Welcoming Team News
Results from the Welcoming Team Congregational SurveyOn June 23-24 and July 1 at both the Urbana and Frederick campuses, the congregation was asked to complete a survey on church hospitality. In addition, the survey was also printed in the July Spires for those who may not been at worship on those weekends.
The survey asked the congregation to respond to eleven statements on a five-point scale. Five meaning they strongly agreed and one meaning they strongly disagreed.
- 76 surveys were completed.
- 1 Under 18 age group
- 1 18-30 age group
- 14 31-45 age group
- 27 45-65 age group
- 33 65 and older age group
Statements one to five dealt with how each member felt our church was doing as a whole on welcoming visitors.
There was an overwhelming positive response to all of these questions. One hundred percent felt being known as a “friendly” church is important and that ELC is known as a friendly church. One hundred percent felt that the ushers, greeters, and welcoming team members do a good job ensuring that all feel welcomed.
Statements six to eight dealt with how members, as individuals, offer hospitality to visitors.
Eighty-one percent felt that they do a good job greeting visitors and strangers. While 79% find themselves avoiding talking to visitors and members they do not know well. In addition, 62% find themselves not wanting to greet people they do not know.
Statements nine to eleven asked the respondents to rate how they encouraged visitors to assimilate into church life.
Eighty percent have invited visitors to sit with them during worship, but only fifty-one percent have invited a visitor to a class or other church event.
And lastly, 64% felt the need for more training or instruction responding to visitors or members they do not know well.
In response, to the last the statement dealing with a need for more instruction and training, the welcoming team has three events scheduled:
- The first is a seven-week October OASIS course taught by Pastor Dave on hospitality.
- The second is the congregational banquet on October 20 where the renowned, author Pastor Fred Bernhard, will be speaking on the “Welcoming Church.”
- And, lastly the Welcoming Team will be having a breakfast for the ushers, greeters, and welcoming team members and any member or friend of ELC who may be interested in learning more about the Welcoming Ministry. The breakfast will be held October 27.
In conclusion, the survey did not offer any monumental discoveries that we did not already know; we are the Welcoming Places and offering hospitality to strangers comes naturally. We at ELC put into action the words found in Matthew 25:34-35:
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. (35) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in ...”