Welcome

Welcome!

During the sermon last Sunday, I mentioned we are cleaning out closets and storage rooms this summer. It is healthy to do a good purge from time to time! Beyond a good cleaning, there is another reason for the project. Since late spring, I have been in a conversation with the officers. I have been asking them, “Are we a welcoming church?” Everyone’s immediate response was “Absolutely!” Then, upon further conversation came, “Well, maybe.” We read a book, Becoming a Welcoming Church by Thom Rainer and he points out that being a welcoming church means more than speaking to a visitor on Sunday morning. Before members ever introduce themselves visitors can perceive how welcoming a church is simply by the conditions of the facility. Is there accurate and up to date information on the church website? Is parking easy to find? Are there signs (inside and outside the facility) helping people locate the nursery, office, restrooms, the fellowship hall, and the sanctuary? Is the building clean or cluttered? Are there greeters and do they welcome visitors? Is there printed information about the church mission and ministry and is it easy to find? These are among the items that Rainer found were important when his research led him to ask visitors if the church they visited was welcoming. After reading the book and having a lively conversation, I assigned WPC officers the task of walking around the church campus as though they were visitors. It was an enlightening experience to say the least! Their observations are now being put into action in a number of ways. Obviously, we are cleaning closets, but we are also decluttering rooms, moving furniture, and pictures to look more inviting. The website is being updated. There is discussion about signage both indoors and out. A Welcoming Committee has been formed under the guidance of the Evangelism and Service Committee. They will update printed materials for the church, think of new ways to be a welcoming presence in the Kingstree community and reach out to visitors and new families when they move to the area.

In the Old Testament, there is an emphasis on hospitality, especially to strangers. The Hebrew people were encouraged to invite strangers into their homes and help them feel comfortable. When new people moved to town or even passed through, they were encouraged to receive them and make them feel welcomed. Part of loving our neighbors means helping them to feel comfortable in our church home, and that means being welcoming… even before we speak to visitors on Sunday morning! Are we welcoming? Yes! Can we do more to make strangers feel like friends? Absolutely! And so the tasks begin!

Peace, Josie