Easter is one of the most significant events on the calendar for most churches. It often attracts the biggest crowds, offers the most special programs, and requires the most volunteers.
Managing all those volunteers can be one of the biggest challenges of the season. Even with the most thorough volunteer system, things go wrong. People don’t show up. Miscommunication occurs. Tech dies.
That’s why it’s so important that you plan for the impossible to plan for—which is what this guide is for. Here are five common volunteer challenges you might face over Easter and how you can overcome them.
The No-Show Dilemma: What to Do When Volunteers Don’t Show Up
No-shows happen. People get sick, last-minute emergencies occur, and sometimes, people simply forget. Depending on the role, those no-shows can be a disaster.
Quick Fixes:
- Maintain a backup list of volunteers on standby. Depending on the number of volunteers you need, create a list that isn’t role-specific.
- Cross-train volunteers so they can step into other roles if needed.
- Start a group chat where you can send out a call for volunteers if someone doesn’t show up.
Prevention:
- Email or text message volunteers the week before and the day before Easter.
- Ask your team leaders to check in on volunteers before the big day.
- Invest in a church management system that allows volunteers to request replacements.
When the Greeters Are Overwhelmed: Handling Large Crowds
As you head into the Easter season, you’re praying for more guests. But are you ready for God to answer that prayer? Big crowds can lead to overwhelmed greeters and stressed-out volunteers.
Quick Fixes:
- Ask staff members or experienced volunteers to fill in when the crowds get intense.
- Create a floater group of volunteers who can help your greeters (and other teams) when they get overwhelmed.
Prevention Tips:
- It’s better to overestimate your number of greeters on Easter than underestimate. No matter how many you have, train a few more before Easter.
- Self-service kiosks and welcome stations can help to reduce the load on greeters if you can’t add any more to the team.
- Put up clear signs around campus so greeters don’t have to spend as much time giving directions (and they can spend more time smiling and welcoming guests!).
Tech Glitches: When Screens Go Blank and Mics Stop Working
Our churches depend on technology these days. When screens go dark, people get distracted and miss the message you want them to hear. Often, on services like Easter, we add more complexity to our services and provide more opportunities for tech fails—video cuts off, sound goes out, slides get missed, and live stream problems.
Quick Fixes:
- Designate someone without a specific role as the tech troubleshooter. That person just ensures everything is working properly.
- Keep backup equipment nearby (extra batteries, a second laptop, etc.)—particularly for key parts of your tech needs.
- Test everything an hour before the service.
Prevention Tips:
- Run a full rehearsal with all the tech a day prior.
- Brainstorm how you’ll do a complete analog service so you’re prepared for any tech outage. Make sure everyone understands the plan.
Kid’s Ministry Chaos: When You’re Short on Volunteers
You’re likely to get more families on Easter—which means more kids! If you’re not ready for the influx, volunteers can easily become overwhelmed, and safety concerns grow as your numbers increase.
Quick Fixes:
- Ask some parents to step in and help for a limited time until you can get things under control. Focus on soliciting the help of long-time church members rather than guests. Only bring in parents who will meet your church’s security guidelines.
- Don’t be afraid to limit the number of children in each room. It’s more important to disappoint a few families than to put safety at risk. Know your max student-teacher ratio so you can close the class at the appropriate point.
- Ask experienced youth to step in and help if numbers become too much of a problem.
Prevention Tips:
- This is another group that it’s good to over-staff if you can. Always try to book an extra 10 to 20 percent of your needed volunteers.
- Leverage an easy-to-use check-in system to simplify the drop-off and pickup times.
Volunteer Burnout: Keeping Morale High
Easter is busy for everyone. Even experienced volunteers often serve much longer over Easter weekend than at any other time of the year. (And they’re doing this after a full week of work!) Volunteer exhaustion can lead to frustration and disengagement (particularly by the end of the weekend). It’s essential to keep them encouraged during this time.
Quick Fixes:
- Provide coffee, juice, and pastries/snacks for volunteers.
- Ask one of your church leaders to walk around thanking and encouraging volunteers as they serve (he or she could take a few photos along the way, too).
- Pray with your volunteers before they serve.
- Check in with your volunteers and make sure they are holding up well.
Prevention Tips:
- Try not to ask volunteers to work during multiple services.
- Hand out thank-you notes before serving so your volunteers know just how much you appreciate them.
Expect the Unexpected, But Stay Flexible
No worship service runs perfectly, and one with as many moving parts as Easter is sure to have mishaps.
Remember this, though: You model the gospel as you handle the inevitable struggles of Easter services.
So don’t let the unexpected problems keep you from having your church’s best Easter yet. For more about how you can have a more effective volunteer process this Easter, check out The Ultimate Easter Volunteer Toolkit.
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