How do we make people feel welcome?
Monday 5th September 2016
As leadership we are struggling with how we as a church should welcome visitors and new people. So far we’ve avoided having a welcome team, in the thought that that somehow means that those not on the team can be ‘unwelcoming’ that week. It seems an obvious and fundamental part of church that all of us should be welcoming. However, we’ve got to recognise that some people are naturals at talking to those they don’t know, and some aren’t. Some genuinely delight in a roomful of strangers and finding out their stories. I fear many more people are like me, where a roomful of strangers is intimidating and daunting. We are also hearing that some members of church resent the fact that they want to catch up with their friends on a Sunday, not always talk to newbies, and we want friendships to grow, to flourish. We know that some church members are struggling to feel that they fit in, that they belong. So our challenge to the church is that in every gathering we should aim to have ten minutes of uncomfortableness. Ten minutes where we step beyond ourselves, what we need or want, and look to others. We will go and make small talk to someone we don’t yet know. But only for ten minutes. It is not a call to never speak to our friends. But an encouragement to always look outside ourselves. 



It sounds achievable, even for me. 

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