MDS encourages constituent pastors and their spouses to make time for serving as part of the MDS short-term work crews. In an effort to encourage the participation of church leadership at MDS response locations, travel reimbursement is available for pastors and their spouses. If a church budget cannot support their pastor’s travel costs to/from an MDS service work week, we would encourage pastors to request travel reimbursement.  (click here to download reimbursement request form)

Pastors or pastor couples are encouraged to sign up during our season of greatest need for volunteers - April to December – although you are welcome throughout the year. Feel free to sign up your construction friends to help out the same week as well (at their own cost).

MDS believes that when the leadership of our Anabaptist/Mennonite constituency churches can take the opportunity to serve (work on a project site) for a week or more, the person volunteering, we at MDS, and the persons they are assisting at the project site will all be blessed. Pastors and/or pastor couples will also interact with the community in which the MDS project site is located – this includes the local culture, the families we assist, and the variety of volunteers you will work along side during the week(s). In these relationships Christ’s love is expressed and hope is renewed. MDS service gives pastors a place to do hands-on ministry and return to their congregations with faith-in-action stories to share, and excitement that will surely inspire others to go and serve as well.

How to sign up:

1. Call the Binational office, (800) 241-8111 and ask to speak to the volunteer coordinator. Identify yourself as a pastor and which church you work with. 
2. Schedule a time and place to serve.
3. Download the reimbursement request form. Please take it to the project where you will be serving.
4. US residents submit the completed form for reimbursement to the Binational office, MDS, 583 Airport Rd., Lititz, PA, 17543. Canada residents submit the completed form for reimbursement to MDS Region V Office, 6A-1325 Markham Rd., Winnipeg, MB, R3T 4J6 Canada.
5. Write a summary report of your experience while serving with MDS and submit it to the Binational office. This report will be distributed to staff and the Region Director.

Mennonite Disaster Service
583 Airport Road, Lititz, PA 17543

Phone: (800) 241-811

Fax (717) 735-0809

E-mail: syoder(at)mds.mennonite.net

The MDS Region Director and Unit Chairperson for your geographical location will also be informed that you will be serving.  Your costs will be paid for by each Region’s Capacity Building grant which was received in 2006 from a donor wishing to contribute to building MDS awareness across USA and Canada.