Dear friends in Christ,
As summer comes to a close, schools are starting up again. Many churches are beginning a new program year with classes and other ministries. The early fall is a time when many churches see an influx of guests, as this is a natural time to go searching for a church.
Are you ready for guests? Is your church building ready?
Over the next two or three weeks, I want to explore hospitality in these weekly messages. This week, let’s think about the outside of your church.
When you get used to attending your church, it’s easy to start to overlook things, to forget how everything looks to a first-time guest. But if you want to be welcoming for guests, you have to be ready to see your church through their eyes.
This is a good time to check some basics. Is it obvious which door to use to enter? Is there a side door that “everyone knows about” but it’s not the big door by the church tower? Is the parking situation clear? Do you need some signs to help people navigate on their first visit?
Would someone in a wheelchair know how and where to enter your church?
Does the sign show the correct Sunday service times?
And how about the landscaping? Is your lawn well cared for?
These things might seem like they shouldn’t matter, but they do. First impressions matter, and a first-time guest’s first impression of your church begins before they set foot in the door.
Next week we’ll talk about welcoming guests once they’re inside. But this week, I encourage you to try to see your church through the eyes of someone who’s never been there before. If possible, ask a friend to help you out by being a “mystery guest” and telling you their impressions.
We live in a world where people are yearning for a word of hope. Coming to a church can be scary for folks who have never been, or who haven’t been in a long time. We can ease the way for our guests by offering a gracious welcome. Now is a good time to get ready.
Our goal in welcoming guests is not to sell them a membership to our club but rather to welcome people in Christ’s name. Warm hospitality is a blessing to receive and to give.
Yours faithfully,
Scott Gunn
Executive Director
More from our ministry:
Welcome passersby to your church with an Episcopal Church sign
From Grow Christians: The Power of Presence
Equip and empower churches to practice hospitality: Invite Welcome Connect
New release: Devotions for People who Don’t Do Devotions
Dear friends in Christ,
Dear friends in Christ,
Dear friends in Christ,
What is Forward Day By Day?
Start your journey of discipleship by finding the page for the current day. Each page starts with a brief Bible verse. If you’d like to read the verse in context, or in conversation with the rest of scripture, you can look up the suggested readings just below. Each day’s readings come either from the Revised Common Lectionary (a cycle of Bible passages used in worship by churches across North America) or the Daily Office Lectionary from the Book of Common Prayer. The texts we use put the reader in community with everyone else reading that text today.
Before or after you read the meditation, you might want to pray one of the prayers on the front or back inside cover. These prayers, “A Morning Resolve” and “For Today,” have been printed alongside Forward Day by Day meditations for decades. Countless readers have found these prayers grounding and inspiring as they begin their day.
We offer many editions of Forward Day by Day to make this daily habit of prayer accessible to all.
Order Forward Day by Day for your entire church community by subscribing in bulk. With this subscription, you can offer copies to your whole congregation so they can carry their prayers through the other six days of the week. Subscriptions ship one month in advance, so you’ll have plenty of time to get them into your community’s hands – empowering them for three months of daily prayer and inspiration.
Dear friends in Christ,
Dear friends in Christ,