It’s hard to resign from any type of volunteer position. The relationship you have with organization might have spanned months or years, so it can be a painful process. If you’re super early in your leadership journey, maybe this post isn’t for you. However, if you have some experience under your belt, then stick around and find out how to resign from a church volunteer position, how to resign from a volunteer position letter and how to resign from church position.
Being a church volunteer can be both rewarding and frustrating. We do it because we want to serve our community and help our church succeed in its mission. But frustrations with unpaid time commitments, volunteer management, or diminished motivation can lead to a resignation from the church. Here are three steps to resigning from a church volunteer position
How to resign from a church volunteer position
Introduction
No one likes to resign from a volunteer position, particularly in a church where there is an expectation that you will commit. Unfortunately, sometimes we must resign. Perhaps we’ve taken on more responsibility than our schedule allows or maybe we didn’t realize how much time the position would require. Whatever the reason for your decision, it’s important that you leave with grace and respect for those who are counting on you as well as for the organization. This article offers some tips to help you resign with dignity and class
Prepare a brief resignation letter in advance.
A resignation letter is a good way to make a formal announcement of your departure. It will help you plan ahead and create an excellent record for yourself should you need it in the future. Here are some tips for writing your letter:
- Provide background information about what prompted your decision. If there has been a change in leadership that prompted the resignation, explain this in detail. If you had been unhappy with the direction of the church or its mission, be sure to include this as well.
- Include details about how long you have been volunteering at this organization so that they can better understand why they’ll miss having you around!
- Be succinct while still providing enough information for them to know why they will miss having someone like yourself on their team (or whatever group).
Read your church’s bylaws and policies to ensure that you’ve met all obligations.
Once you’ve decided to resign and you’ve told your supervisor, it’s essential to determine whether or not the church has policies that require you to give notice or provide other information. For example, some churches require volunteers to submit a letter of resignation for any volunteer position lasting less than one year (in which case, it’s best not to submit your resignation until after your current term has ended). The best way to learn about these requirements is by reading over the church’s bylaws and policies as well as speaking with someone within the leadership team at your church.
Barring any special circumstances, schedule a meeting with your supervisor and the church leader in whom you originally confided.
- Schedule a meeting with your supervisor and the church leader in whom you originally confided.
- Make sure you’ve met all of your obligations.
- Be honest and respectful, but don’t dwell on regrets or apologies for mistakes that have already been made.
- Thank them for giving you the opportunity to serve (and then do so).
During the meeting, be honest as to why you’re leaving.
During the meeting, be honest as to why you’re leaving. Don’t say that you’re “moving on from this position” or “no longer able to commit.” If it’s not true, it won’t go over well with your supervisor or colleagues. It may even make them think that they have failed in some way and they need to find a new volunteer who will stay longer than six months.
Be respectful and polite when explaining yourself. Don’t become defensive if your supervisor asks why you are choosing to leave; try not to get angry at their natural curiosity about why there has been such a drastic change in behavior during the past few months of working together so closely every week.
Also avoid making accusations against anyone else involved in your decision process (elders/deacons/ministers). This includes accusing them of being lazy or incompetent because of how long it took for someone else’s recommendation letter which was due many weeks ago but still hasn’t arrived yet!
Convey gratitude for the opportunity to serve and for the church’s continued support and prayers.
It’s important to express gratitude to the church. Thank them for their time, talent, and dedication. Thank them for the support they provided in your time of need. Thank them for praying with you and with your family as you went through this difficult season.
Thank the church members who were kind to you during this difficult period of transition, especially if there were any particularly friendly or helpful people who made an impact on your life during this time. In addition, it’s good practice not only to thank those people who provided support but also those who didn’t—it shows that you’re able to recognize when someone has done something wrong without holding a grudge against them (or judging them).
Finally, don’t forget about lessons learned from serving at this particular congregation! Did serving in one specific ministry lead more clearly than any other into another ministry? Did volunteering teach an important lesson about yourself or others?
Resigning can be hard, but it is part of life and it can be done with grace and respect.
Resigning can be hard, but it is part of life and it can be done with grace and respect. First, we must understand that there are many reasons people choose to resign from a church volunteer position. Some may find that their health has changed and they are unable to continue volunteering at the church; others may find another opportunity with better pay or benefits outside of the church; some may have had a change in faith that no longer matches what they believe as part of their commitment as a member of this congregation.
Regardless of the reason why you’re considering resigning from your role at our congregation, please know that your decision is not taken lightly by those who appreciate your service. While many churches do not require formal resignations (and even fewer enforce them), we strongly encourage all members who plan on leaving our group for any reason to offer an explanation for their departure so that we may better understand how best to serve them in future ministry opportunities within our community or elsewhere.
how to resign from a volunteer position letter
You have volunteered at your church for a few months now as an assistant in the nursery. You enjoy interacting with the children, but it is time to resign. Resigning from a volunteer position at the church can be complicated, especially when you want to stay on good terms with others involved.
Volunteers play the vital role of contributing their time, energy and talent to various church ministries. It is a blessing that so many people want to serve at their local churches. Unfortunately, volunteers are not as reliable as they used to be. Volunteers are leaving in masses largely because they have been burned by difficult situations or unreasonable expectations.
Dear [name of church employee],
This is to inform you that I am resigning from my volunteer position at your church.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at [church name] and will miss the close-knit community that it provides. However, due to personal reasons, I will be unable to continue as a volunteer.
I would like to thank you for the opportunity to serve in your church. Your leadership has been an inspiration and has helped me grow as a person. Thank you again for everything!
Sincerely,
If you have been a volunteer at your church and are ready to resign, it is important to be respectful and clear in your communication.
First, find a time when you can meet with the person who oversees volunteers or another high-level volunteer leader at your church. You may want to schedule this meeting over the phone or in person, depending on what is most convenient for you.
Tell them about why you are resigning and how long you have been volunteering with the church. Explain why you feel that now is the best time for you to leave this position and let them know if there is anything they can do to help ease your transition out of it.
Give them any information that might be helpful for them or other volunteers in filling your role, such as training materials or contact information for people who could help out in case of an emergency situation until they find someone who can take over permanently.
Finally, thank them for being so understanding and helpful throughout your time as a volunteer at their church!
how to resign from church position
- They don’t feel inspired
Volunteers often quite because they just aren’t interested in what they are doing. They don’t see their impact, they don’t see the mission as necessary or important, and they feel like they are just one in a few people doing something.
If volunteers aren’t looking forward to volunteering, they might quit.
- They aren’t making friends or having fun
Those volunteers who want it to be a social setting, but aren’t getting that will probably quit. Even those who volunteer and are shy probably want a social setting. It is your job to make the volunteering fun for them and to help them get past the awkwardness.
If volunteers don’t feel friendliness or feel ostracized, they might quit.
- They feel uneasy or not qualified
No one wants to feel uneducated about their role as a volunteer, this will make people wildly uncomfortable. Be sure to educate volunteers fully on their roles, the tasks they have to do, and give them time to learn. You can do this through orientations and info sessions very easily.
If volunteers are not sure what they should be doing, they might quit.
- They do not feel recognized
Volunteers are putting their free time into projects and tasks. Sometimes, it might be a lot harder or take longer than they anticipated. If they don’t feel like anyone notices their hard work, they might not feel like they are actually doing anything meaningful.
If volunteers don’t feel important, they might quit.
- They are unaware of their impact
Those who volunteer for the mission or because they want to have a sense of purpose and impact need to be shown how what they are doing has a direct or indirect impact on the mission. If not, the whole reason they are volunteering is not validated.
If volunteers cannot see their impact, they might quit.
- They are not given opportunities to do new things in the organization
Volunteering can get monotonous if not varied. Volunteers often get stuck in a rut of signing up for the same tasks because they know how to do them. But if you allow volunteers to do new tasks they will get exposed to new things and learn new skills.
If volunteers feel forced to do the same tasks over and over, they might quit.
- They get burnt out
Sometimes volunteers commit themselves too much. While this might be great for you to have volunteers, you need to keep in mind that it might not be great in the long run. Volunteers can over-commit and it is okay for them to have breaks.
If volunteers feel pressured to volunteer, they might burn out and quit.
Conclusion
To be clear, you don’t need to apologize for leaving a position. However, this is an opportunity to show your supervisor and the pastor that you appreciate their support. It can also serve as a way of softening any surprise they might feel when they hear the news.
