Welcomeness Assured

I’ve spent a lot of time this summer thinking about the word Welcome…what it means to welcome someone and how it’s received. To welcome someone is to acknowledge them with acceptance and warmth, conveying happiness in meeting them. For those receiving our welcome, I hope they feel the beginnings of inclusion without any expectation of them other than to take their time in figuring out how they fit in. 

These themes were echoed repeatedly in the two Welcome Ministry Focus Groups held in August. When asked “What needs of yours were you trying to meet when first deciding to look into SUM?” the fifteen participants mentioned the desire for community, fellowship, connection, and belonging. When asked “What were all the ways you felt welcome at SUM the first few times you visited the church?” they described others initiating contact with them: church members and pastors, in simple ways by saying hello, providing information, and getting to know them. Yet, several participants mentioned a lack of initial engagement with them during their first visits to SUM which made it challenging to feel welcome.

I know that our church is made up of a group of people who are friendly, kind, and helpful, but we seem to be hiding our best selves when it comes to greeting our church visitors. I invite you to engage with people you don’t know yet. Look for those who are standing alone, on the perimeter of the Fellowship Hall, or sitting adjacent to you in church and initiate a conversation.

Hi, my name is ___________. Welcome.

I don’t think we’ve met before. My name is…

If we’ve met before, I apologize. My name is …

Never mind if you learn that person has been attending our church for a while. You’ve both benefitted from making a connection. These small conversations are a powerful beginning to a potential friendship.

The beauty of these small conversations is aptly expressed by Patrick Bringly, who describes his experience as a guard in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in his book All the Beauty in the World:  “…I’m surprised by the meaning I begin to find in even small interactions with guards and visitors. A favor asked, an answer given, thanks proffered, welcomeness assured. There is a heartening rhythm to it that helps put me back in sync with the world.”

- Leslie Lahue, Welcoming Chair

Welcomeness is a term that describes the feeling of warmth and acceptance that one gets upon arrival at a certain place or environment (Thesaurus.net).