UniLu Welcomer Handout
The Goal of Welcomers:
The goal of welcomers is to foster the spirit of friendship at UniLu by making personal connections with visitors and introducing visitors to other members of the congregation.
Suggestions for Meeting People New to the Community:
1. Please wear nametag and consider whether you want to identify yourself as a welcomer on your nametag. You may artistically design your welcomer nametag on the back of your current nametag.
2. Consider taking time during the service to see if you can identify people new to the community.
3. Announcer may identify you as a welcomer during announcements.
4. Consider leaving the church service early (during the final hymn) to stand by the Guest Book table forthe welcoming task.
5. Identify people new to the community.
6. Introduce yourself to those people that you have identified.
7. Engage newcomers in conversation and try to find out how UniLu can serve them.
8. Encourage newcomers to sign the guest book.
9. Consider handing the newcomer a "UniLu in Brief" pamphlet.
10. Introduce newcomers to people in the congregation—ideally those with common interests.
11. If it seems natural, try to identify a group that the newcomer might want to join and ask the newcomer if you may have a member of that group contact them.
12. Be sure to point out Tom and Joanne to newcomers. Tom and Joanne are often busy after services and sometimes caught up in other responsibilities. If Tom or Joanne is free, if it feels natural to do so, and the newcomer has not met one of the pastors, you may want to introduce the newcomer to Tom or Joanne.
13. Use Welcomer Cards to keep track of your observations and to copy contact information (from Guest Book and/or pew cards handed in to the Pastors) for your personal reference.
Follow-up:
1. Place a call or send a note or e-mail to newcomers you have met. Whenever possible, this follow-up should be done within six days. You do not need to follow-up with short-term visitors.
2. If you were able to identify a group and got the newcomer's permission, call the contact person for the group on the referral list on the back of this page and ask them to contact the newcomer.
As your relationship with a newcomer evolves and you get a sense that s/he would like to become more involved in UniLu, please be sure to introduce the person to either Tom or Joanne. Let the newcomer know that it's easy to schedule a one-to-one conversation with one of the pastors over coffee or lunch. Remember, most people usually want to talk to one or both pastors once they are becoming more involved and especially when they are giving serious thought to joining the congregation.
Please remember that all conversations are unique. Do not feel obligated to cover everything on this checklist. These are merely suggestions; use your common sense and remember the purpose of all of this—to make the newcomer feel welcome.
Please forward comments/suggestions to a member of the Outreach Committee. Also, please share any special experiences while you were welcoming.
Thank you!
Rev. 1.0 2/10/2003
Outreach Committee:
Phil Arula / (617) 474-9115Pr. Tom Chittick / (617) 876-3256
Susan Davis / (781) 431-1993
Kathryn Hamm / (617) 512-5098
Graham Kelder / (617) 876-1947
Gisela Koester / (781) 862-4166
Jenny Mehlow / (617) 666-1544
Bryan Russell / (617) 512-4658
Rita Schwantes / (617) 491-2205
Referral List:
Group / Contact Person / Phone NumberBU students / Molly Mayfield / 617-441-8236
Choir / Ted Davis / 781-431-1993
Harvard students / Kari Jo Verhulst / 617-864-5994
Northeastern students / Joyce DeGreef (chaplain) / , 617-373-4923
Jordan Krey (student) /
Ben Krey (student) /
Erin Petta (student) /
Shelter / Gail Bucher / 617-489-4388
Sunday School / Amy Kremer / 781-643-6928
Laura Tracey / 781-488-3233
Women of the Church / Gisela Koester / 781-862-4166
Ann Himmelberger / 978-742-5690
Young Adults and Graduate Students / Bryan Russell / 617-512-4658
Youth / April Almaas / 614-316-3886
Yoga / Portia Brockway / 617-864-9642, ,