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As we encourage people to return to church, we want our parishes to feel like home. Imagine what it would be like for people to return to a place they feel safe, welcomed and seen. How do we help people feel they belong?
On a recent webinar, Eleanor Oliver shared some key steps we can take to encourage families to feel welcomed and included within parish life after the turbulence of the last two years:
Step 1 Talk to people. The first step to feeling welcomed in a place is to feel engaged with. Ask families about the barriers to returning to church after a long time.
Do we have changing facilities available? Is there an area with children's activities you can direct them to? Is children's liturgy available and how are we directing families to this? Could we serve tea and coffee after Mass somewhere children are free to run around and feel safe?
Step 2 Look at the space and start thinking creatively: can we create a space specifically for children? Can the back of church be more open and welcoming?
Step 3 Clarity. At home, we know what the rules are which helps reduce anxiety around what is and isn't OK. With ever-changing rules its important to be clear about what we can and cannot do now. This means strong leadership from the front.
Step 4 Encouragement. Finally, how can you give families greater ownership? How can we involve children and make them feel like valued members of the community, maybe inviting them to be involved in a particular ministry, reading, music, welcome, altar serving?
Part One
Do you find you're pouring resources into sacramental preparation that sees young people slip away at the end? Are you frustrated at the fruitlessness of families jumping through hoops, never to be seen again? You are not alone in your discontent! In this webinar, we share 'from the trenches' experience of parishes doing it differently. Could now be the time when you decide to leave behind courses and instead prioritise conversions?
Join Georgia Clarke (St Elizabeth's Richmond), Maria Quinn (Blessed Sacrament Exeter), Kurt Klement (Leadership Coach) and Hannah Vaughan-Spruce (Divine Renovation UK) for Part 1 on First Communion on Tuesday 25th January 2022 at 7pm. Click here to register for Part One.
Part Two
Join Georgia Clarke (St Elizabeth's Richmond), Matt Regitz (Leadership Coach) and Hannah Vaughan-Spruce (Divine Renovation UK) for Part 2 on Confirmation on Tuesday 22nd March 2022 at 7pm. Click here to register for Part Two.
March 2022 marks two years since the pandemic hit much of the world. What is God saying to the Church throughout the last two years? What have we learned? What should be our focus moving forward? As we slowly emerge into a post-pandemic world, mission-minded parish leaders know we have an incredible opportunity to recommit our energies to finding bold and new ways to evangelize. But there are important questions many are wrestling with:
Together with Alpha, Divine Renovation are gathering today’s leaders in mission and evangelization in this free online event so you can gain valuable insights for your role as a parish leader. Register your free place here.
