Volunteering in the Third Third of Life
Way to go! This year we had more third third volunteers at Vacation Bible School than we have ever had before. And I’ve heard that some of you can really dance😊 Thanks for accepting the challenge to invest in our next generation.
I am impressed by the many ways in which you volunteer in the church and community. According to the Mayo Clinic, volunteering has three significant health benefits.
- Improves physical and mental health – Volunteer activities keep us moving and thinking, which leads to lower stress.
- Provides a sense of purpose and teaches valuable skills – My mom volunteered at a hospital gift shop for many years after we all moved out. She loved the work (and she liked that she got first pick of the new gifts that came into the shop).
- Nurtures new and existing relationships – Volunteering gets us out of the house and interacting with folks.
If you want to read the whole article, you can find it HERE.
Although we appreciate these health benefits, as followers of Jesus we have a higher motivation to volunteer. As we’ll be talking about in worship on Sunday, we are “citizens of heaven.” As citizens of heaven, it is in our DNA to love our neighbors by serving them. I had a seminary professor who was fond of saying, “We have been saved to serve!” In the third third of life we often have more time to volunteer, and our training, experience, etc. make us great volunteers.
If you are looking for opportunities to volunteer, check out the “SERVE” page on our church website. There you will find opportunities to serve in the church (Count Me In) and the community (Serve the City). There are all kinds of opportunities. My favorite is driving the HP Pres golf cart on Sunday mornings.
And, we would love to have you join us on any 4th Thursday as we serve lunch to the homeless at Austin Street Center. We could use some extra help! Call Becky at 214-525-4217 to sign up or for more information.
This month a bunch of us are reading and discussing An Uncommon Guide to Retirement by Jeff Haanen. It starts on Wednesday, July 1, 7–8 pm. If you would like to join us for a look at a Biblical vision for retirement, click HERE.
Volunteering in the third third of life with you,
Steve McLean, Pastoral Fellow
