Currently at my parish we have started an Evangelization Committee to start the conversation on how we can evangelize our neighborhood.  As I read more and more blogs and books on parish ministry and evangelization, as well as my experience in parish ministry, it’s becoming more evident to me how important the “Sunday experience” is to people.  The first impression a new person receives when coming to Church, either for the first time ever or the first time in decades, is a highly important make or break experience.  A persons first impression is literally life or death for both the person and the parish they are entering.  If you have a parish of angry, cynical, and 100% introverted parishioners no one will return for a second visit.  Is that unfair? Yes.  Is that superficial?  Yes.  Is this the reality?  Yes.

Many authors I have been reading relate the “Sunday experience” to visiting a restaurant for the first time.  This is a fine example to compare with; however, at the end of the day, if I’m hungry enough, I’m eating at that restaurant regardless of the waitstaff or look of the place.  Our new visitors don’t always know that their starving for union with God as much as we feel famished enough to remain at a horrible restaurant.  Our faithful parishioners who come to Mass in rain, snow, sleet, with bad pastors, loud babies, awful homilies, and uncomfortable pews come because they know they are starving for communion with God and the Eucharist.  New people don’t know what they’re hungry for yet and so these superficial things (and some real problems) give them one more reason to leave.

We have discussed re-training our “ushers” to see themselves more as “greeters” and to be as welcoming as they can be when people come through the door, especially those who look totally unfamiliar.  Don’t get me wrong.  We have awesome ushers who are very friendly and love talking to people; however, we can all improve and focus more on the new people.  Also, because our ushers love talking to people as they come in, they blend in as typical parishioners talking with friends.  There is no way of knowing they are people who are willing to help you and welcome you to the parish.  

Another aid that was discussed among our committee was having easy and inconspicuous material to help new comers know what to do during Mass.  So, we are currently working on a card we can stick in our hymnals to assist people in when to kneel, sit, stand, and where they can find responses and prayers.  Luckily, some of our committee members decided to return to the Church in recent years and so they remember what it’s like to be new in a parish after being away for so many years.

I share these thoughts as a way to think them through (it helps when I write things down) but I also share them to see if any other ideas are out there.  What have you done or seen done at other parishes?  If you don’t want to comment below, shoot me an e-mail at FatherDominicClemente@gmail.com.  I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas.