Often these days, a blog gets overlooked. Why? Because it doesn’t talk about missionaries, or ministers. It talks about volunteers. For sure, there is a great difference in a person who comes to serve because they are called: a vocation to ministry; or because of their good will: a volunteer. But those in leadership in the Family would do well to read about how good leaders keep and maintain volunteers, so as not to extinguish the flame of charity when it is in its infancy. It can be like a candle in the wind.

In a recent article in the GrantSpace Blog, 3 surefire Ways to Engage the Best Volunteers, Marti Fischer suggests some concrete ways to improve the way people serve. Substitute “missionary” for “volunteer” and see:

… determine what motivates your volunteers, and work toward creating and supporting a program that best serves their needs while advancing your mission. I recommend using the “3 R’s for Happy Volunteers” as a framework for the internal conversations that will help structure your volunteer program.

The three “R’s” : Relevant, Realistic and Rewarding. And don’t let the stress on mission advancement (fundraising) put you off. It’s as much a part of the missionary task as is delivering a concrete service. Read the whole article at GrantSpace.

Do you, as a Vincentian leader, care for the flame of Charity recently kindled in your newest missionary?

And check out all the resources that The Foundation Center has on Facebook.