We have unleashed a monster at Emmaunel. It is called the Radical Hospitality Team. As I have challenged the church to consider what it means to be welcoming to visitors, the team has gone above and beyond what I ever dreamed and have bowled me over with ideas. It is in these situations that I have learned to stay out of the way and let God work in others. Hospitality has only had two meetings, but let me share what they are dreaming:
1. Visitor Follow-Up - Visitors who make their presence known need to know that we were glad they came to worship with us. A plan is to go beyond just a call from the pastor, but to be sure they are informed about the church and all the ministries that go on here. Most important, a very brief visit to the front door of their home will be made to make sure they know the church is here for them.
2. Seasonal Events - Emmanuel also get visitors to the seasonal events (craft shows, santa claus, Christmas Eve, Easter, etc). There will be much more effort made to welcome those visitors as well.
3. Lobby Management - The lobby space is a very big issue for Hospitality. There is a long list of to-do's. Let's name a few:
- One of the first two focus points for the team will be the Welcome Table. This is already set up in the corner of the lobby ONLY for the purpose of welcoming visitors. It will be a table ONLY for information about the church including the newsletter and the bulletin. The team will be intent to keep things off of the table that include non-hospitality items such as sign-up sheets, books, stuffed animals and empty coffee cups.
- The second major focus point is going to be the empty walls, particularly the empty wall that you see when you come through the front door. Plain walls send a message of newness, but also lack the warmth of welcome. The team will be exploring possibilites of various wall hangings to give the space a more comfortable feel.
- once the welcome table and walls are dealt with, many other issues will be discussed. These include:
The table of sign-up sheets: The first thing that visitors see when they come through the door should NOT be a long line of sign-up sheets. It sends a message that the church needs you to serve instead of the message that the church wants to serve you. The goal will be to equip ministry teams to find other ways to recruit which is already happening in some areas. Once visitors make a commitment to serve, then they can be approached in other ways.
Coffee, coffee, coffee: expanding the beverages by quantity and variety is another dream.
Visitors Parking: The very first thing that can tell a visitor that they are welcome is to have for them their very own parking spot. Hospitality will be working with Trustees on this matter.
Pictoral Directory: Very soon there will be an announcement for households to get their picture taken. This will be done internally with talented photographers we have at Emmanuel. No outside company will be used.
Emmanuel is looking for more people to get involved with these dreams. If you think you would be interested in serving on the team, please email pastor Joe at pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com.
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