Company’s Coming. 3 Tips to Get Your Church Ready.
Frankly, (is it a good idea to start a post with “frankly”? Hmmm.) I love having company over. Oh, of course I like trying out a new recipe. And the scintillating conversation is always a highlight.
But the real reason I like company? I get to clean the house and put it in order. What a joy it is to rid the house of the secondary carpet made from dog hair. Hooray for guests!
Speaking of company:
Easter Sunday is the day when most pastors record their highest attendance during the year. Christmas and Mother’s Day come in second and third. That means visitors are in your near future.
What can you do to prepare? Here are three ideas.
1. Ask one of your favorite parishioners to do a walkabout around the church while pretending they are new.
Appoint (anoint?) them to look at bulletin boards and remove old flyers.
What would be helpful for them to see on those boards?
Ask them to look at bathrooms for cleanliness, check the signage, and look at what church materials are available to take home.
Does your church building say “welcome”?
If any changes are easy ones, let them go for it.
2. Ask one of your favorite gardeners to survey the exterior of your church.
Where could pops of color (as in flowers) delight new people?
Appoint (anoint?) them to purchase flowers and make the outside of the church as welcoming as the inside of the church.
Ask this person to round up a crew to mow and weed too.
3. Ask one of your favorite friendly people to think about ways to welcome new people on that Sunday.
Appoint (anoint?) that person to invite others to be part of the Easter Welcoming Committee.
A simple goal – everyone is acknowledged warmly. Remember my experience at two very different churches? Personally, I’d like to forget them. Don’t let that be what your visitors remember about your congregation.
Want more ideas of how your physical space can be more welcoming by Easter? Check out this post from Share Church (part of Resurrection Church): Time for a Spring Clean.
Frankly (and frankly, I’ll use the word now), we church-folk need to embrace any good excuse to literally get our house in order. Company, visitors, guests, and God’s beloved at Easter are excellent reasons to put our best foot forward. Let’s make Martha Steward proud.
Photo credit: TaniaVdB@pixabay.com
Cesie Delve Scheuermann (pronounced “CC Delv Sherman,” yes, really) is a Stewardship Consultant for the OR-ID Annual Conference. She is also a Senior Ministry Strategist with Horizons Stewardship – helping with capital campaigns and encouraging more generosity. For 25 years, while working as a volunteer and part-time consultant, she has helped raise over three million dollars for numerous churches and non-profit organizations.
You can reach Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered! You may want to avoid these tips on Welcoming Guests to Church.
Schedule a meeting now.
If someone has forwarded this to you and you would like to subscribe to "Inspiring Generosity," click here. Miss an issue? Click here