BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT RHYTHM

A lot of people come to me asking about recruiting volunteers. We know we need them because ministry is impossible on our own. There were times when I had hundreds of volunteers and other times when it was a handful. Regardless of the situation I felt like I never had enough.

But looking back, I can see that when I approached recruitment as a rhythm—not a one-time effort—I saw the most success. When recruitment was an ongoing priority, and not a reaction to a need, I was able to find the people I needed.

While there are several ways of building a rhythm of recruiting volunteers here are three consistent ones that worked for me:

PARISH-WIDE CAMPAIGNS

The first parish I worked at did this quite a bit. When we held a “ministry campaign,” it created momentum. The homily, announcements, and digital media all pointed people toward serving. We would hold rallies to get current volunteers on board, we created an easy pathway for people to sign up and onboard. Everyone was on the same page, and the message was clear: this parish values service.

The downside? Sometimes ministries ended up competing over the same few people, and if parishioners were unsure of where to start, the opportunity with the lowest commitment usually won out. We weren't trying to make it a competition, but we had to realize in order for each ministry to benefit we would have to ensure a lot of people got involved. Still, the benefit was clear—it communicated that our parish was about putting faith into action and it brought staff and leadership closer together.

VISION EVENTS

The most fruitful strategy, in my experience, was hosting a vision event. These gatherings gave us a chance to showcase what ministry with kids and teens looked like. We would schedule these around twice a year (once in the late summer, and once in late winter). This event was solely focused on a specific ministry, and we made it a memorable event where we played games, shared stories, and gave participants a taste of the ministry (e.g., set them up in small groups, had the student worship band lead, etc.). It allowed them to see the culture and energy of the ministry.

The challenge, of course, is that these events take planning, budget, and time. But if you schedule them into your calendar and build a team to focus on the logistics, you’ll always have a chance to capture new energy and invite people to join.

PERSONAL INVITES

Never underestimate the power of simply talking to people. My presence on weekends—before and after Mass, at fellowship events, even in passing conversations—led to some of the best recruits. While I made sure I made time to worship with my family, the rest of a Sunday was spent walking around and getting to know parishioners. Even if I couldn't do that every weekend I tried to be there for most. I became recognizable, accessible and it was easy to build relationships. When the invitation is personal, people feel seen and valued. You can also answer their questions and calm any fears.

The challenge here is scale. You can only meet with a few people at a time, and it takes patience. This is why it's important to train your hospitality ministers (e.g., greeters, ushers) to help you connect with others. Make sure they refer the people they meet over to you. While this is a "long-term" approach, over time, those one-on-one conversations build relationships that often last the longest.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

So how do you actually make this work? Here are five practical keys to building your rhythm:

1. Start with a Vision Event. Don’t wait until you feel desperate. Get one on the calendar and start planning. Even if you already have enough volunteers, it’s a great way to tell the story of your ministry and capture people who are eager to get involved.

2. Always follow up. Whether someone signs up at a campaign, attends an event, or has a conversation with you—there needs to be a next step. That might be an orientation, completing paperwork, or even just setting up another conversation. Enlist your current volunteers to help with this follow-up.

3. Avoid volunteer fatigue. While 2–3 recruitment pushes per year is ideal, you can start with one. Vary the theme—call it an “Open House,” “Empower the Next Generation,” or something fun that matches your parish culture. Keep it fresh, keep it invitational, and don’t pressure people.

4. Empower volunteers to lead the effort. You don’t need to run every detail yourself. Ask trusted volunteers to coordinate, but make sure they are aligned with your vision and mission. Recruitment itself is a ministry—and others can share the load.

5. Involve your pastor. The pastor’s support matters more than you think. He can lead prayer, cast vision, invite people personally, or simply show up to cheer you on. His presence tells the parish this matters.

MAKE IT A PART OF WHAT YOU DO

Recruiting volunteers isn’t something you scramble for when you’re desperate. It’s something you schedule and build into the rhythm of parish life. Treat campaigns and vision events like any other big parish event—plan them, advertise them, and follow through. Over time, the momentum builds, and you’ll discover you don’t have to do it all alone.