Sheridan’s 2015 Thrivent Volunteers of Year
Each year, the local Thrivent Financial affiliate asks each Lutheran congregation in Lancaster County to nominate an individual, a couple or a family for Volunteer of the Year. This year, the Volunteer(s) of the Year was awarded to the Mulliners, a Sheridan family.
The Mulliners were recognized at event held Sunday, April 26, at Carol Joy Holling Camp. The theme of this event was “Volunteers Pop Into Action,’ and the visual image was popcorn, so of course, they had a popcorn machine so that as people arrived they could snack on popcorn. The meal was a marinated roasted chicken breast, steamed vegetables, and seasoned baked potato wedges. A singer, entertained with old Broadway and movie hits, to go with the theme of popcorn.
I attended this event with Todd, Kristi and Reagen Mulliner. Their son, Eli, could not attend the event because of a sporting event. The Mulliner family was nominated to be Sheridan’s volunteer of the year because as a family they volunteer at the Barnabas Community nearly each Tuesday evening and truly enjoy serving together as a family. They started slowly with volunteering – sorting clothes in the backroom and then progressed to helping in the store and then greeting guests as they check in to shop. They have actually been Barnabas volunteers longer than they have been Sheridan members.
When Barnabas first opened, the store was only able to offer Saturday times. It was soon realized that many more people would benefit from our services if Barnabas could offer evening times. Because of people like the Mulliners, Barnabas Community is able to meet the needs of more people in our community. Sheridan and Barnabas thanks the Mulliners for their service and example. They inspire us!
During the recognition of all of the nominated volunteers, each came forward, a paragraph of their volunteering was read aloud, and they received a framed certificate. I must confess, I felt a moment of joy for Sheridan as the Mulliners went forward to be recognized. They were the only family that was recognized, and one of the few young people recognized. The typical volunteer that was recognized at this event was the man who has mowed the church grass for 30 years or ushered for 40. Or the woman who was made quilts with the church quilting group for 30 years. Reagen Mulliner, who is in 5th grade, was the only child at this event.
This event helped me realize what a special Spirit exists here at Sheridan. Our congregation has many volunteers who love to help and make a difference in a wide variety of ministries. And we have a great diversity of volunteers from men and women, young and old, families and singles, who respond to the call of the Holy Spirit to use their spiritual gifts in ways that make a difference in the lives of others. Thank you Mulliner family for your good and faithful service together each Tuesday night at Barnabas.
And thank you to all the volunteers of Sheridan that help our community of faith grow and make our ministries of love, prayer, care, service, and education come to life. God is calling, empowering, and sending each of us to do great things in the name of Jesus.
For more information on Thrivent Financial visit their website at thrivent.org.
Pastor Eric Bostrom