Helpful Welcoming
As I was in Office Depot this past summer, I just needed some time to look and think about a project I was working on. Unfortunately, the people working were very helpful and almost every aisle I went down someone asked me if I needed help. Usually I like being asked if I need help because I usually do need help, but not this time. This time I just wanted to be by myself to think and work things out in my mind without interruptions. This may be what it is like for our visitors; they may not want a bunch of information or handouts. Sometimes all they want is one or two of their questions answered.
“If you can smile come to Welcome Center Training
Sun., Dec. 4, 9:30-10am, at the Welcome Center.
Everyone’s welcome!”
At the Welcome Center, we want this space to be a place to get information for visitors and members alike without feeling pressured by all that we have to offer. Our team is trained to smile and ask “How can I help you?” without giving out unneeded information that may confuse or irritate. We do have lots of information at the center, like the Sunday School schedule, Confirmation schedules, our preschool, times for new-member sessions and baptism classes. We have a gift for visitors that includes our monthly newsletter. We can help people sign up at 1stlu.org/signup, and we can show who our staff, Vision and Leadership team and other leaders are so that they can be more easily identified. As a member of the Welcome Center team, we will know what’s happening in and around our church. We have information such as the Clothes Closet where it is, how you make an appointment, how you contact staff and other leaders, when the church office is open and, of course, when worship is each week. We also know those well known facts that our visitors have yet to discover, like where the nursery, the education building, the fellowship hall, fireside or upper room is and even where the bathrooms are, especially the family bathroom. This is all important information that visitors may need and some of our member as well. This is all part of the plan to make our church more welcoming.
We have a team of about seven members who have been trained, but as I look at our needs, I realize we need to double or even triple that number. We need people who can smile and say, “How can I help you?” This is one of the easiest things anyone can do here at church. We need help before and after each worship service for just about fifteen minutes or so. With more people helping, the less time each person has to be at the Welcome Center during the month or even every couple of months.
Please consider helping at the Welcome Center and becoming a part of our Welcome Center action team. We will have training in December so that all are prepared for Advent and Christmas here at church. If you would like more information or want to start helping before December, please e-mail me at kathryn@firstlu.org or give me a call at church 608-783-2236. I would love to help you get started or answer any question you have.
