Serve Opportunities

Immediate Serving Needs

Comfort Choir

During times of grief, there is a special beauty in hearing voices of the congregation sing. Through song we worship God and offer support and comfort at a difficult time.  The Comfort Choir sits in the congregation and enriches hymn singing during funeral and memorial services. We gather in the Choir Room 30 minutes before the service for a brief rehearsal and prayer.  You will receive an email with service information.
Contact Amy Maakestad with questions amaakestad@incarnationmn.org
Contact Julie Durbin to sign up jdurbin@incarnationmn.org

ILC Wednesday Middle School Hangout Volunteer

Spend time with our middle school students on Wednesday evenings – no teaching required.  For more information or to register, please contact Nate Bergengren nbergengren@incarnationmn.org or Adam Boldenow at aboldenow@incarnationmn.org.

ILC Funeral Luncheon Server

Our Funeral Servers play an important hospitality role in caring for our community.  By signing up, you will be added to the distribution list to be notified when servers are needed.  You do NOT need to be available to help at every funeral service.  For more information or to be added to the list of Funeral Servers, please contact Julie Durbin at 651-484-7213 or jdurbin@incarnationmn.org.

ILC Communion Prep Members

This team prepares the Communion elements for Sunday services.  For more information or to register, please contact Julie Durbin at 651-484-7213 or jdurbin@incarnationmn.org.

ILC Sanctuary Cleaning Team

Help tidy up the sanctuary following Sunday services.  For more information or to register, please contact Rick Gravely at 651-484-7213 or rgravley@incarnationmn.org.

ILC Club 4/5 Special Events Planning

For more information or to register, please contact Rebecca Christiansen at 651-484-7213 or rchristiansen@incarnationmn.org.

ILC High School Ministry Adult Volunteer

For more information or to register, please contact Nate Bergengren at nbergengren@incarnationmn.org or Mike Sell at msell@incarnationmn.org.

ILC Kids Small Group Leader

For more information or to register, please contact Rebecca Christiansen at 651-484-7213 or rchristiansen@incarnationmn.org.

ILC Kids Special Events Planning

For more information or to register, please contact Rebecca Christiansen at 651-484-7213 or rchristiansen@incarnationmn.org.

ILC Substitute Teacher for ILC Kids

For more information or to register, please contact Rebecca Christiansen at 651-484-7213 or rchristiansen@incarnationmn.org.

Serve in Hospitality

ILC Kids Hospitality

For more information or to register, please contact Rebecca Christiansen at 651-484-7213 or rchristiansen@incarnationmn.org.

ILC Sunday Refreshment Servers

Coffee, Lemonade, and treats have returned following Sunday worship! Not only is this a great opportunity to connect with the community after worship, it is also an easy and fun service opportunity for families and ministry groups to serve together. To “claim” a Sunday with your family or group (groups of 4 to 6 people), register here or contact Julie Durbin at 651-484-7213.

ILC Worship Team Greeters & Ushers

Serve as a part of a worship team as a greeter or usher during worship services. Masking is currently requested of worship volunteers whether vaccinated for COVID-19 or not. This is a no-touch service opportunity which is critical to providing hospitality to worshipers who choose to attend in-person worship. Please contact Julie Durbin at 651-484-7213 or jdurbin@incarnationmn.org.

Serve with Kids

ILC Kids Supply Coordinator

You can make a big difference for our Sunday kids’ programming by working behind-the-scenes as a Supply Coordinator.  You will gather and organize the materials that will be used on Sundays for ILC Kids classes the coming week.  The time commitment is about 2 hours per week and can be done onsite at Incarnation anytime the office is open from Monday – Thursday.

Please contact Rebecca Christiansen at 651-484-7213 or rchristiansen@incarnationmn.org if you’d to help.

ILC Kids Small Group Leader

For more information or to register, please contact Rebecca Christiansen at 651-484-7213 or rchristiansen@incarnationmn.org.

Nursery Volunteer

For more information or to register, please contact Jenny Ballman at 651-484-7213.

ILC Special Friend to a Child with a Disability

For more information or to register, please contact Rebecca Christiansen at 651-484-7213 or rchristiansen@incarnationmn.org.

Solid Ground Volunteer Opportunities

Solid Ground offers transitional housing and self-sufficiency programs for low-income and families experiencing homelessness in suburban Ramsey and Washington Counties.

To learn more or to volunteer, please visit our Solid Ground page.

Serve with your Hands

ILC Monthly FMSC Food Packing

Join others of the Incarnation community at the FMSC permanent packing site in Coon Rapids to pack life-giving meals. Incarnation has worked with FMSC to reserve days and times for our community to pack together. Evening shifts on the 3rd Tuesday evening of each month and daytime shifts on the 3rd Wednesday of each month have been reserved for Incarnation groups.

To learn more or to register, please visit our Feed My Starving Children page.

Holy Hammers – Habitat for Humanity Team

Incarnation partners informally with Habitat for Humanity through the Holy Hammers, a coalition of area churches. Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 with the mission of eliminating poverty housing and homelessness. That is an ambitious goal and Incarnation has been supporting this dream since 1991 when Incarnation built its first Habitat home. In 1999, Incarnation joined several area churches to form the Holy Hammers. This coalition now includes 15 churches which has built 19 single-family houses, parts of eight others, provided housing for more than 111 people, and donated almost one million dollars to sponsor the construction projects. Typically the home projects take place in late spring through the summer.

For questions or to volunteer with the Holy Hammers, email Jim Fruehling or call him at 651-335-3554.

ILC Cemetery Mowing/Landscaping

The Incarnation Cemetery is a beautiful, peaceful place. It serves the people of Incarnation and many people from the community. There is a dedicated group of volunteers that care for it during every season. This year, people are needed to mow the lawns each week. All equipment and supplies are provided as well as training. Advance scheduling will be provided to all volunteers and it is hoped to limit participation to two-three times per season. The time commitment would be approximately three hours per mowing. Please email Bill Reichwald at bill.reichwald@gmail.com or call him at 612-751-6379.

ILC Quilters

The Incarnation Quilters meet for quilting and fellowship on the 2nd and 3rd Thursdays at 9:00 in Grace Hall all year round.   New volunteers are always welcome. If interested in learning more or joining the group, contact Julie Durbin at 651-484-7213 or jdurbin@incarnationmn.org.

Serve at Home

Plarning and Plastic Bag Collection

Keep plastic bags out of the landfills by donating them to Incarnation to be made into mats for those experiencing homelessness. Groceries bags, newspaper bags, shopping bags, all work. Bring your bags to the Incarnation office anytime the building is open. Also needed are those to “plarn” from the bags, crochet mats or both, a great service project for a group. To date, Incarnation has delivered over 40 homemade mats to The Listening House.

Contact Danette Griffith to make arrangements for training. 

Sew Clothing Protectors for Seniors

Sewing clothing protectors for residents of the Shoreview Senior Living community is fun and an easy way to serve from home. Easy instructions and a visual is found here. Remember that there are both men and women who will use these clothing protectors so be creative with your fabric selections and have fun!  Maybe you know a few people who would be interested in learning how to sew – this is a simple pattern for beginners and the result will bring such joy to those who use them.

Upon completion of the clothing protectors you have made, label them “Activity Department” and drop them off at Shoreview Senior Living at 4710 Cumberland St., in Shoreview.  Contact Deb Rykken at 612-770-5843 or deb.rykken@gmail.com for more information.

Solid Ground Volunteer Opportunities

Solid Ground offers transitional housing and self-sufficiency programs for low-income and families experiencing homelessness in suburban Ramsey and Washington Counties.

To learn more or to volunteer, please visit our Solid Ground page.

Serve in Support of the Local Community

ILC Care Team

Care Teams function as extended family members or neighbors serving individuals and families through friendship and practical support, including activities such as:

  • Friendly visits
  • Rides to medical appointments
  • Respite for family caregivers
  • Rides to worship at Incarnation
  • Meals

A team approach gives Care Team volunteers flexibility – allowing them to serve in ways they feel called and to give the time they are able to give.  God calls us to be in relationship with one another.  Care Team volunteers discover that in giving of their time and abilities, their own faith grows.

Learn more about serving or receiving by contacting Julie Durbin at Jdurbin@incarnationmn.org or by calling 651-484-7213.

ILC Wednesday Morning Prayer Group

Join us as we pray confidentially for those in our community each Wednesday at 9am. Learn more by contacting Julie Durbin at Jdurbin@incarnationmn.org or by calling 651-484-7213.

ILC Hands and Hearts Service Group

Incarnation’s Hands and Hearts Group experiences the joy of serving with others and making a difference in the local community, through service one weekday morning or afternoon per month typically between September and May. Each service project accommodates between six and 15 volunteers. Some of the Hands and Hearts Group volunteer almost each month while others join less frequently, some once a year or less. All are welcome and are encouraged to be a part of any month’s service project when opportunities fit schedules and passions. Contact Diane Betterley at 651-238-4040 to receive monthly emails about upcoming service projects.

Lyngblomsten’s The Gathering

The Gathering meets each Tuesday and Wednesday at the 2nd Half with Lyngblomsten Community Center in St Paul and on Thursday at the at St. John in the Wilderness Church in White Bear Lake for activities of learning, moving, creating and joy serving individuals experiencing mid stage memory loss.

Fully vaccinated Lyngblomsten staff, volunteers and participants work together while masked from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. which includes a time of lunch (bring your own) in a setting that allows for social distancing. Volunteers arrive at 9:30 and finish by 2:15.  While most volunteers choose one day that they call “theirs,” a few do more than one day at The Gathering.  Some volunteer weekly, others are doing every other week.

For more information or to volunteer, email Shelli Beck or call at 651-414-5297.

Shobi’s Table Volunteer Opportunities

Shobi’s Table, a pay-as-you-can food cafe and ministry of the St Paul Area Synod, prepares fresh, from-scratch, delicious and nutritious midday meals and typically serves at three St Paul locations each week. Under the direction of Shobi’s Table staff, meals are prepared and served each week by volunteers.

To learn more or to volunteer, please visit our Shobi’s Table page.

Solid Ground Volunteer Opportunities

Solid Ground offers transitional housing and self-sufficiency programs for low-income and families experiencing homelessness in suburban Ramsey and Washington Counties.

To learn more or to volunteer, please visit our Solid Ground page.

Serve in Support of the Global Community

ELCA Disaster Response

Lutheran Disaster Response shares God’s hope, healing and renewal with people whose lives have been disrupted by disasters in the United States and around the world. When the dust settles and the headlines change, we stay to provide ongoing assistance to those in need. Learn more.

Like Lutheran Disaster Response on Facebook, follow @ELCALDR on Twitter and follow @ELCA_LDR on Instagram.

LIRS Ukrainian Refugee Welcome Host

Join a list to welcome those of Ukraine as they enter the United States. In anticipation of accepting up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing the Russian invasion, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) is planning to help those seeking safety in the U.S. You are invited to join its work of welcome. Visit the Ukraine Crisis Action Hub to join a volunteer list to be informed if/when volunteer opportunities to welcome refugees are available in the area, as well as other ways to support those of Ukraine.