The congregants at St. Thomas Lutheran Church seem to be everywhere in Bloomington.
They volunteer at emergency shelters, serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates, quilt for Lutheran World Relief, support new English speakers and refugees, and help clean up storm damage.
As they looked at a world marked by rapid change, economic uncertainty, and communities strained by violence, St. Thomas congregants considered how to respond. Guided by their fall stewardship theme, they decided their role as Christians called them to become more deeply involved in their community.
From that commitment, In These Times: A 5,000-Hour Volunteer Challenge was launched. Every congregant at St. Thomas is invited to contribute toward a shared goal of 5,000 volunteer hours per person in one year.
The challenge grew out of the church’s fall stewardship theme, rooted in the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans. Writing to a church navigating conflict and uncertainty, Paul describes a way of life marked by love, mutuality, hope, hospitality, and peace. He points to the importance of how people spend time together in difficult seasons.
For St. Thomas leaders, that meant spending time in tangible ways throughout the community.
“It seems like week after week, we’re being called on as a congregation to respond to ‘these times,’” said Rev. Adrianne Meier. “So the 5,000-Hour Volunteer Challenge is about spending time with our neighbors, in our neighborhoods.”
Leaders initially estimated that the goal would amount to about two hours per month per member. They now believe the congregation may reach 5,000 hours months ahead of schedule.
One distinctive feature of the initiative is its openness. Rather than strictly defining what qualifies as service, St. Thomas chose to trust its members to discern meaningful ways to serve.
“If, for you, it is your love, your faith lived out in care for others, then it counts,” Meier said.
The church is also strengthening partnerships across the community. Members are joining neighboring congregations, Beth Shalom and University Baptist, to support food barrel initiatives through the Area 10 Agency on Aging. They have launched a monthly volunteer night at the region’s largest food pantry, which serves more than 2,500 households each month across four counties. Church leaders have toured local ministries to better connect volunteers with specific needs.
As participation grows, so do relationships within the congregation and throughout the community.
The Welcome Table offers a snapshot of the effort in action. In Bloomington, organizations that provide free meals, especially for neighbors living outdoors, often close on weekends due to staffing shortages. In response, First Christian Church launched The Welcome Table, serving a hot breakfast on Sundays and coordinating sack lunches with partner congregations.
When it is St. Thomas’s turn to prepare lunches, the fellowship hall becomes an assembly line. Preschoolers stand on chairs to spread peanut butter. School-aged children and adults fill paper bags with fruit, vegetables, and cookies.
The challenge is also shaping congregational life. More members are signing up for service projects together. Leaders are creating additional opportunities for shared mission. Individuals are connecting personal interests with their faith.
“This is a shared act of hope, faith, and bold love,” Meier said. “It’s an opportunity to take seriously our regular prayer that God’s kin-dom come.”
Photo Caption: Deacon Allison Ward and her husband, Jim, stand next to packed lunches as part of St. Thomas' lunch packing program.
