The Leadership Board is looking to use 2025 as a springboard back into some old rhythms – volunteerism and fundraising. The fundraising component is straightforward: in order to meet operational costs and budgetary needs, we need to develop alternate sources of income. Donations/tithes/giving are a crucial part of any church’s income, but we’ve seen in recent years that we cannot rely on that alone. Diversifying our income can help lighten the load.
More importantly, this connects directly into one of the three key components of our strategy: lifeServe. You’ve heard by now about many wonderful opportunities at Leopold Elementary, with local food banks, and even within the Church during services. (See https://livelifetogether.com/lifeserve/ for more) Using our time and efforts on behalf of the Church allows us to fully engage with our community and bring the concept of neighboring to life.
So, exactly what do we mean by volunteering and fundraising? In the coming weeks and months, you’ll be hearing more from the Board on ideas that have been brewing. Today, I’m happy to announce that the Church is a registered organization for BratFest!
What is BratFest?
You really don’t know?? Sorry, I just choked on a practice brat. BratFest (the world’s largest, to be exact) is an annual festival of food, fun, and music held each Memorial Day weekend at the Alliant Center.
What’s this about the Church?
We are registered as an organization that can provide volunteers and receive a donation for their efforts. The Church will receive $12 for each hour worked on our behalf.
Volunteering – what would I actually be doing?
There are a variety of shifts available from Monday, May 19 to Monday, May 26. They need people to set up. They need people to take down. They need grillers, cashiers, trash picker-uppers, brat wrappers, big strong people to carry things – you name it, they have a need. You can volunteer morning, noon, and night for as many shifts as you like. And it’s open to ages 14 and up.
Just for volunteering, you’ll receive:
- An official BratFest t-shirt to wear during your shift(s)
- A coupon for one scoop of Chocolate Shoppe ice cream
- One Brat Buck (good for a brat, hot dog, ear of corn, or soda) for each shift you work.
How do I sign up?
Signing up is very simple – just follow these general steps:
- Go to https://bratfest.com/giving-back/volunteer-information/. They’ll have a link for volunteer sign-up.
- You’ll be asked to create an account. They’re only asking for your name, email, and phone number for communication purposes – no spam here.
- Be sure to select “Christ Memorial Lutheran Church” as your volunteer organization (this is the name on our legal documents). This is how our hours will be tracked!
- Select your shifts.
This is a great opportunity for lifeGroups looking to serve together. It’s a great opportunity for families to serve together. It’s a great opportunity to serve all by yourself – I’ve done just that at BratFest since 2019. It’s a great opportunity to invite friends and neighbors to live life together. And greatest of all, it’s an opportunity to be a visible reflection of life in Jesus by stepping out in our community and representing the Church at Christ Memorial. I mean it, they’ll give you a name tag and everything.
From personal experience, I’ve been able to meet and engage with some pretty neat people by volunteering at BratFest. It’s amazing the opportunities that open up by simply being present. We have a chance to represent our church community in the greater Madison community, one kind word and one kind act at a time. I hope you’ll consider donating some of your time, and hope to see you out there!
