IT’S ALWAYS SOMEONE’S FIRST SUNDAY
This is our first time to meet in our new church facility. For some of you, you are more familiar with the layout than you want to be. But for others of you, this place is strange. We printed fliers telling where the different classrooms were and hopefully that helped. Believe me, you will get used to the building, the classes, where the restrooms are, and so forth.
I want to remind you of one fact: It is always someone’s first Sunday at Timber Ridge. While we see first-time guests at our church all the time, it is east to forget this truth and the ramifications of it. They can feel lost nd confused. They drive into our parking lot and are not sure where to park, where to drop their kids off, or where the restrooms are.
But their first experience could have an enormous impact on their life. Based on their experience parking or in the kids area, they may decide to be more open to our fellowship or to the sermon. If they feel god about how their kids are feeling, then they might feel good. Based on the worship experience, they may decide to come back next week.
We need greeters, not just ushers. We need couples that will serve for a month at a time to greet people when they come in and help them find their place, either in Sunday School, or a place to sit in the worship service.
We need to talk it up to them. Usually in our church, you can recognize our visitors because they are the only ones sitting while all our members are mingling together. Our leadership needs to lead in this matter. Your family will be there and you can spend time talking to them after church. But you have only one shot to get to know our visitors. YOU can make a difference in their life just by getting to know them.
Oh, and by the way, help them fill out the visitor card and have them put it in the offering plate. One of the greatest things I could read on a visitor’s card or hear from a visitor is “They talked with me.”
Remember, this Sunday, it will be someone’s first time at our church. After that, who knows? They might find themselves taking steps in their spiritual journey and one day finding themselves following Jesus all because God used you in welcoming them as a first time guest.