1.  Commission your greeters and hospitality ministers.  The importance of this ministry is long overlooked in many parishes.  A public commissioning at a regularly scheduled weekend Mass is more important for what it says to that congregation than for what it says to the ministers themselves.  This ministry will always be marginalized until we value it publicly.

2.  Put yourself in the shoes of the stranger.  How?  Visit another church and see how they welcome visitors and newcomers.  Do they learn your names?  Do they share a personal story with you?  Do they ask about you?  Do they introduce you to others in the congregation?  Do they offer to introduce you to the pastor?  Real welcome happens when we meet people, hear people’s stories and have our own story heard. 

3.  Host an event in a neutral setting.  Jesus went out and met people on their terms and in their place of comfort.  Most parish programs and services are reserved to those who come to our place of comfort.  These services and events are publicized most often at Mass and in the bulletin which is distributed at Mass.  Neutral settings are places off church property where many people feel less intimidation.  This can be a community center, public library, a restaurant, coffee shop, at a home or online.  The genius of Theology on Tap is that it invites evangelization where Jesus would have done it – where people congregate.  Once people are met in a neutral setting, they can welcomed, relationships of trust can be built, spirituality can grow and newcomers can be attracted to the fullness of what we enjoy when the whole community gathers at church.

4.  Begin welcoming before the event begins.  This can be accomplished with a phone call or email to invite and welcome a person to the parish discussion group.  We can call and let a newcomer know that we will be there and give a description of ourselves so that they can find us more easily. 

5.  Start the event online.  Some parishes are starting a book club, prayer network, discussion group or bible study online through the parish website or Facebook.  Busy people and digital natives appreciate the opportunity to receive spiritual support from a place of security and comfort.  Spiritual materials can be shared online and blog space allows people to share comments. 

6.  Equip greeters.  This is a specialized and skilled work in the parish.  Greeters are the tour guides to the building, the faces, the customs and the stories of the community.  Expert greeters listen and learn about people as much as they speak a word of welcome.   They dispense supplies (missals, facial tissues, flashlight, welcome brochures, important phone numbers, pamphlets, envelopes, pen/paper,  They invite questions.  As in a dance, expert greeters know when it is time to lead and when it is time to follow.  See more at Ministry of Hospitality. 

7.  Welcome newcomers at the curb.  Some churches do not let a visitor get to the door before they affirm a newcomer’s decision to attend church.  Why not assign a smiling concierge to the parking lot to make the process of arrival as easy and pleasant as possible?  Newcomers can be noticed, and not overlooked.   Greeters can pay special attention to them and provide a warm welcome and guidance to the facility.  Some churches go so far as to develop a VIP card that has a greeter’s name, essential information about the facility and contact information for making a return visit natural. 

8.  Develop patience, curiosity and compassion.  Today most people do not show up at church unless they feel an urge to do so.  They will arrive with certain expectations.  Expectations are like icebergs, most of the matter is hidden below the water line and can do significant damage if not respected and understood.  The contours of a person’s expectations can be discovered in a relationship of trust.  Trust takes time.  Don’t rush it.

9.  Build on the commonalities.  Everyone wants to be known and accepted.  We build a spirit of welcome when we identify and build on commonalities – common experiences, history, friendships and feelings.  Common experiences provide us the opportunity to express and share our natural human sympathy.  This sympathy is the entryway to our dreams and hopes.   As Maya Angelou said, people may forget what we write or say, but they will never forget how we treat them.

10.  Have the talk.  The longevity of many parishes can be measured in direct proportion to the energy spent on building relationships.  As one pastor put it, the first step is to have “the talk”.  By this the pastor means preaching for a few weeks on the centrality of hospitality to Eucharist.  This can easily be done in the summer as the cycle B readings focus on Bread of Life.  Summer is an ideal time as many newcomers relocate into the neighborhood at this time.  The words host, hospice, stranger and hospitality all have the same root.  So the act of healing, acceptance, and welcome are cousin ministries.