jesse Harms at 612-455-3425.

Downtown Orchestra Looking for More Musicians
Do you play a woodwind or string instrument? We are looking for more people who play the bassoon, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, piccolo, French horn, saxophone, or any string instrument. For more information, contact Aaron Jameson at 612-518-9898.

More Details

For more details on these ministry opportunities please see our Ministry Opportunities Handbook found at our Information Booths on each of our campuses.

Contact Us

Do you have a skill? Do you have a heart to invest that skill in the kingdom? We can probably find a good fit for you among Bethlehem's ministries.

To volunteer, please contact our church office at 612-338-7653 or email us at mail@hopeinGod.org.

For thought-provoking motivation about volunteering, read By This Time You Ought to Be Teachers, a sermon by Pastor John Piper.

© 2010 Bethlehem Baptist Church