Loving on Our Ministry-Team Neighbors: Stories From the Field
Listen to six stories of what it’s like to love on and be loved by ministry-team neighbors from around the denomination.
Share your ideas here! Join the discussion about hospitality, welcoming and caring for visitors and members at your church.
Listen to six stories of what it’s like to love on and be loved by ministry-team neighbors from around the denomination.
Do we share our love easily with someone different from us? We pride ourselves on maintaining a status quo of acceptable friends, but what about others in various difficult situations?
It’s important as churches and pastors to be prepared for very unexpected situations. Here's one story that illustrates this.
Post COVID-19, how can we get the same experience of being together and passing the communion to each other? Any thoughts?
The DIRECTORY function in The Bridge App can help to connect your church's members, and the photo feature is a great way to make new members feel at home.
Have any of you produced your own directories and if so, how did it go?
I am looking for a copy of the How To Warmly Welcome and Effectively Enfold book or toolkit that was published by Faith Alive (CRC publishing) some years ago.
An elder's email question turns into a conversation at Pastor Church Resources about churches that receive new pastors.
These 50 Ways will help your congregation make a good first impression and extend hospitality in meaningful ways.
This Christianity Today article by Calvin C. Ratz explores what it takes to have newcomers stay connected to your congregation.
I'd love to know, what refreshments (if any) does your church serve? Is this a purposeful decision?
The Giving Manger was founded by two sisters wanting to "help families focus on giving and the true meaning of Christmas." Do any of their service ideas intrigue you?
We are in the process of further developing a welcome center in our church. Duties involved include successfully greeting and welcoming visitors. Does your church have a job description related to these duties?
Despite the United States’ strong legacy of humanitarianism and refugee resettlement, it is poised to offer its weakest response in nearly a century.
A group of snowbirds who met at a church in Florida are planning a potluck this summer in West Michigan. Any ideas for entertainment?
We might not know our neighbours or even like our neighbours, but we need to hear God’s call and allow it to guide our faith and actions to love our neighbours on the streets, in schools, at work, and in our churches.
I remember the turning point for Larry’s new faith journey. He had witnessed a model of service that was new to him—a church that showed it cared about those who are afflicted.
Imagine someone comes knocking at your door or at your church door asking for help. What are the first questions you ask them?
While on vacation in South Carolina, my wife and I worshiped at First Zion Baptist Church. And though it was immediately clear that we were visitors in a strange land, this little church with a big heart welcomed us. . .
Several years back, a middle-aged couple in our church told me: “We’ve been members here for 12 years and we still feel like outsiders.”
I was struck dumb, my mind racing. What had I done or said to evoke such a question? I don’t remember how the conversation concluded. But I do remember its impact on me.
Two years ago I heard a young woman say, “I long to be part of a church that smells like Jesus.” Her longing forced me to stand in front of the mirror of self-reflection.
Focusing less on practical accessibility concerns, this study looks at the church, the Christian community, as it responds — whether positively or negatively — to the presence of persons with disabilities.
This welcome statement challenges me to reconsider whether there are people I’ve labeled as beyond God’s reach and therefore not truly welcome to worship...
I recently talked to a church that was looking for materials to help them become more welcoming. I've shared some resources I found but would love to hear your tips as well!