Volunteer Opportunities

If you haven’t donated time to a worthwhile cause lately, would you consider helping us? We are dependent on volunteers to help us prepare young lives for a fruitful lifetime of serving Christ. Below are some areas in which you can be of service through our ministry.

 

Most Current Needs

Contact [email protected] -717-369-4539 for information.

  • Housekeeping:  Primary duties are sweeping and mopping floors, emptying trash, resetting tables and chairs in meeting rooms, vacuuming and straightening rooms for immaculate appearance for incoming guests.
  • Tuesday morning maintenance crew: This crew is comprised of handymen (or women). Folks who love to fix things will fit right into this group. We supply the tools, the projects and the fellowship! This group comes to Joy El on Tuesday mornings, works until lunch, and then we provide them with a free lunch.
  • Donation Pick-up/Delivery Person: We are in need of one or more people with a current driver’s license to pick up food donations from the local Mercersburg Food Lion each Friday morning and deliver it to Camp Joy El. One person who can consistently do this each week is preferred, but we will work with more than one to alternate weeks if necessary.

 

4.12 Leadership Training Program

Barnabas mentors: The adult volunteers in this program serve as spiritual mentors to students in the program. Mentors receive training on discipleship to become equipped as a spiritual “mother” or “father.” Mentors are required to meet with their disciples once a month, but often the volunteers in this program are so enthusiastic that they and their disciple schedule special outings together.

To volunteer with the 4.12 Leadership Training Program, contact [email protected]-717-369-4539 .

 

Camping Programs

  • Direct mailings crew: Many of our bulk mailings are prepared for the post office by hand. Volunteers are called upon to help us with this task. It’s usually a morning of easy labor supplemented with refreshments and lots of good fellowship. Mailing dates vary.
  • Housekeeping: Primary duties are sweeping and mopping floors, emptying trash, resetting tables and chairs in meeting rooms, vacuuming and straightening rooms for immaculate appearance for incoming guests.
  • Office help: Volunteers are always needed for various tasks around the ministry office. If you like photocopying, cutting flyers apart, filing, sorting materials for programs or storage, working on the computer with data entry, or anything similar, we’d love to have you join us. We can work around your schedule and the time frame you have to give us.
  • Kitchen help: Volunteers are essential to helping us operate our dining hall during the summer months. If you enjoy cooking and young people, this is the position for you. The need for kitchen help during other times of the year vary depending on our events and banquets schedule.
  • Tuesday morning maintenance crew: This crew is comprised of handymen (or women). Folks who love to fix things will fit right into this group. We supply the tools, the projects and the fellowship! This group comes to Joy El on Tuesday mornings, works until lunch, and then we provide them with a free lunch.
  • Volunteer receptionist: There is always a need for a substitute receptionist to answer phones when our staff receptionist is away, or in the midst of preparing materials for one of the programs. If you simply like talking on the phone and want to give some time doing that, we’ll train you to be the “hostess with the mostest” on the Joy El phones.
  • Phoneathon crew: Our camping department needs volunteers willing to make phone calls prior to our camping events. We provide a list of students for the crew to contact along with information on the event we’re calling about. If you like talking, this position is ideal and the time commitment is minimal.
To volunteer within our Camping programs, contact [email protected]717-369-4539.
 
 

Bible Adventure Program

Bible Adventure simply doesn’t happen without volunteers. While Joy El sponsors the program, volunteers do every part of operating each individual BA class. This program truly is a community outreach that transcends denominational lines. Involvement in Bible Adventure is a way that you can use the spiritual and natural gifts God has given you to glorify Him.

Here are the roles filled by BA volunteers. In what capacity do you see yourself serving?

  • Equipping Coordinator: This person equips and encourages staff for ministry in their geographical area, has oversight of the school coordinators and serves as a liaison between the regional coordinator and school coordinators. The equipping coordinator spends time training volunteer staff and coming alongside school coordinators as needed.
  • School Coordinator: This person has oversight of a weekly BA class, staff, and students. The school coordinator interacts with school officials, recruits volunteer staff for the class, cooperates with the area coordinator in training staff, and leads staff in devotional time and other activities.
  • Teacher: This person teaches a 20-minute Bible lesson on a weekly basis. Curriculum is provided as well as training.
  • Listener: This person encourages students by listening to them recite memorized verses. The listener develops a close personal relationship with a small group of students (2-4).
  • Song Leader: This person leads the group in song time.
  • Pianist: This person plays the piano for group song time.
  • Bus Driver: The bus driver transports students from the school to the host facility and back again. This person must have a CDL with passenger endorsement.
  • Child Care: This person watches the preschool children of fellow volunteers while class is in session.
  • Prayer Warrior: This person prays regularly for the ministry of Bible Adventure and its staff.
  • Public Relations: This person shares highlights of what God is doing in Bible Adventure with the community through a variety of means.
  • Praise Journal Recorder: This person records weekly Godsightings (ways God is working in their class) and shares these with staff to encourage them.
  • Historian: The historian documents and collates important information and highlights
  • Key Follow-up Person: Oversee the follow up on all leads for students and staff

To volunteer with a Bible Adventure class, contact [email protected]717-369-4539 .

 

Testimonials

Being a Bible Adventure volunteer has helped me to grow in my own spiritual walk. I’ve had to learn God’s Word in order to teach it to the children and being a role model for the children helps me to be accountable for living as Jesus wants me to live.” — a York County Bible Adventure volunteer

We like helping out at the ministry offices. There are always materials to be printed, cut and sorted for the various programs. We enjoy doing tasks that help change young lives.” — a volunteer couple from Fulton County

“I help out in the kitchen during summer camp and I just love the fellowship I have with the other volunteers. My favorite part is being with the kids. They keep me young!” — a volunteer from Franklin County

I disciple two young men in the Barnabas ministry. What amazes me is how much they both appreciate the investment that I am giving them. I pray that other mentors will enjoy this experience as much as I do.” — a Barnabas ministry mentor

When I retired I needed something to fill my time. I enjoy doing things for people, so I help clean up the buildings after busy weekends. I push a broom and a mop around, and I do it unto the Lord. He honors that.” — a volunteer with our Monday Morning crew

 

Application

We hope you find the possibilities of volunteering for Joy El exciting.
If you’d like to inquire further about volunteering,
call our office at 717-369-4539  or email us at [email protected].

Ready to help change a child's life?