GREETING AND WELCOMING MINISTRY
“So warmly welcome each other into the Church, just as Christ has
warmly welcomed you; then God will be glorified.” Romans 15:7
Purpose
- To warmly welcome visitors, newcomers and established parishioners into a friendly, caring and accepting faith community. Recognising that people come to our Church with their own needs and expectations, we seek to help them feel they belong and to signal that ‘whoever you are and wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome’.
- To demonstrate welcoming and inclusive behaviours and encourage ALL parishioners to share in welcoming others and spreading God’s love through hospitality. Our God is a welcoming God and when we greet people warmly and lovingly, we show His love and bring alive the spirit of Christ in our midst.
Description of Activities
Greeting and Welcoming Team members are friendly and dedicated volunteers who are rostered for worship services on Sundays at both St Mark’s and Good Shepherd. Our ministry is to help people feel ‘at home’ as they enter our Church and prepare for worship.
Greeters offer a welcome sheet and bookmark to newcomers and are happy to provide valuable information about the Church and its activities. A more comprehensive information pack is provided in subsequent weeks for newcomers who choose to become part of our Parish.
After services, Greeters try to ensure that newcomers are introduced to clergy and other parishioners, invited to morning tea and included in conversations.
The Greeting and Welcoming Team Co-ordinator manages the administrative details of the welcoming process such as arranging name badges, letters of welcome, inclusion of new parishioners onto the Parish database, placement into a CrossCare group for ongoing pastoral care and special invitations to selected Parish events. The Co-ordinator actively promotes the ministry through articles in Newsletters, talks and preparation of guidelines.
Team members encourage all parishioners to wear name badges as a mark of pride in our Church, to assist in learning and remembering each other’s names and to promote a sense of belonging.
Team Meetings
The Greeting and Welcoming Team meets quarterly to plan, give feedback and share ideas and information about effective ways to welcome and include people into our Church family. Meetings alternate between St Mark’s and Good Shepherd and are advertised in the Parish Newsletter. All parishioners are welcome to attend.
Pathways
Welcoming is an important part of the outreach of the Church to all those who come to worship and share in Parish activities and programs. Greeters are often the first people to meet a newcomer to St Mark’s or Good Shepherd and they play a vital role in creating a warm and positive first impression in readiness for what we hope, will be a meaningful worship experience and a real desire to be part of our Parish.
Greeting and welcoming is not a one-off activity at the door. It is a process that extends beyond this encounter to the worship experience and the warmth of social contact after the service and at other functions, thereby enhancing opportunities for spiritual growth and inclusion into the life of the Church.
As stated under the Purpose heading above, the Team members encourage all parishioners to share in this ministry, because outreach is a responsibility of all Christians. Greeters also work with Clergy and other ministry leaders in being sensitive to the needs of newcomers and their readiness to use their gifts and talents in Parish life.
Greeting and Welcoming Team Co-ordinator
Mrs Helen Culbert, telephone 3209 8656.
Membership Requirements
Greeting and Welcoming Team members have a heart for hospitality. They are regular worshippers and very familiar with the mission and activities of the Parish. We are always seeking people with such gifts and if you believe you could help in this role or you would like further information, please contact the Co-ordinator.