Who we are
We believe
News
Bishops
Diocesan Office
Resources
Mission
Vacancies
Parish contacts
Vocation
Ministry Development
Education
Young People
Cathedral
Advice and information produced by the Stewardship department of St Albans diocese about the Ministry of Welcoming people to the Church
For more information, or to obtain a copy in booklet form, e-mail cchisnall@stalbans.anglican.org or tel 01727 854532.
Welcoming visitors to our church
The Ministry of Welcome describes the process of welcoming the whole diversity of people who come to our churches for a variety of reasons: some to worship; some to look around while worship is not in progress; some to shelter; some to be still, and some to pray. Why should we be involved in the Ministry of Welcome? Parishes may wish to consider the following points as they think about this ministry:
Mobility and opportunities for leisure are greater than ever before. People like to get out and about and see places of interest and beauty. This gives us an ever-growing opportunity to serve through the Ministry of Welcome.
Is the entrance welcoming, clean, fresh and tidy? Does it have a door that is easy to open with no stiff latch and clanking catch? Is there an obstructive, dusty curtain keeping both draughts and people at bay? Are there steps which are difficult for elderly folk, people in wheelchairs and parents with prams? Is it unlit and gloomy? Remember, too, that if the only escape from the church for a young parent, embarrassed by a crying child, is the exit door, it needs to be easy to negotiate. A church building and its ambience can be very daunting to the many who are unaccustomed to it. Glass doors or glass panels in a door may not only be aesthetically pleasing but also remove the element of the unexpected from the mind of the hesitant visitor. Ensure that your porch is welcoming, and displays useful, interesting and up-to-date information.
What sort of impression is made by those on duty at the door? What is expected of them? Is it their job to hand out service books with a welcoming smile and a cheerfully discreet greeting or is more of a pastoral ministry expected of them? It is worthwhile considering having a small team of welcomers whose task is simply to spot newcomers and also be mindful of those members of the church family who are coping with particular problems and who would perhaps welcome an expression of concern.
It is important for the welcomers not to be over-enthusiastic in their greeting of newcomers, particularly those with babies and toddlers, since their sensitivity may mean that they prefer their arrival to be unobtrusive.
As worship progresses, how comfortable will people feel? Is the church adequately heated? An electric hot-air curtain can deal most effectively with draughts from the door as it opens and closes. Is there good lighting?
Can the service be followed easily from the book(s) which the worshippers have? Full editions of Common Worship or the Book of Common Prayer are not easy to negotiate unless one has a long-standing experience of both the book and the way in which the service is conducted in that particular church. It might be considered appropriate to make an easy-to-follow booklet containing the relevant extracts from Common Worship or BCP.
The Children’s Communion Book, may be useful.
Will worshippers, particularly those with impaired hearing, be able to hear what is said? Many churches have a sound system. Good quality systems are invaluable even in quite small churches. They help to discourage the typical “parson’s voice” and enable the service leader to speak in a personal and unforced way. Also, while some clergy may pride themselves in the strength and clarity of their voices, many forget that this ability may wane with the passing years! A sound system can greatly encourage lay leadership of worship, especially among those who are unaccustomed to speaking in public. You may wish to hold training sessions in public speaking.
Can the congregation see those who are leading the worship? This is perhaps particularly important in Eucharistic worship where both the altar and the president should be visible. Care needs to be taken that sight lines from the congregation are not obstructed by flowers and foliage, brass eagles or other ecclesiastical impediments.
Many parents with babies and toddlers might welcome a crèche where the liturgy can be heard on a sound system and seen from behind the protection of a glass screen. Banishment to such a crèche should not be obligatory; however consideration should be given to the potential for noise and distractions. The needs, and contentment, of the whole congregation should be taken into account. Happy infant sounds may lend joy to the occasion of worship.
Where a church has toilets, care needs to be taken to ensure that the toilets are presentable and have not degenerated into broom and bucket cupboards.
It is good to provide toilet accessories to suit babies and toddlers: for example, adapted toilet seats, potties and baby-changing facilities. The needs of people with disabilities should also be considered. the disabled and handicapped should be considered also.
If your church is without toilet facilities, a notice indicating the closest public toilets should be clearly displayed.
The community spirit of the church may be enhanced by offering coffee and biscuits after the worship. If this can be done in the church building rather than in an adjacent hall it may encourage the shy or diffident newcomer to stay and meet fellow-worshippers.
Those new to the church should be made aware of other church meetings or activities which may be of interest to them. To this end a parish magazine, weekly newssheet or a noticeboard are all useful - although a personal invitation is undoubtedly the best way. It can be helpful to have a noticeboard showing photographs of key people in church life, along with their names and job titles. Some churches like to ensure that such people wear name badges each Sunday.
Welcomers should be aware of their responsibility to see that nobody is left drinking alone.
Those coming to visit churches may include tourists, who may be overseas visitors or home-based holiday-makers, local non-church people, or even church members taking the opportunity to look more closely at their parish church. There may be groups of people who come from schools or colleges on educational visits, or other groups and societies simply on a day out, maybe visiting your church among a number of others on a “Church Trail”. The majority will not be regular churchgoers.
It may be helpful to place the responsibility of caring for school parties in the hands of a lay person who is suitably qualified and interested in the work. A retired teacher or a local historian committed to Christianity would be ideal.
There is a growing interest in genealogy and visitors often seek information from church records about their ancestors. Someone with an interest in this subject might be encouraged to offer themselves for this work. The appropriate charge should be made for the inspection of records.
What kind of impression do our churches give to visitors? Attention should be paid to the following: notice-boards should be freshly painted, clean and clearly printed; perhaps Gothic lettering and Roman numerals should be avoided; information that is given should be as free as possible from in-house jargon: for example, use “wedding” rather than “holy matrimony”; ensure that all information is up-to-date.
Some churches that receive a large number of visitors or which are situated in a busy town centre may consider offering food on a regular basis. Many will know of the excellent catering arrangements of the refectory at St Albans Abbey. Some parish churches, such as St Mary’s Luton, offer regular lunches. It is recommended that the local Environmental Health Officer be consulted on hygiene and safety in the kitchen to ensure that the enterprise conforms to all legal requirements. The offering of food provides a service to the public and some income for the parish. Also, it may provide an opportunity for people to make contact with the church, as the priest or church representative could be seen to be available at opening times.
Where a church receiving visitors is without toilet facilities, the nearest public toilets should be mentioned in publications and notices. Similarly, the nearest car park should be indicated in brochures and other literature aimed at attracting visitors.
The majority of rural churches were designed and built in an age when much less attention was given to the needs of people with disabilities than is the case today. As a consequence many of them continue to find it difficult to effect the modifications necessary to improve access. Nonetheless many imaginative schemes have been initiated using local craftsmen. A careful safety audit of the church could highlight many potential hazards for people who are partially sighted and for those with various mobility difficulties. Uneven floor surfaces and concealed steps can prove particularly hazardous to those who are unfamiliar with the building.
There are several associations for people with disabilities that can give help and advice on how to achieve the greatest comfort for their members.
Churchyards are visited by far more than those who dare to enter the church building itself. Tidiness is important. Rubbish tips should be screened and dead flowers cleared away. Tidiness does not necessarily mean short-cropped grass in all parts, but, with ecology and wildlife in mind, parts of the churchyard not in current use may be managed so as to encourage the growth of wild flowers and grasses. Churchyards should, as far as possible, be natural and tidy, not kept like bowling greens but allowing flowers to be seen before being cut down.
Many of our parish churches are tucked out of the way and they will not be discovered unless they are well signposted. This process is not always easy since there are many rules - such as planning permission and advertising regulations - governing such signs. A few of our major tourist attractions may qualify for special brown Tourist Information signs. For such a sign, however, a church would need to be measuring annual visitors in four or five figures and it would then be necessary to make a specific application. Not many churches come into this category. There is, however, nothing to stop a small sign being erected on private land and a friendly landowner, enthusiastic for the church, may be happy to display such a sign. It would be wise to consult the Highways Department - and you never know: once they realise you wish to be on the map a sign might materialise in the fullness of time!
When giving information on a sign, perhaps it is not right just to say “13th Century Church” or “Norman Church”, or whatever, but also to give the time of the principal Sunday service. This gives practical help and also reminds all who read the notice that the church is active and at work for the purpose for which it was built.
A good general appearance creates the right impression. Disused furniture, kneelers and other impedimenta piled in dusty corners must not be permitted. Consideration ought to be given to the fact that a large proportion of those visiting churches are likely to have little or no knowledge of the Christian religion. Therefore it might be worthwhile considering how notices might be used to give information about the church’s interior, its purpose and meaning.
By way of example, the words “15th century font” may mean nothing, but a brief and thoughtfully worded notice saying something about Christian baptism might do well. Church notices such as “The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in this church” may be useful to devout and educated Christians, but a word of explanation to uninitiated might provide helpful teaching.
Notices should be welcoming and encouraging. It is reported that one church notice read “Please remember that you are a visitor in this church”. Rather than display anxiety about the conduct of others we should be eager to welcome.
Instructions should be polite and positive and so we should perhaps not say “The church will close at 6 pm” but rather “The church will be open until 6 pm”.
The introduction of flowers, candles and incense, as well as being aesthetically pleasing, also offers the opportunity to give brief explanations as to their significance in a religious context. Also the sensitive use of audio/visual aids, including music, can enhance the visitor’s experience but should be produced on good quality equipment and not be a distraction.
Some of our church interiors are extremely dark and consideration should be given to the installation of modern, economical, low-voltage spotlights, not only as a welcome, but also to highlight some of the more spiritual and interesting features of the building.
The use of a loose-leaf Visitors’ Book could be popular because a visit is then a shared experience.
For the church this provides a record and an opportunity to identify specific needs e.g. leaflets in the language of overseas visitors as well as the opportunity to send Christmas cards and maintain links.
On a cautionary note, someone would need to monitor the Book to remove any inappropriate entries and a loose-leaf version makes this easier to do.
There is still a strong feeling that churches should remain open for private prayer and meditation throughout the day, but sometimes fear of vandalism and theft and the policies of church insurers make us unable to extend Christ’s welcome in this way. The more a church is manned, not only by those who have this as a specific task, but also by those who use the church for prayer, the less these dangers arise.
Small, portable and saleable items, such as small items of furniture, old chairs and chests, are attractive to the thief and should be locked away when not in use. Valuable candlesticks and similar furnishings could be replaced by wooden replicas. Security marking with an ultra-violet pen is thoroughly recommended. Money boxes should be emptied frequently and a notice to that effect may discourage petty theft.
Despite such precautions, however, it may be considered necessary to lock the church at certain times. A notice should be displayed giving details of a key holder but the key should never be handed over to strangers, so it is necessary to find somebody who is willing to open and lock the church as required. For obvious reasons, an elderly or frail person may not be suitable for this responsibility.
Some churches may be able to install Closed Circuit Televisions. Further advice can be obtained from your insurers.
More especially in town centre churches, there may be opportunities to serve those in need. People sometimes come to church because of emotional distress or illness of one kind or another. It may be that they are in need of advice, are hungry, confused or worried for various reasons.
A sensitive presence can be a source of support and comfort to people at these difficult times.
An intercessions board to which subjects for prayers may be added by individuals may provide a useful and appropriate service. These need to be checked regularly and it would be helpful to indicate that the requests are said by laity or clergy during normal “offices” of the day.
A quiet place for prayer and meditation should be provided A side chapel or room might be equipped with prayer cards or other aids to private worship.
Prayer suggestions may be offered using an open bible on the lectern with a note explaining why the text is appropriate and relevant to the day (care should be taken in choosing a modern bible translation). Other areas e.g. the font may have a text about baptism or the altar a text about the Eucharist.
These should be on at least three levels. Most guides are designed to appeal to the erudite, those to whom words such “perpendicular”, “Gothic” and “corbels” are meaningful.
We should perhaps concentrate first on a publication which communicates with the majority of people rather than those with specialised interests. We should try to attract the average person who is likely to be interested by the more sensational aspects of local history in which the church has been involved, especially at the human level.
Our churches are full of social history in which ordinary people have been involved: the hardships of bygone days; the triumphs of war; the intrigues of people in power; their own personal joys and sorrows. Such stories may relate not only to the local community but also to the development of the nation. Your local church may be rich in stories of this kind and signs may be readily visible from what may be seen in the church or churchyard.
A second brochure may deal with the more academic facts of architecture, history, geography, liturgy and worship.
Most ancient churches have such guides and, even though there will be a limited public for their purchase, it is surely right to aim for quality and accuracy.
A third kind of brochure may be published for children. This might include a quiz trail and competition which would not only be entertaining but also instructive. Both St Paul’s Bedford and St Mary’s Hitchin have produced excellent activity guides for children. Don’t forget - a good children’s or junior guide will be used by adults too.
It may be thought right to provide a free pamphlet which gives a brief description of the church and its purpose and includes up to date times of worship.
A second free pamphlet—a short and easy read—with a plan of the church, numbered points and one line comments would also be useful. Both should be produced on good quality paper and set out as professionally as possible. A local sponsor may meet the costs and have a credit line included.
A free prayer card or bookmark, as a souvenir, serves both as a memento and often leads to an increase in donations (the usual donation is only 20p!)
A guide to the architectural and other features of a church should be available to visitors who wish to walk round the building. This information may be presented on hand-held bat boards or on paper heat-sealed between two durable plastic sheets. This process is also appropriate for signs and information on display boards. All printed materials, information sheets and notices need to be up-to-date, clear and clean. Attention to these details helps to promote the correct impression of a living church which is active and at work.
Display boards are an asset as we seek to present the living church to visitors. These provide a great opportunity to explain the Christian faith in a simple, attractive manner.
Exhibitions illustrating the work of the church at home and overseas may be set up. Displays showing the development of the Christian church through history to the present day may be devised. Children’s work can be both attractive and instructive when displayed. Some churches do a display “feature of the month” on matters which should be of special Christian concerns. Unfortunately, display board systems are expensive but some parishes have been able to make their own. All information should be kept up to date.
The sale of Christian literature is helpful in the work of promoting the faith. It is important to replace books regularly: dusty and well-thumbed books should not be seen. Sometimes it is possible to make an arrangement with a local bookseller to have books on “sale or return” so that stock may be changed frequently.
Care needs to be taken in stocking for the right “market”. Profit is unlikely and theft may be a problem but it can provide a local church’s mission to the local community and beyond.
Souvenirs are popular as they provide people with a memento of their visit and they may be a small source of income for the church. Items such as pencils, bookmarks, mugs, plates and notelets can be personalised with the church’s dedication and logo. They may be obtained from a variety of companies that advertise their services widely, including in the church press.
Appeals for money, for example, to repair the building or provide a new organ, should not perhaps dominate the scene. They should, however, be clear, give a concise explanation of the need, and show where donations may be placed.
A simple explanation of the Gift Aid Scheme and a supply of printed envelopes should also be included.
The general public and overseas visitors may be well aware of our great cathedrals and major churches, but unaware of the many riches that may be enjoyed in so many of our parish churches. Advertisement is necessary to make our church heritage more widely known. Leaflets, cheaply produced, may be distributed free of charge through a variety of agencies; for example,your local Tourist Information Centre. Many hotels and guesthouses are glad to have free literature to distribute to guests.
There might be other places in the vicinity where visitors gather and organisers may be pleased to distribute your leaflet. Such places would include airports, railway and bus stations, libraries, surgeries, cafés, restaurants, bookshops and theatres.
Consideration should also be given to constructing a web site. For advice, click here.
You could also win coverage in your local newspapers and media. For advice, click here.
A design which may serve the purpose well is to use a sheet of A4 paper folded as illustrated. This gives six equal areas for text and pictures which could be printed on the parish photocopier. The leaflet might be illustrated with simple line drawings of the church and its interesting features. The text should not be technical but communicate to a wide public.
Such a leaflet could describe a trail which leads visitors to various buildings, church and secular, and to other places of interest. The trail might perhaps follow the course of an ancient highway, river or valley. Opportunity should be taken to include times of worship in the various churches. More elaborate productions could possibly be funded by inclusion of advertisements from local businesses which rely on the tourist trade, such as pubs and restaurants, gift shops and wildlife parks.
Church publications must compare favourably with literature from other sources. A personal computer connected to a good quality printer and running word processing and desktop publishing programs makes the design and production of varied and visually attractive printed material relatively straightforward. This booklet has been prepared in this manner.
Modest equipment can give good results but may be too expensive for individual parishes to purchase. Groups of parishes, however, might club together, perhaps on a deanery basis, to buy and share such a system.
Alternatively, some church members may own or have access to such equipment and be willing to produce material from time to time.
Another option might be to approach a local secondary school, or the media or design department of the local college, about the possibility of pupils designing and producing materials. The National Curriculum requires pupils to be involved in designing and creating activities which stem from the identification of real needs, and most secondary schools have excellent computing facilities.
The Children’s Communion Book (Rites A or B) [Mowbray]
Churchyards Handbook - Peter Burman & Henry Stapleton [Church House Publishing] (£7.95)
Wildlife in Churches and Churchyards - Nigel Cooper [Church House Publishing] (£6.95)
Electrical Maintenance [National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting]
The following books are published by the Council for the Care of Churches:
All these books can be ordered through the Resources Centre.