Connect

Outreach is often overwhelming because it is misunderstood.  Outreach can be as simple as three steps - connect, welcome and engage.  The first step is to connect.   How do we connect with people? 

Sometimes people just show up.  They arrive unexpectedly for the funeral of a loved one.  This is a point of contact.  How do we respond?  Do we connect with them or just observe them as they come and go?  When a young person is confirmed, is that the last that we plan to see them or is the next invitation already prepared?  When an unemployed person approaches the church requesting assistance do we just hand them a meal voucher and let them leave or do we include a word of encouragement and a pledge of prayerful support?  And do we bother to stay connected?  This is a significant spiritual crisis in a person’s life.  Every conversation is an opportunity to connect with people.  Read more about connecting... in person, online, after relocations, on the highways, in holy seasons, in a visitor center, etc. 

Connect in person.  Take the initiative with friends and family.  Offer to pray with a family member, or pray for a friend when that person is facing hardship and let them know it.  Times of difficulty and decision are times of spiritual growth.  Those who tune in to those moments in the lives of others can be influential.  We can offer ourselves to someone who trusts us and needs someone with whom they can talk.  If a friend expresses spiritual questions or concerns, it may be an opportunity to share the assurance of our faith, or introduce the friend to one’s pastor or to a parish support group.  There is an opportunity to connect with people in almost every situation. 

Connect with people who have relocated -  Did you know that one in five Americans relocate every year?  Keeping track of how many people move in and out of this community is serious business for the folks at Newmovercount.com.  This organization has carved out a profit-making business by managing a welcome campaign for interested churches, complete with personalized postcards and monthly status reports.  They estimate that over one thousand people will move into the Buffalo Northtowns next month.   Some churches feel no reluctance in sharing the blessings of Christian faith with all of them, regardless of their denomination, level of activity or geographic boundaries.  But this begs the deeper question.  Do we really need to outsource outreach?  What is the long-term impact on our community when we delegate this ministry to others? 

If God is courting people through us, then one way to consider the purpose of parishes is as a center for God’s wooing.  How would we set priorities and make choices about everything from worship songs to greeters if we saw the church as a place of wooing?  Wouldn't we be enthusiastic (a word that means ‘filled with God’)?.  We can be just as enterprising and far more cost-effective by working with a local realtor (who is likely to be Catholic and may even be a parishioner) to identify newcomers and save the $700 per month service fee required by Newmovers.com.  Paulist Evangelization Ministries will sell you a mail list of the newest arrivals to your zip code for $40.  You can get ordering information at www.pncea.org/new-movers-list.  What if the most significant barriers to outreach are not outside our parishes?

Connect online. Churches in young communities are now reporting that a majority of their inquiries are coming from website or Facebook connections. People of all ages are on Facebook, downloading e-content or creating content on YouTube.  When young adults have a spiritual question they go first to Google.  The digital world is the threshold for the real world.  When a young couple relocates into a community their first step to worship is not showing up at the church door on Sunday.  The Googling God generation shops websites before showing up at church.  For this generation, if you don’t exist online, you don’t exist!  Media savvy parishes are putting their best foot forward online. 

At the minimum this means that the parish has a website with a prominent word of welcome for visitors. The message can read: “We welcome you to… (parish name) online.  If you would like to learn more about us visit the links below or contact… (staff member name, phone, email).  Several links at the homepage can direct visitors to “Becoming Catholic”, “Returning to the Church”, “Relocating to our Community”, “Come Home for Christmas” or “Rediscover Your Faith this Lent”,  or “Need Reconciliation or Speak to a Priest” to make crossing the digital-real threshold an easy one. 

Think of the website as a new front door to the parish.  Some parishes have learned from their bulletin which FAQ’s to answer there - Mass schedule, office hours, staff and ministry contact person information with pictures, directions and parking instructions, what to expect, In a digital landscape, parish leaders not only have the option to learn, they have an obligation to learn.  Many are mobilizing their resources, learning about search engine optimization and sometimes pooling resources and linking with neighboring parishes to put out the welcome mat online. 

Connect on the highways and byways.  St. Lawrence Parish in Buffalo has made a serious investment in their online presence.  In an effort to drive traffic to their doors this holiday season, St. Lawrence obtained billboard space inviting people from the highways and byways to visit at Christmas.  On their website they offer live video from the church for those who are homebound, serving in the military or out of town.  This provides family and friends a way to be connected to in the celebration of the Sacraments and other events.  The parish extends a caring hand in the community through a food pantry, clothes closet and health clinic.  St. Lawrence also extends hospitality through their Franciscan Guest House.

Connect on Ash Wednesday. Consider including a welcome card in the pews or having a witness speaker on Ash Wednesday.  In some parishes, Ash Wednesday is the second busiest day in many churches.  Some churches staff the church with volunteers and leave the doors open for those seeking ashes all day.  The power of this connection can be enhanced by a brief talk from a parishioner in the Ash Wednesday service.  There are other outreach ideas in Lent.

Connect at the visitor center. Get rid of stale magazine racks and establish a visitor center instead.  Some churches have established a visitor center in the gathering spaces of the church, parish offices, school and hall.  This may seem a small gesture but I still remember the first church that I walked into, unannounced on a cold day.  At Guest Central, I found hot coffee, tea and packs of cookies, visible signs to the restroom and plenty of information about the mission and activities of the church.  Expecting visitors speaks volumes both to the strangers in our midst and to our parishioners about the mission of the parish and the opportunity for growing as a community.

by Dennis Mahaney, Office of Parish Life