The Partners in Service Program places adults, ages 19 and up, with non-profit organizations who aim to hear, center and amplify voices of those on the margins. Volunteers serve in diverse settings across the United States, for one month to a year. Through service, volunteers do justice, seek peace and build community.

The work of Volunteer Ministries has long included supporting the establishment of service trip sites among ministries, and tracking, updating and publishing an annual listing of faith-based service, immersion and/or social action opportunities for youth, intergenerational and adult groups. Most of these opportunities were interrupted during and following the Covid pandemic. As ministry sites have reopened for service trip groups, they have been added to our listing below. In 2026 we are continuing to identify, support and confirm more service trip opportunities, and to publish and promote them below.

The United Church of Christ, through the Global HOPE Team’s Volunteer Ministries, offers grants to support short-term immersion and service trips for: faith-based student groups from UCC colleges, universities, and seminaries; UCC Chaplain-staffed student groups in college or seminary; and faith-based college and seminary trips coordinated by a local or wider UCC church or ministry settings. The purpose of these funds is to subsidize the cost of such trips, making it possible for students and/or groups with limited financial means to experience a faith-based immersion/service experience with a component for theological and contextual reflection. Group coordinators or staff may apply for grants to support trips being planned for any time in the 2026 calendar year. Information and application here.

Volunteer Ministries programs and opportunities for young adults (ages 19 – 30) are designed to offer a combination of community engagement, experiential learning, spiritual formation and leadership development.