They live among us. They serve on committees, drive kids to camp, and plant flowers in the spring. Sometimes they make crustless cucumber sandwiches. Other times they sponsor refugees.
Volunteers serve in many ways throughout the Anglican Church of Canada and Resources for Mission’s new Treasured Talents program aims to identify and honour these committed people and groups.
Through Treasured Talents, people are invited to nominate an Anglican volunteer or volunteer group for recognition from General Synod. Every month a new story will be featured on the national website. The volunteers will also receive a personal thank you from the Primate, Archbishop Fred Hiltz.
“When I think about generosity I think about the ministry of our church,” said Shannon Cottrell, who runs Treasured Talents as Resources for Mission’s donor relations and volunteer coordinator.
“What we do would not be possible without the people mobile on the ground who make it a reality.”
This month the featured volunteers are the Dennis family of Cobourg, Ont., which has raised close to $10,000 for orphans in Malawi. Six-year-old Kylie led the charge with her passion for giving other children books. Now the family organizes an annual fundraising dinner and has mobilized many others in their community to give.
Stories big and small, mundane and unusual, are all welcome, said Ms. Cottrell.
The idea for Treasured Talents first came from a brainstorming session in the Resources for Mission Department, which oversees General Synod’s stewardship and fundraising work. The staff wanted to acknowledge Canadian Anglicans who gave not just money, but also time and talent.
Ms. Cottrell latched on to the idea. “I’m someone who loves to say thank you,” she said. In her spare time she produces musicals and plays at a community theatre and estimates that she has written “hundreds” of thank you letters to the volunteers who make the show run-from cast members to lighting assistants.
She hopes Treasured Talents will foster a spirit of generosity throughout the Anglican Church of Canada.
“I just want people know that even if it’s a small thing that they’ve done, that it’s truly appreciated,” she said.
“I really am excited to say thank you to people through Treasured Talents so they know the national office recognizes them as well.