How We Can Extend Radical Hospitality

Last week 47 people gathered at Pomme de Terre United Methodist Church to learn about and think of way that we can extend radical hospitality to one another.

During our time together groups walked through the church imagining and experiencing what each of the groups listed below might feel as they walked into our church for the first time. Some wore baseball hats and iPods, others pushed a baby stroller through the parking lot and church, and still others tried to navigate the church in a wheelchair. Their insights -- and possibilities for ministries of radical hospitality are listed below:

Teenagers
1. teen choirs invited to sing at church
2. there are no signs of teenagers at our church
3. they would be impressed/interested in the sound equipment
4. we need lots of other teenagers
5. an alternate day other than Sunday morning
6. after-school program
7. basketball goals in parking lot (in a visible area)
8. playground equipment in visible area
9. pictures, posters, banners, art work in visible places
10. Make youth activities more apparent
11. MYF (Sunday night? Methodist Youth Fellowship)
12. The church members can’t be critical of appearance/behavior of teens in church

Single Parents
1. Greeters take parents and children to nursery/restroom/classroom when needed
2. parking lot greeters
3. visitor parking spots
4. staffed nursery
5. children’s church/Sunday School
6. diapers and baby wipes on hand
7. rocking chairs in sanctuary
8. cry room
9. vacation bible school
10. parent’s night out
11. advertise child care is available
12. offer a class for single parents
13. offer a class for blended families

Handicapped/Special Needs
1. Ladies’ restroom is NOT totally handicapped accessible (especially individual stalls)
2. lower drinking fountains for handicapped persons
3. sinks NOT handicapped accessible
4. fire exits are not handicapped accessible
5. sings are not informative enough
6. Parking lot attendants
7. electronic doors
8. remove bumps from floors
9. restroom door turn
10. deeper restroom stalls
11. handles to help getting out of restroom
12. area for wheelchairs in sanctuary
13. cannot get into/out of choir-pulpit area
14. need someone looking out for handicapped persons to open doors
15. lower door handles

General
1. Compile a list of commonalities to match people who worked in same industry or went to same school.
2. Assign different members to walk around sanctuary and be greeters at doors each Sunday.
3. Support group for those who have experienced the death of someone close
4. have a “head user in charge” who knows the membership well enough so that guests can be connected with people who have something in common
5. neighborhood/area “shepherding” groups are still a good concept
6. Each member can invite one person to attend church; pick them up, sit with them, maybe on a day when there is a potluck
7. To introduce people to our church have a special guest Sunday once every six months
8. Sign out front might read “First-time visitor parking available.” or “Visitors expected.”
9. Standing and speaking to people around us is a great thing
10. Remember and respect that different people respond to different methods of invitation
11. Give each visitor a copy of our most recent newsletter so they know us better and a copy of the Upper Room so they know God better.
12. Our music ministry is one of our best evangelism activities.