“Since across the country began to act a new Federal law on charitable activities and volunteering, specifically its provisions in the state Duma Committee on civil society development issues, public and religious associations, about the relationship of volunteering and religious organizations, involvement of youth in the volunteer movement has considerably increased, – said the Chairman of the Duma Committee on civil society development issues, public and religious associations, the President of the inter-parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy Sergey Gavrilov, is seen primarily in the regions. The majority of young people are believers, they are not separated from other age groups and this allows volunteers to work seriously on a large scale, not spontaneously, but on a regular basis.
However, the new law does not interfere in the internal life of the Church. It only gives the Church all the opportunities that she could be the organizer of the volunteer volunteer activities and to receive support from the state. This support is allocated in the framework of state programs at the level of each entity on the support of volunteering. This is an informational, technical, transportation, the different support. It has now become possible. Volunteers are involved in religious organizations on the basis of the provisions of the Federal law on freedom of conscience and religious associations, comply with statutes and Church institutions, and in this case, the Church itself establishes the order of their activities, not the authorities. Faith volunteers is important, it is his personal belief, they do not preach on behalf of the Church, on behalf of any volunteer organization.
You have to understand that line. The monastery in its monastic, liturgical, liturgical action is structure itself is quite closed, lives its Church life and volunteers did not get involved. But the temple, monastery or parish as the town’s cultural and social center, especially in the days events, or as the center of care is other. Here just join volunteers to work with children, the elderly. This group of charity repair temples, holding children’s parties, care for the sick and even help ex-prisoners in adaptation and socialization. Volunteers are mobilized around ideas.
Volunteer organizations create their own schools in areas such as social volunteering – where people helping people, environmental volunteering – where people help wildlife, etc. the New legislation raises the volunteering to a new level, created the conditions so it was a constant assistance on a regular basis, the stability of the volunteer group, not through a piecemeal character. Volunteers are those who share themselves, creating an island of stability, for example, in the orphanage, the hospital for children and it becomes comfortable.
We must understand that Church life is not only the walls, the whole Church life-from people, from communities. Undoubtedly, volunteering is a movement that trusts the Church. The main motive is a moral obligation and compassion. This is the main indicator of the high level of personal development in Russia, and it is based on Christian values. Such ideals of Christian morality as a virtue, charity, kindness are unconditional components of volunteer activities. Doing good, a believer’s joy, and at the same time, worldly satisfaction, volunteering contributes to his inner harmony. After all, people engaged in volunteer work not for selfish motives. Often volunteers are people who understand the importance of volunteering for society, or, for example, religious youth have a social Ministry in the Church. It is their voluntary choice. For its part, the Church always has the prayer support of the Church family actively support volunteer aspirations for their children. And the main task of such Church, religious volunteering to help young people to find themselves in good deeds”.