As Christ’s ambassadors, we at Messiah New Hope seek to skillfully and intentionally welcome visitors to our worship services. We therefore have especially called you to make newcomers feel welcome and comfortable in our midst.

Welcomer Job Description

1)     Prior to the service, ask God to open your heart and eyes to those you have not yet met and to use you to extend Christ’s welcome.
2)      Arrive just before the first service ends.
3)      Come knowing that you are there to meet new friends and expect God to use you.
4)      Check in with an usher and put on a nametag.
5)      Identify individuals or families who are standing alone or whom you have not met. Feel free to go into the sanctuary to accomplish this.
6)      Do not be reluctant to approach someone you think may be a member. If you do not know them, use a greeting like “Hi, I’m ________, I don’t think we’ve met before, have we?”
7)      Try to introduce new visitors to at least one other person.
8)      Stay for the 2^nd worship service and when it is over, seek out the visitors and thank them for coming and/or invite them to stay for coffee. Let them know you will look forward to seeing them next week.
9)     An important part of this job is to call the first-time visitors later the same day. These are the steps to follow:

After the service, collect the black welcome books.
Remove from them all sheets that have been written on.
Find all those people who checked “first time visitor”.
List their names on the Visitor Followup Calling Sheet found in the cover pocket of the VISITOR FOLLOWUP TRACKING BOOK. If you prefer, you may make photo copies of the pages with 1^st time visitors.
If you met someone new who didn’t sign the black book, add them to your calling sheet.
Place all of the sheets you removed from the black books in the pocket page of the VISITOR FOLLOWUP TRACKING BOOK.
On your first time doing this, contact Theresa McNamara or Jane Taylor for help.
Locate phone numbers for each person or family on your calling sheet.
Pray before you call: “Dear God, help me to be an instrument of your peace and love. Help me to find people at home and to communicate welcome and love to whoever answers. Thanks. Amen.”

In making the call, introduce yourself

thank them for worshipping with us
ask if they have any questions
ask “Is there any way our church or pastors can be of service to you at this time?”
ask if they want a pastor to call

If there is no answer, try calling later Sunday evening around 8:30 – 9:00 when people are usually at home. If there is no answer by 9:00, you may leave a message, but try again during the next few days to reach them.
Keep notes of your calls and report back to the church via e-mail who you spoke with and what their responses were. The e-mail address is info@messiahnewhope.com. (Church secretaries will track this information.)
Send a thank-you card to each of the family units that you called or tried to call. Cards are provided in the back pocket of the VISITOR FOLLOWUP TRACKING BOOK. If you cannot send a card, state this in your e-mail to the church so that they can follow up.

10) On the following Sunday, look for the new people you met and greet them again.
11) If you cannot serve on a Sunday you are scheduled, call another welcomer on the list to replace you or trade with you.

Even though you may not be scheduled to do so, always be on the lookout for the visitor that God has sent for YOU to greet!