Brethren Volunteer Service participates in Volunteer Fest and #WhyService campaign

Church of the Brethren Newsline

By Pauline Liu and Kara Miller

Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) attended Volunteer Fest on March 8-11, a four-night event hosted by Catholic Volunteer Network to connect with prospective volunteers about volunteering with faith-based organizations. The theme of this week was #WhyService, why is service important and why do people want to do service?

BVS also is hosting a virtual mid-year retreat from March 22-24 for volunteers in the Summer Unit 325 and Fall Unit 327. During that time, we will be connecting through several sessions to prepare volunteers for life after their service. Volunteers will also be engaging with one another through games and meaningful daily devotions, as well as gathering together as a form of respite from their projects.

Volunteer Fest

Most of the attendees at Volunteer Fest were organizations, and BVS staff attended on behalf of Brethren Volunteer Service. The platform we used was Remo, advertised as a live networking space with different tables you can jump around to by double-clicking.

An illustration of the Remo live networking space used at the Volunteer Fest.

Monday (March 8) featured a time of Table Talk answering seven big questions organizations often get about #WhyService:

  1. Why choose faith-based service now?
  2. Why does it matter where I serve?
  3. Why is faith-based service good for my career?
  4. Why am I drawn to a certain ministry/sector/population?
  5. Why serve in a time of COVID?
  6. Why does a certain spirituality draw me?
  7. Why should “I” serve?

Tuesday and Wednesday (March 9 and 10) featured more than 50 organizations at virtual booths.

Thursday (March 11) featured a mentorship/discernment night of intentional conversations to help with next steps.

Check out our Instagram feed @bvs1948 for pictures from current volunteers about their answers to #WhyService.

— Pauline Liu is coordinator of volunteers for Brethren Volunteer Service. Kara Miller is a BVSer serving as orientation assistant in the BVS office.

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