Family Life
Everybody’s Welcome 2006
What Already Works - Tips for Becoming a More Welcoming Parish
Just a few examples of some of the many good ideas that are already happening in parishes in the Archdiocese and beyond.
Develop Ministry of Welcome teams for all Sunday masses, Christmas, Easter and for baptisms and funerals. Ensure a good mix of age groups and ethnic origins in your teams.
Ensure that new parishioners are invited and accompanied into coffee after Mass. Look out for those who have come to Mass alone.
Ensure good access for people with disabilities. Is the sound system effective? Do you produce large print versions of the bulletin?
Parish Council members - do parishioners know who you are? Do you have a photo gallery on display or wear badges? Do you greet people after Mass and try to attend the after-Mass coffee regularly?
Are your notice boards up to date and colourful? Do they link in to neighbouring churches, the local community and the wider world.
Is your Church open during the week? Can you ensure at least one church in your area is open every day and advertise this?
A Welcome card for newcomers to be either given out or laid out on the pews and regularly replaced. You could include some words of welcome, information about parish groups and events with contact details and an invitation for new parishioners to give their details in to the parish office. Make sure there will be some follow up.
Have a regular (every 3/6/12 months?) welcome party for new parishioners. Include all age groups.
Encourage parishioners to speak to at least one new person after Mass
Are some parish events, such as Café, held at times that suit older people?
Think about having a parish holiday together during the school summer holidays – perhaps a week at an inexpensive venue that would be within the reach of all families.
PLEASE DON’T FORGET SINGLES
All the talk of families might make us forget the needs of that very significant group within our parishes, the single people – young or old. How are they made to feel welcome and involved and part of the larger “parish family”? We would like to hear about their experiences of parish life.
Copyright © 2007 Archdiocese of Birmingham Vocations Centre. All rights reserved.