Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada

I recently had a conversation with someone who described two contrasting, but equally effective approaches to welcoming newcomers on Sunday morning.

Church A, a neighborhood church, made no special attempt to recognize her as a newcomer or make any sort of fuss.  People in this church were very friendly but she "really likes the fact that they weren't pushy".  She was able to slip into the sanctuary all the while preserving a sense of anonymity.  At Church B, a large downtown church, this same woman said that she was welcomed by a greeter who asked her if she wanted a visitors' name tag and she was provided with information about the church by means of an information table in the narthex.  While she was clearly identified as a newcomer, it was clear to her that she was not expected to join the community. She reported feeling no sense of pressure.  What interests me the most is that she found both approaches effective and genuinely hospitable.  This makes me curious about both personal preferences and the people skills of greeters (and others) with respect to the Ministry of Hospitality. 

I will be carrying this curiosity into the coming week.  This is the week that the Dunbar Heights Hospitality project could really start to take shape as I will have the opportunity to meet with all the committee and ministry leaders and to facilitate a discussion on the topic of hospitality.  I am excited about these upcoming discussions as I get the chance to listen for the openings for new welcoming practices and for the chance to celebrate the practices that are already effective.

So over to you... What are your preferences with respect to church hospitality? How do you like to be welcomed when you visit a new church?  What has worked for you?  

I welcome your thoughts and feedback.