What if volunteering didn’t just change someone else’s life, but changed yours, too?

What if it gave you something more than a good feeling or a few hours well spent? What if it gave you connection, laughter, purpose – and Christian friendship?

In Lake County, stories like this happen more often than you’d expect. People who once served side-by-side as strangers are now sharing meals, riding motorcycles together, laughing in the Loved Twice Thrift Boutique, and showing up for each other in the everyday stuff of life. And it all started with a simple yes to God’s call to serve their community.

Serving Is Good for Your Community—and for You

When you volunteer, you’re not just making a difference in someone else’s life. You’re doing something incredibly powerful for your own.

According to the Mayo Clinic, volunteering can boost your sense of purpose, reduce stress, and even help lower depression. The National Alliance on Mental Illness agrees: serving builds meaningful social connections and reminds us that we belong.

It’s not just science – you can feel it. Especially when you serve alongside others who become more than teammates… they become friends.

In fact, recent Barna research shows that Christians who volunteer regularly report higher levels of hope, purpose, and community engagement than those who don’t. And among all generations, volunteering is one of the strongest predictors of a thriving spiritual life.

From Furniture Deliveries to Motorcycle Road Trips

When Mark (a Joy! Lutheran attendee*) retired, he didn’t have a plan for how he would fill his time. But after showing up to Love INC to help with a few furniture deliveries and warehouse projects, things began to shift.

He met people like John (Gurnee Community Church), Mike (Christ Church Lake Forest), Nancy (Memorial UMC), Mark (Waukegan Community Church), Larry (Village Church of Gurnee), and Paul and Sandy (Center Church)*; all fellow volunteers with generous hearts and, it turns out, a shared love for motorcycles. Whether organizing donations or helping displaced neighbors settle into new homes together, their conversations turned from furniture and freight to bikes and favorite road trips.

Today, they still serve regularly. But they also ride. Several of them enjoyed a day trip together, and have planned longer routes for future trips. “It’s been a complete, unexpected pleasure in retirement,” Mark said. “I never imagined I’d be this busy, this involved, or this fulfilled.”

Deepening Friendships

Bob, Karen, Mike, and Patricia have been friends for over a decade. They attend Christ Church Lake Forest together, study the Bible and pray together, and have supported one another through life’s highs and lows. But when they began volunteering as a team, something shifted.

Each week, they work side-by-side at Loved Twice Thrift Boutique. Karen and Patricia greet customers at the front; Mike and Bob sort furnishings and clothes in the back, usually with enough laughter to let everyone throughout the store know they’re having a good time.

What started as an act of service became a space of connection. “It’s a whole different friendship since we’ve been doing this,” Karen said. Patricia added, “I love doing this with Karen, and I’m sad when she’s not there.”

They’ve grown spiritually and relationally through service. Not only have they grown individually, but they also have the opportunity to pray for the families they help, investing in others’ growth, as well. As Mike put it, “You know you’re doing God’s work, and you can’t help but grow when you put yourself in that position.”

Why This Matters

While there are proven mental, emotional, and social benefits to volunteering, many who serve do so not for themselves, but because Christ called them to.

Jesus Himself modeled this kind of service when He washed His disciples’ feet and said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet… I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:14–15).

It’s a calling; one rooted not in obligation, but in love. And the incredible thing? God often blesses that obedience with unexpected joy right here on Earth.

That’s why many prefer the word servant over volunteer. Because serving isn’t just a task, it’s a way of living out our faith. It’s saying, “Here am I, send me,” and trusting God to work through the relationships formed along the way.

So… What About You?

Maybe you’re looking for deeper community. Maybe you want to find something meaningful to do with a friend. Maybe you’re simply curious about what God might do with a few hours of your time.

Volunteering – or serving – isn’t about having extra availability or special skills. It’s about showing up. It’s about saying yes to something small that God can use to make a big impact.

Ready to See What God Might Do?

You don’t have to serve alone. Bring a friend, invite your small group, or come on your own and experience the joy of serving our community side-by-side with other believers—building meaningful, lasting friendships along the way.

→ Volunteer with a friend or small group
→ Sign up for one of our monthly Volunteer Orientations

You never know where it might lead. But one thing’s for sure: friendship, purpose, and the joy of serving are a great place to start.

*We include the names of each church to show that this work reaches far beyond any one person, congregation, or denomination. Across Lake County, the Church is alive and unified—serving together to meet needs and share Christ’s love in our community.