Volunteering

The parish organises a birthday celebration for those turning 70 and 80 years old. The event begins with a shared worship service, followed by a meal and a celebration programme.

Parishioners celebrating their 85th birthday are remembered with a personal greeting visit delivered by volunteers. New volunteers are always needed to help with these congratulatory visits.

Would you like to help bring joy and encouragement to older parishioners? Join our team of birthday visit volunteers!

If you would like to spend time in what may be Seinäjoki’s most beautiful building, become a church host volunteer.

The role involves lighting and extinguishing candles at the altar rail and the mission candle stand, and being present in the church from 3 pm to 5 pm. Church hosts are not expected to give guided tours. Their main task is simply to welcome visitors and be present in the church.

The club for people with intellectual disabilities meets once a month on Wednesdays from 5.00 pm to 6.30 pm and has around 20 participants. Volunteers work alongside a parish diaconal worker in leading the group.

The programme is planned together with the participants. Each gathering includes a short devotion and approximately one hour of activities. The club programme may include singing, crafts, games, and light exercise.

Coffin bearers serve in situations where the family of the deceased is unable to provide enough people to carry the coffin. Volunteers receive guidance and training for the role, and no previous experience is required.

A funeral coordinator provides support for the coffin bearers throughout the service, in the same way as at traditional coffin burials.

The Common Responsibility Campaign (Yhteisvastuukeräys) is the annual fundraising campaign of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The main campaign season runs from the beginning of February to the end of May, featuring fundraising events and street collections.

The campaign is a shared effort involving the entire parish and its members, and it relies on both donors and volunteers.

As a volunteer, you can contribute in a variety of ways, including:

• Serving as a street collection volunteer
• Baking for fundraising events
• Helping as a sales volunteer at events
• Assisting with transportation and deliveries

There are many opportunities to get involved and support a cause that helps people in need both locally and internationally.

If you are interested in volunteering at the Food Bank, please contact Jaana Lähdesmäki.

The Food Bank operates as part of the diaconal work of Seinäjoki Evangelical Lutheran Parish and is one form of practical support offered through the church. More information is available at www.kirkkopalvelut.fi.

The parish Food Bank distributes food assistance twice a week to people facing financial hardship. Volunteer roles include:

• Preparing food parcels
• Distributing food parcels
• Delivering food parcels to people who are unable to collect them due to health-related limitations
• Collecting donated food products from partner organisations, including Atria and the central kitchen

The Food Bank offers a practical way to help people in need within the local community.

Funeral guides assist at Törnävä Cemetery during coffin burials. Before the funeral service, the guide checks the grave location and burial site and ensures that the funeral trolley and coffin lowering straps are ready.

After the funeral service, the guide leads the funeral party to the graveside and provides guidance during the lowering of the coffin and the placement of the grave cover. Once the burial has been completed, the guide returns the trolley and straps to the chapel.

Comprehensive training and orientation are provided for the role. Funeral guides are also offered annual training events and excursions.

Would you like to bring joy to residents in care homes? Do you have some free time on weekday afternoons? Employees and volunteers of Seinäjoki Parish lead devotion services in care homes and supported living residences across the Seinäjoki area. We are now looking for enthusiastic new devotion leaders and singing companions to join us.

A devotion may include reading familiar passages from the Bible, singing a few hymns together, and praying well-known prayers. No previous experience in leading devotions is required. You will receive training, practical resources, and guidance on preparing and leading a suitable devotion.

You are also welcome to join simply as a singing companion to support the group. Devotions can be led in teams of two to four people or together with a pastor.

There is a place for people who want to serve, connect with others, take action, or support mission work through prayer. We are looking for volunteers for a variety of roles, including:

• Assisting with fundraising events, such as collecting donations on the street, helping with event arrangements, and supporting kitchen teams.
• Helping at Favourite Christmas Carols (Kauneimmat Joululaulut) events by distributing song booklets, collecting offerings, serving as a host, and developing new ideas for the programme.
• Hosting and supporting visits by the parish’s mission partners and missionaries.
• Participating in the work of the Women’s Bank (Naisten Pankki).

There are many ways to get involved and support mission and international work according to your interests and gifts.

In different neighbourhoods of central Seinäjoki, parishioner-led neighbourhood groups are active, each supported by a parish staff member serving as a contact person. The groups organise parish evenings, worship services, singing events, and excursions in their local areas.

Would you like to get involved in a neighbourhood group? Contact the representative for your area:

• Huhtala: Merja Lampila
• Jouppi, Jouppila, Kultavuori, Alakylä and Katajalaakso: Jukka Tuppurainen
• Kasperi and Kivistö: Anna Merivirta
• Pohja: Sanna Ålander

Palveluoperaatio Saapas responds to young people’s immediate social, psychological, and physical support needs. Its volunteers are trained, trusted adults who are easily recognisable as a safe presence. The work is based on meeting young people where they already spend their time.

Palveluoperaatio Saapas volunteers encounter young people on their own terms in streets and public spaces, at festivals, on social media, and in online chat services.

If you are over 18 and interested in supporting young people, you can become an Palveluoperaatio Saapas volunteer. The most important qualification is a willingness to listen, provide support, and be present where young people gather. Volunteers take part in local outreach shifts and serve at major summer festivals alongside other Palveluoperaatio Saapas teams. The ministry also operates online.

If you would like to step into the boots and support young people through this outreach work, please contact the parish’s Special Youth Work Coordinator.

All volunteers receive comprehensive training for Operation Boots, so there are no tasks or responsibilities that a volunteer is expected to handle without preparation and support.

At Silver Tuesday gatherings, volunteers help plan and carry out the programme together with a diaconal worker. In addition to the programme, each event includes a short devotion and a shared meal.

Volunteers are always welcome to assist with accompanying hymns and songs, either by playing an instrument or supporting the music in other ways.

Volunteer counsellors provide support as compassionate listeners and companions through the Church’s Listening Service (Palveleva puhelin) and, if they wish, also through the Church’s Listening Chat (Palveleva Chat). This nationwide service receives contacts from people across Finland and offers anonymous and confidential conversation support, always with respect for the person seeking help.

Volunteer shifts are booked through an online scheduling system. Counselling can be carried out either from parish premises or from home.

Volunteers receive regular supervision, support, and training to help them in their role.

Volunteers are needed for a wide range of roles in Ilta Lakeudelle worship services and related activities:

• 12 people for the Vision Team, assisting staff with practical arrangements and planning.
• 5–10 people for the In God’s Presence Team (Pyhän äärellä).
• 5–10 people for the Sunday School and Junior Church Team.
• 5–10 people for practical volunteer tasks, such as transporting equipment and event setup.
• 60–70 people to participate in open planning gatherings throughout the year, for example at brunch meetings and special events.
• 5 people to operate PowerPoint presentations during services.
• 5 people for the Welcome Team.
• 20 people for prayer ministries, including intercessory prayer and prayer support.
• 20–30 people for various music ministry roles.
• 10–20 people as camp assistants, helping with children’s programmes, speaking roles, and practical arrangements.
• 2–4 people for sound and lighting operations.
• 3–4 people for Finnish–English interpretation.
• 2–5 people to help organise and serve at brunch events.
• 8–15 people for speaking roles in worship services and related events.
• 20–40 people for additional volunteer opportunities throughout the year, such as Easter events, including barbecuing, distributing programmes, sound and lighting, transporting equipment, and prayer ministries.
• 2–3 people as offering collectors.
• 1–4 people to support social media and visual communications.
• 8–12 people to lead new small groups.

There are opportunities to serve according to a wide variety of gifts, skills, and interests, whether in hospitality, prayer, music, technology, leadership, communications, or practical support.

There are many opportunities to serve in parish worship services and masses. Volunteers may take part as:

• Communion assistants
• Scripture readers
• Intercessory prayer assistants
• Church coffee hosts
• Offering collectors

For more information:

• Scripture readers and intercessory prayer assistants: Merja Lampila
• Offering collectors: Katja Peltokoski

At Lähetyssoppi, volunteers can take part in customer service and sales work, either independently or together with others. The role may include running the shop on your own, using the cash register and payment terminal.

The work involves meeting customers from a variety of life situations and offering a listening ear in a confidential and welcoming environment.

Volunteers can also create handicrafts for sale, ranging from woollen socks to birdhouses.

Ystävän Tupa is a meeting place and volunteer activity centre located in the Kismus facilities in central Seinäjoki. It offers a welcoming space where people can take a break, chat with others, or read the daily newspaper. The activities are coordinated by the diaconal work of Seinäjoki Parish and made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers.

In addition to being a place for fellowship, Ystävän Tupa hosts a variety of small groups and a weekly devotion. The centre also provides opportunities for rehabilitative work activities, with participants working alongside volunteers.

There are many meaningful volunteer opportunities available, including:

• Meeting and spending time with people
• Helping to run the café
• Baking
• Organising activities and programme events

Ystävän Tupa offers a practical and rewarding way to build community and support others in a welcoming environment.