The New Attender Ministry is an initiative to reach out to new attenders in a more intentional way than our congregation has done in the past.
As we strive to connect with all new attenders we ask that church members reach out to those they don't know to connect, answer questions, and make the new attender feel welcome. It would be helpful if the church members pass on to the new attender ministry any contact information they receive.
The members who are "on duty" each month will:
- Become familiar with new attenders who are included on the picture board
- Pay attention to introductions made during sharing times
- Watch for new people and greet them before and after services
- Record names and information on a shared online space, which the pastors can access
- Be ready to share any information needed to make newcomers feel welcome at CMC
- Connect new attenders to other church members
- Invite newcomers to lunch, to church-wide events, or to coffee/tea as appropriate
- Make follow-up calls as appropriate
Mission:
The New Attender Ministry is designed to help CMC be more intentional about reaching out to new attenders. It adds to what CMC’s pastors, greeters and ushers do on a regular basis.
The New Attender Ministry has anywhere between eight – twelve CMC volunteers. The volunteers are coordinated by the chair of the committee, who sets the monthly schedule, attends or hosts the occasional new attenders’ meal, and calls a quarterly/bi-annual committee meeting. Two team members are scheduled for each calendar month to be more intentional about reaching out to persons who are relatively new to CMC. Each team member is on active ministry a couple months a year.
Volunteers become familiar with the new attenders who are included on the picture board and pay attention to introductions made during the sharing time. They watch for new persons and greet them before and after the service. The volunteer is a resource for the new attender to ask questions and is a connection to other church members. Volunteers can invite the newcomer to lunch, church wide events or coffee/tea if they would like to. Volunteers record the names and contact information of the new attender on Breeze, which the volunteers and pastors can all access.
This is a two-year commitment as a volunteer. The team is under the leadership of the Community Life Commission.
Updated by Heidi Derstine, 29 October 2014.