The Welcoming Gift, Part 2

Spending time getting to know new people at church services is a special opportunity!

We all want our congregations to be warm, friendly and inviting to visitors—those who are traveling through our area and those who are potential new members of our congregation.

In Part 1 we covered some of the expert advice about meeting new people. Here are some thoughts and tips from other members of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, on what we can do and say to make others feel at home and welcome in our congregations.

From a member in Missouri: “I still find this a challenging endeavor. … If the new people are visitors passing through, so to speak, it is important that a good number of members acknowledge them with a friendly handshake, where are you from, etc., kind of exchange. Invite them to the refreshment table and point the way to the restrooms and mother’s room if they are not obviously placed in the meeting room.

“If the new people are new to the truth, and are in the early stages of exploration and learning, we have a chance to get acquainted little by little as they continue to attend. So short regular exchanges each Sabbath will hopefully lead to a comfortable familiarity and the opportunity for deeper conversations as to various topics of interest and background.”

From a member in Alabama: “I would say the best course of action for getting to know newcomers, and making them feel welcome, is to get to know them individually. What I mean is, don’t overwhelm them with Church-speak or modern Church history. They may have no background whatsoever, or if they do (as in, they attended in the past but left for a while) they might not want to speak about it immediately. It’s good to try and feel out where they are in life—in their understanding about the Church and doctrine—but also in work, in their hobbies, if they are in any kind of transition, etc.

“There are lots of topics to engage them in to make them feel welcome without overwhelming them with ‘meat.’ Also, if they believe something that is not doctrinally correct, it might not be the best idea to correct them immediately. It might be obvious to us that their thinking is incorrect, and we might have the best intentions in wanting to inform them, but in those cases, it is best to proceed slowly and gently—the same way our Father does with us!

“Basically, find common ground with them and work from that. If they want to talk about Church and nothing but the Church, all the better, but finding commonality is where it’s at!”

From a member in Ohio: “I think the biggest thing to do for new people is to be sure to actually talk to them! It can be a little intimidating sometimes to go up to someone you see walk in because you don’t want to say the wrong thing and you don’t know exactly why they’re there, but imagine what they must be feeling walking into a church where they don’t know anyone. The more friendly faces, the better.

“[Over the years] I have seen times when a new person came and left without anyone talking to him or her. If no one is talking to the person, that’s an opening for you! You never know when you might be the encouragement for that person to come back next week.

“In conversation with new people, I think it’s important to dwell on positive things. … There is a difference between serious topics (job loss, loss of a family member, current affairs) and negative or pessimistic topics. A deep conversation can have great results and deepens relationships more quickly, so don’t feel like you have to only do small talk. You don’t know what a new person’s background might be, so it is important to try not to offend them. If in conversation you disagree with something they are saying, do so politely and firmly, but not correctively.”

You’re invited to give your suggestions and input on this topic at our Facebook page.