I’m Tired, You’re Tired, We’re All Tired
I remember it like it was yesterday. June 12th, 2015. St. Mary’s Parish in Portland. I was sitting in the back, watching the usual suspects running the show. Same faces, same tired smiles, same heavy eyes. I turned to my friend, let’s call him Marcus, and said, “Look, we gotta talk about this.”
Marcus, bless his heart, was running on fumes. He’d been coordinating the Sunday school program for 18 months straight. His wife, let’s call her Linda, had left me a voicemail the week before: “You need to get him to slow down. He’s gonna have a breakdown.”
And honestly? I was right there with him. We were both in over our heads, and nobody was talking about it.
This Isn’t Just About Marcus
Last Tuesday, I was having coffee with a colleague named Dave. He’s the youth group coordinator at St. Joseph’s. He told me, “I’ve got 214 kids signed up, and only 12 volunteers. And those 12? They’re all maxed out.”
I asked him, “What’s the breaking point? When do they say ‘no more’?”
He just laughed. “You’re kidding, right? They don’t. They just quit. No drama, no fuss. One day they’re there, the next they’re not. And who can blame them?”
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
The Problem Isn’t Laziness, It’s Committment
Look, I get it. Life’s hard. We’ve all got jobs, families, bills. But this isn’t about laziness. It’s about something deeper. Something a lot of churches aren’t talking about.
I was at a conference in Austin last year. A speaker, let’s call him Father Thomas, said something that stuck with me: “We’re asking people to give their time, their talent, their treasure. But we’re not giving them anything in return. No rest, no respite, no real support.”
And that’s the thing. We’re burning people out. We’re asking alot of them, and we’re not giving enough back.
I mean, think about it. When’s the last time your church had a volunteer appreciation event that wasn’t just a quick “thank you” during the Sunday service? When’s the last time they checked in on you, asked how you’re really doing, not just what shifts you can cover?
We Need to Talk About Burnout
I get it. Burnout’s a buzzword. It’s thrown around like confetti at a parade. But it’s real. It’s physicaly and emotionally draining. And it’s happening in our churches, right under our noses.
I talked to a friend, let’s call her Sarah, who was on the parish council. She told me, “I loved it. I really did. But after three years, I was done. I didn’t have anything left to give.”
And that’s the scary part. We’re losing good people. People who care. People who want to make a difference. But we’re not taking care of them.
We need to start having real conversations about this. We need to ask ourselves some tough questions. Are we valuing our volunteers? Are we supporting them? Are we giving them the tools they need to succeed?
Let’s Talk About Tools, Shall We?
Speaking of tools, have you ever tried to manage a volunteer schedule on a spreadsheet? It’s a nightmare. And honestly, it’s 2023. We should be doing better than that.
I found this really helpful software development tools guide that talked about project management software. And I thought, “Why aren’t we using this in our churches?”
I mean, think about it. These tools can help us streamline scheduling, communicate better, track volunteer hours, even send out automated reminders. It’s not rocket science. It’s just good sense.
But here’s the thing. It’s not just about the tools. It’s about the mindset. It’s about recognizing that our volunteers are valuable. That their time is precious. That they deserve the best tools we can give them.
A Quick Digression: The Bake Sale Incident
Okay, so this might seem off topic, but hear me out. Last year, we had a bake sale fundraiser. It was a big deal. We had volunteers baking for weeks. But the day of the event, nobody showed up to help set up. I was there at 7am, alone, wondering what went wrong.
Turns out, the volunteer coordinator had sent out an email with the wrong date. And because we weren’t using a proper communication tool, nobody saw the correction. It was a mess. And honestly, it could’ve been avoided.
But here’s the thing. It’s not just about the tools. It’s about the people. It’s about making sure they feel valued, supported, and appreciated.
Back to Burnout
So, where do we go from here? How do we address this quiet crisis in church volunteering?
First, we need to talk about it. We need to acknowledge that burnout is real. That it’s happening. And that it’s okay to say “no” sometimes.
Second, we need to provide better support. We need to check in on our volunteers. Ask them how they’re doing. Give them a break when they need it.
Third, we need to invest in better tools. We need to give our volunteers the resources they need to succeed. Because honestly, a spreadsheet just isn’t cutting it anymore.
And finally, we need to celebrate our volunteers. Not just with a quick “thank you” during the service, but with real, meaningful appreciation. Because they deserve it.
I don’t have all the answers. But I know this. We can’t keep doing things the way we’ve always done them. We need to change. We need to adapt. We need to grow.
Because our volunteers? They’re worth it.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Elizabeth “Liz” Thompson. I’ve been writing about faith and spirituality for over 20 years. I’ve worked with major publications, interviewed some amazing people, and learned alot along the way. I’m passionate about faith, about people, and about telling stories that matter. I’m also a bit of a perfectionist, a little bit stubborn, and I have a tendency to ramble. But hey, nobody’s perfect, right?
When I’m not writing, you can find me volunteering at my local church, drinking way too much coffee, or spending time with my family. I live in Portland with my husband, two kids, and a dog named Max. He’s a good boy. The best.
I’m always up for a good conversation, so if you’ve got something to say, don’t be shy. Drop me a line. Let’s talk.
