Summer Staff Highlight: The Importance of Welcoming with Amy
Hi! I’m Amy McMillan and this summer, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work at Bethany as the First Impressions and Welcoming Assistant.
When people hear the word “welcoming” in relation to church, they often think of the volunteers greeting people on a Sunday morning, and although that is part of welcoming, there is so much more to it that goes on behind the scenes. One thing I have enjoyed about my job so far is the administrative side of things. Every time I have taken a spiritual gifts test in the past, the clear number one is always administration, and I feel that this is a job where my abilities are being well used. Helping to figure out a schedule that works for all welcoming volunteers, making name tags for new volunteers, and stocking the cafe each week are some examples of my tasks. I enjoy these tasks and feel they are important. When I make name tags for new volunteers, it means that there are new people that want to give back and use their own abilities to help with welcoming, kidzone, etc., and I think that’s awesome! It helps out those ministries and impacts all members of the church as many services couldn’t
run without volunteers! Restocking the cafe is important, as the cafe gives people a place to connect each Sunday morning, as well as brings people joy that they can come here and get a free cup of coffee, tea, juice, etc. During the time I’ve been here so far, I’ve heard of several people who came to the church for the first time and told a volunteer or staff member that they think it is so nice that we have free coffee. It may just be coffee, but I love that it makes people happy!
Another side of welcoming is the first impressions side, aka, welcoming those who are coming to Bethany for the first time. I have really enjoyed this side of things and found it fulfilling. Although I would consider myself an introvert, I have liked getting to meet new people at the welcome desk and hear what led to them checking out Bethany. I recently saw a quote about welcoming new people that have never been to church before that said “what a privilege to be their first impression of the kingdom of God!” and I think that’s a really cool way to look at things! It is said that someone knows if they are coming back to a church within 7 minutes. Many decide before the service has even started. This means that the efforts of the whole welcoming team are extremely important in ensuring that people’s first impression of Bethany is a positive one. I have enjoyed seeing the impact that something as small as giving them a starbucks gift card, or walking them to their child’s Sunday school classroom can have on people. These things seem simple, but even a small act of kindness can go a long way. This doesn’t just end after Sunday morning either. Another part of my job is calling, and writing cards to people who have been attending for a few weeks. The cards are to let them know that we are praying for them and the phone calls are to see how they have been enjoying Bethany so far. These are more tasks that may not be difficult, but go a long way in helping new people join the church community and ensuring they feel that they are welcomed and cared for.
At the end of the day, a big part of why I enjoy my job is because I truly believe that First Impressions and Welcoming are important. As it says in Matthew 22:39, the second most important commandment is “love your neighbor as yourself,” and welcoming is the embodiment of this. Whether it be having a conversation with a newcomer or giving a cup of coffee to someone who’s been here for years, we are showing God’s love to others. In the rest of the weeks that I am here working at Bethany, I look forward to continuing with the responsibilities I already have, as well as trying out new things and growing in my different skills! As I already said, I feel very fortunate to have this job, and I am excited to see what the rest of the summer will bring!