Sunday morning starts with breakfast and thoughts about going to church.  I know that I'm going to worship with the parish and connect with the community there.  Even though the service starts at 10:30 a.m., I arrive at 10:00. I know that when I arrive, I will have a few moments of prayer with Reverend Daniel and a Deacon--perhaps Reverend Jennifer or Reverend David.  We take that time to connect, breathe deeply, and offer our gratitude for the opportunity to be there.  We pray that our parishioners and our guests feel connected to each other and to God during the service.  We pray that our greeters will make our guests feel welcome.  After prayers, I take a few moments to say good morning to those who are already there.  Sometimes our music team is finishing a rehearsal before more parishioners arrive as the audio visual team does their preparation as well.  By this time I will have been joined by my partner greeter and we exchange hellos and a few laughs as we check in with each other.  We watch the young people arrive and prepare for their roles as crucifers, those who will wear a white robe over their clothes and carry the cross.  They always come with youthful energy and giggles with their friends or siblings before they assemble for the processional.

 

Parishioners and guests will continue to arrive and we will shake their hands and welcome them with a smile.  For those new to the church, we introduce ourselves and ask their names.  We ask if they would like Reverend Daniel to publicly welcome them at the end of the service.  Many guests say yes to this request and we write their name on a piece of paper, which we will give to Fr. Daniel prior to the processional.  Some guests are a little more shy, and decline the offer.  We often ask where a guest is visiting from and then ask if they would like help choosing a place to sit.  At the back of the church we have a few seats marked "guest"; some of our guests prefer to stay closer to the back of the church during the service, which is why we leave those seats open for them.  Some guests have even taken an offer to sit with me at the front of the church during the service.  If they need support during the service, I help them out.  However, our service is easy to follow as we use slides to share readings, lyrics for our songs, and sometimes even to accompany the priest's homily.

 

One of our greeters stays at the doors of the church for several minutes after the service starts because we know that some of our guests arrive late and we want to be there to help them get settled. Each of our greeters tries to remember everyone's names--and that is a feat in an of itself but has a great payoff.  Remembering and using people's names makes us both feel a greater sense of connection each week.

 

At the end of the service, I try to find our guests again so that I can invite them to coffee time in the church basement after the service.  This is a chance for our guests and regular attendees to visit in an informal way--all over a coffee or tea and a snack, of course.  

 

What's best about being a greeter at St. Francis is that I have the opportunity to be involved in the church community.  I deepen my relationships with many parishioners each week and meet new people almost every Sunday.  I know how special I have felt as a visitor when someone takes a moment to notice me and welcome me.  I hope that my role as a greeter, as simple as it may look, might make someone else feel special which may then make them feel more open to building their relationship with God.  That's what those prayers were all about when I arrived.
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