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Serve-a-thon

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Log Your Hours Here

Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve….You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love, and you can be that servant.
—MLK

When Civil Rights leader John Lewis advocated for a holiday to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., he called for a “national day of service.” He urged for “a day on, not a day off … a day of service to our communities, to our brothers and sisters, and to generations yet unborn so that we all may continue Dr. King’s work of building the beloved community.”

This attitude of service is the same attitude of Jesus who, “did not come to be served but to serve.” So we are taking up this challenge for a “day on” of serving and turning it into a “month on” with a church-wide Serve-a-thon. Our goal is to put in 250 hours of service by the end of February, and hopefully create a pattern of serving that will continue long after!

There are endless ways to serve, both one-off and longer-term commitments, so be creative! Below are a few ideas to get you going. Although many of the websites are Minnesota-specific, similar programs likely exist in your city—just give it a quick search! Note that some volunteer activities require extra training or orientation.

Clean up your block
  • Grab trash bags and some family and friends and pick up litter on your block.
  • Some cities offer resources to help, like St. Paul’s Come Clean! project or the Minneapolis Litter Cleanup program.
Provide food
Write letters
  • Make a thank you note for your mail carrier, garbage collector, local librarian, first-responders… anyone you want to acknowledge!
  • Send a letter to senior citizens through Letters Against Isolation.
Donate blood
  • Find a location near you through the Red Cross.
Collect items for those in need
Preserve African American history
Help out an animal shelter
Tutor a student
  • Local libraries often have tutoring programs.
  • Look into online programs like Upchieve.
Volunteer with one of our partner ministries

Log Your Hours Here

For a comprehensive collection of volunteer activities across the Twin Cities, check out Hands on Twin Cities. For elsewhere in the United States, Volunteer Match is a good place to start!

6 thoughts on “Serve-a-thon

  1. Dawn says:

    This is service hours above and beyond what we regularly do, correct?

    1. Emily says:

      Hi Dawn,
      Correct, that’s what we were hoping for! —Emily from Communications

  2. Jenny says:

    Hello, Woodland Hills! I’m a podrishoner of about 13 years. Loving this message and the heart behind it. I’m just wondering if I can log hours as well even though I’m from Wisconsin.

    Thanks for your time,
    Jenny from Wisconsin

    1. Emily says:

      Hi Jenny,
      Yes, absolutely! We are encouraging everyone to participate locally wherever they are. Thanks for joining in! —Emily from Communications

  3. Kimberly says:

    I’m writing this note to say thank you for all who are involved with serve a thon….I feel absolutely stretched to my limit as I give continually at work mealsite/food pantry and I volunteer answering phones at a teen center and am on the welcome team at my local church etc, etc but, I wanna just say thank you for all who are involved…you rock and it’s much needed and appreciated.

    1. Emily says:

      That’s encouraging to hear, keep up the good work, Kimberly!
      —Emily from Communications

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