Days of Serving

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Cesar Chavez Service and Learning, and 9/11 National Day of Service are a few regional, and sometimes national, days of service. One of many international examples is Community Service Day celebrated in Dominica, a Caribbean island, every November 4th.

Service and serving certainly go hand in hand. Service is the act of helping while serving calls to mind a more intimate and personal, possibly emotionally demanding, action. The image that pops into my mind is the Last Supper. Jesus kneels down, washes the desert-dusty feet of His followers, and demonstrates a servant-leadership tenderness that had not been previously known to the disciples.

We are Called

Followers of Jesus are called to be His hands and feet, serving rather than being served. Putting aside pride and expectations surrounding social or intellectual standing could be quite the slap in the face. Imagine King Charles III of England washing the feet of the homeless on the streets of London or kissing a leper clean (from The Summons Hymn). What a powerful example of serving others that would be!

Homegrown examples of serving could be listening to a resident in long-term care tell the same story over and over again; being with them during their present state of mind without reminding them of their repetitions. 

It could be serving an angry client, desperate for food or bill assistance but having trouble shaking their bad mood. It could be sharing compassion and grace with a grouchy staff member or volunteer. We all have our days; and serving is not necessarily easy! 

Days of Serving

The National Association of Volunteer Program Leaders in Government (NAVPLG) keeps an updated list of domestic and national service days which numbers 22 over 10 months of the year. Days of serving are a great reminder to take a break from the hustle of everyday life and assist a charitable organization who is working to meet the basic needs of individuals, creating a more sustainable world, taking care of homeless animals, or meeting some other community need. 

Frederick Buechner once said, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Deep gladness could be your hobbies, passions, interests, and/or desires for your life. My hope for all readers, during the many days of serving throughout the year, is that your deep gladness will intersect with an acute need in your community.

While the Sisters of Providence have many volunteer needs, we may not have a need that fits your interests or expertise. Contact Volunteer Services anyway and we will be glad to help you find an organization that will put your interests, experience, and skills to good use.

The Sisters of Providence are always looking for fantastic volunteers in these departments: Providence Food Pantry; White Violet Center for Eco-Justice gardens or pasture/barn; White Violet Farm Store; visiting with sisters in long term care; driving sisters to and from doctors’ appointments; welcome desk/office assistance; and many one-time group projects at the farm, long-term care or fundraising events like Christmas Fun at the Woods and Earth Day.

For more information on volunteering for the Sisters of Providence or support finding another charitable organization, contact Volunteer Services at volunteer@spsmw.org or call 812-535-2878.