Dear Brother or Sister in Christ:

Congratulations on your decision to serve the Lord here at Calvary Chapel.
The desire to serve is a natural and proper response to the work of Christ within you.  Where to serve becomes the big question.  This volunteer packet has been designed to help us get to know you better and to assist you in determining your place in the body of Christ.  Each of us has a unique blend of experiences, talents, traits, gifts, and past tragedies that God can use to accomplish His work.
The apostle Paul uses the “body” as a metaphor to describe how the local church should function.  Each one of us is a unique part of the body of Christ, and just like our human bodies, each part has a specific purpose.  You were designed for a specific work; we want to make sure that you do not serve in an area of ministry that God has not called you to do.  It would be much like filling the position of a kneecap with an elbow and trying to force it to work.  Though it may get the job done, it will be at the personal expense of the elbow and will affect the maximum efficiency of the entire body.  One of the main reasons for “burnout” in ministry is the lack of proper fit.  Carefully filling out the Information Sheet will maximize the potential for you to experience one of the greatest joys you will ever know – being used by God in the capacity for which you were designed.
You might be surprised to see a Background Consent and Waiver among the forms that we have asked you to complete.  Please do not let this form intimidate you.  Because many of our programs involve children, the elderly, and other sensitive groups that require background checks, it is necessary to have ministry volunteers screened so that we can utilize volunteers in various programs. 
I want to encourage you that if you have something in your background that precludes you from serving in an area of ministry, we feel that no one has sinned so greatly that the blood of Christ cannot make a place for you to serve the body of Christ.  We may not be able to offer you certain avenues of ministry because of legal prerequisites (Romans 13), but we can find a ministry area in which God will be glorified through the gifts and talents He has given you.  Trust God, and He will prove faithful in placing you exactly in the area that He has equipped you for in the body of Christ.
Ephesians 2 tells us, “for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  Enjoy the excitement and challenge of this truth as you complete the enclosed Servant / Ministry Information sheet and find your calling from God.  Then, have a great time serving with all your heart.
In His name’

Pastor Bob Grenier

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