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Transcript of If you are a greeter,jwwmedia.s3.amazonaws.com › ngls › pdf2016 › WelcomingWays.pdf ·...
Often,oneofthefirstwordscongregationsusetodescribethemselvesis“friendly”.However,theexperienceofseveral“SneakyVisitors”hasshownmanyofourcongregationstobelessfriendlythantheythink.
Beingfriendlyandwelcominggoesbeyondthelookthatacknowledgesanewface,andbeyondasmilefromacrosstheroom.Itevengoesbeyondthegreeterswhowelcomepeopleatthedoor,andbeyondtheusherswhohandoutbulletins.FriendlinessismeasuredjustasmuchinthesmalltalkthathappensasworshipperswaittoexitthesanctuaryorgatherforcoffeeintheFellowshipHall.
Itisperhapsthefaultofourstoicancestorsthatthevalueofsmalltalkandhowtodoithasnotbeenapriority.However,conversingwithpeoplewehaveonlyjustmetdoesrequiresomeintentionality,andyes,friendliness.
Belowarejustafewtipstogetyoustartedtalkingwiththevisitorinyourmidst:
~Goodmorning.Idon’tbelieveI’vemetyouyet.Mynameis….…Thisallowsthatthepersonyoudon’tknowmayhavevisitedbefore.Theymayevenbeamemberwhohasn’tbeentoworshipinawhile.Itisawayofgreetingwithoutmakinganyassumptionsoroffendingsomeonewhoconsidersthemselvesamember.
~Doyouliveinthiscommunity?Thisisalowriskquestionthatsimplyasksaboutpastresidences.Ifthey’velivedforeverinwhatevercommunityyou’rein,thenitgivesthemachancetotalkaboutit.Ifnot,thenitopensuptheconversationtomorequestionsaboutwheretheyhavelivedbeforeandwhatbroughtthemtothiscommunity.
~Wehavecoffeeandtreatsnow,wouldyouliketohaveabitetoeat?Inotherwords,invitethemtocoffee,andsitwiththem.Ifcoffeefellowshipisbeforetheservice,invitethemtoarriveearlierthenexttimetheycome.
~Doyouhavefamilyinthearea?Whatbringsyouheretoday?Iloveyourscarf,wheredidyougetit?Thankyouforjoiningustoday,I’mgladyou’rehere.WouldyouliketoserveontheCouncil?(justkiddingJ).~Whatareyoulookingforinacongregation?
Thisisaquestionthatbringstheconversationtoadeeperlevel,andallowsthepersontoreflectmoremeaningfully.
Ifyouareagreeter,~Positionyourselftogreetpeopleastheycomeintothebuilding,andnotjustastheyenterthesanctuary.Especiallyifthereissomedistancebetweenthetwo.
~Say“Welcome”.“Haveyoubeenherebefore?”Ifnot,showthemwheretheycanhanguptheircoat.Letthemknowwherethenurseryis,therestrooms,thesanctuary.
Ifyouareanusher,~DoNOTsay,“Wherewereyoulastweek?”Itwillbeexperiencedasaccusation,notconcern.Rathersay,“Nicetoseeyouagain.Gladyou’rehere.”
~Ifnecessary,helppeoplefindaseat.Besuretheyhaveabulletin.Indicatewhereyouwillbeshouldtheyneedanything.Ifapersonshouldleavethesanctuary,makeyourselfavailable.Feelfreetoask,“CanIhelpyouwithanything?”
Ifyouarethepastor,
~Especiallyifyounoticeavisitor,pleasegiveverbalinstructionsastoyourcommunionwelcome.Ifyouofferanalcoholicalternative,makethisclear,evenifitiswritteninthebulletin.
~Considerofferinganon-alcoholicalternativetothewine,andprovidinggluten-freewafers.Moreandmore,peoplehaveveryrealdietaryrestrictionsandvalidaversionstowhathasbeenstandardwafers/breadandwine.
~PleasedoNOTmakevisitorsstandupandintroducethemselves,unlessyourcongregationisinatouristareawherepeoplemightexpecttobenoticedandcalledupontospeak.(suchasFirst,GrandMarais.JacobsvilleChapel.ShepherdoftheSeas).Foryouraverage,non-traveling,visitor,theydonotwishtobeputonthespotandforcedtospeaktothewholecongregation.
~Moreandmore,theunbaptizedadultwhoisonlybeginningtheirfaithjourneymaycometothetablesincethatiswhateveryotheradultinworshipisdoing.Considerwhatyouwilldointhatmoment.Beforethatmomentcomes,ifithasn’talready,considerastudyofTheUseoftheMeansofGracealongwithcongregationmemberstoclarifyyourresponsetoculturalshiftsthatbringsunbaptizedfaithseekingadultstoyourcommuniontable.
Othertipsforbeingawelcomingcongregation:
Pretendyouareavisitorenteringyourchurchforthefirsttime.
~Isthereadequateparking?Handicappedparking?
~Isitclearwhichdooristhemaindoor?Whatdoyousmellwhenyoucomein?Isitmusty?Istheentrywaycluttered?Isthenarthexusedforstorage?Dothewallsneedpainting?Isitclean?
~Aretheresignspointingthewaytothesanctuary?Thenursery?Therestrooms?Thecoatroom?
~Aretherebusybagsforchildren?Isitclearwhatagesarewelcomeinthenursery?
~Iseverythingthatyouexpectthecongregationtosayduringworshipeitherprintedinthebulletin,clearlyreferredtointhehymnal,orprojectedonthescreen?(Forexample,whentheministersays,“ThewordoftheLord.”Is“thanksbetoGod”printedanywhere,isitisassumedthatthey’llknowit?Samefor“TheLordbewithyou.”Is“Andalsowithyou”printedanywhere?NoteveryoneknowstheLord’sPrayerorthecreedorthemelodiestothehymns.Please,ifpossible,printthemusicalnotesifyouarenotusingthehymnal.
~DoyouexpectthecongregationtosingthePsalm?Thenprintoutthemusicthatwillbeused,andinstructionsforwhoshouldsingwhatpart.
Somefollowupideas:~Sendacardtoyourvisitorexpressinghowgladyouwerethattheyjoinedyouforworshipandyourhopethattheyfounditmeaningful.
~Tryaphonecall,simplytouchingbase,askingiftheyhaveanyquestionsoranywaysthatthepastor/congregationcouldbeprayingforthem.
~SomechurchesevensendanotewithagiftcardforStarbuckscoffee.
Otherideas:~Yourtownortownshiphasarecordofwhoisnewintown.Dropthemanote,dropoffaWelcomebasket,sendapostcardthatwelcomesthemtotheneighborhoodandtoworshipatyourchurch.
~Buydoorknobhangersbeforesomeevent(RallySunday,VacationBibleSchool,anoutdoorworshipservice,HomecomingSunday)andplaceonneighborhooddoors.
~SendapostcardtoyourzipcodeandinvitefolkstoChristmas/Easterworship.
Resources:Evangelismbulletininsertsanddevotions:www.elca.org/dcm/evangelism
http://www.elca.org/en/Our-Work/Congregations-and-Synods/Faith-Practices/eTips?_ga=1.201481553.1555249452.1456331964
StudyfortheUseoftheMeansofGrace:http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/The_Use_Of_The_Means_Of_Grace.pdf?_ga=1.25302781.1555249452.1456331964
http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/The_Use_of_Means_of_Grace-Why_It_Matters.pdf?_ga=1.25302781.1555249452.1456331964