Welcome and Hospitality Team: Living Out Stewardship and Building the Body of Christ

We may be social distancing at this time, but distance does not hamper the warm welcome our parish Welcome and Hospitality Team extends to new parishioners.

Work is underway to take the welcome virtual as COVID-19 restrictions call for new ways to navigate parish life.

Typically, when a new parishioner registers at Christ the King, Advancement Director Katie Sheppard sends their name to team leaders Tag and Robert Heister, who then either email or call the newcomer, introduce themselves, and welcome them to the parish. Tag and Robert are joined in the ministry that numbers about 15 members.

New members are also sent a copy of our Stewardship Guide. This will allow them to see what ministries they might want to join. When they mail in their choice, the ministry leader will reach out in welcome.

In regular times, the new members would then be invited either to a Knights of Columbus breakfast, or a new member reception that has been held twice a year. However, pandemic restrictions have kept these events from taking place.

“We’re having in-person Masses again, but there is no real opportunity chat after Mass,” Katie says. “We are unable to reach out in person, and this makes it particularly hard to extend newcomers a personal welcome from their new parish family.”

Despite the challenges, the ministry works to act in stewardship as it welcomes newcomers.

“Stewardship is not just about monetary gifts,” says Samantha Sexton, ministry member.

“We offer our gifts in time and talent, as well. We live in an ever-changing environment where people live on their phones and social media. Time is the only thing you can’t buy more of. So, when you extend a kind smile, a greeting, and take a moment to speak with someone — it’s extremely special. Those small gifts are monumental to all members of our parish, but especially new members. It’s important to be present and engage with members early on to make sure they feel welcome and wanted in their new church home.”

The ministry has been exploring using platforms like Zoom to reach out to new parishioners. As this work has been underway, Katie says she found a helpful quotation — “People are first attracted to a church by the worship, but they stay because of hospitality and friendship.”

“If we want to build community, we have to begin with hospitality,” she says. “When you build community, people are willing to give back. We’re a big parish, with 2,000 members. We have about 1,600 active parishioners. We have a lot to offer, but someone can also get swallowed up. It is important to connect these parishioners to a ministry.”

The ministry also is looking at the newcomers’ demographics — for example, whether he or she is married, single or widowed. A ministry member who closely matches the newcomer’s stage in life could make the second phone call.

Newcomers are made to feel at home by the personal phone call they haven’t expected, and by an invitation to a reception.

“As soon as a new parishioner is identified, it is so important to notice them at Mass and continually speak with them and encourage them to become involved with some ministry that would interest them,” says Catherine Nalli, ministry member. “Through the years I can remember so many people, that once you engage them in conversation, you begin to see where they would fit in our landscape of many places to be involved. I just approached a person who is not actually new, but just attending Mass, and asked her to help with the Ice Cream Social. She was delighted and now I know that I can include her in other events.”

The ministry’s care has helped make a difference for our parish community as we have faced the difficulties presented by the pandemic. Their work ensures us that we are truly a community in faith, caring for each other as disciples of Christ.

Vida Laureano shared her experiences in this.

“During the course of making 250 parishioner checkup calls from April through August, I witnessed parishioners’ resiliency, faith and gratitude,” she says. “Parishioners shared prayer requests that I relayed to the Christ the King prayer network. Many parishioners had experienced a recent death in their families or severe illnesses, and yet their faith was unwavering.

“A few parishioners touched my heart so much that I followed up on our initial phone conversation and they remain in my daily prayers,” Vida adds. “I gained strength in making these phone calls by connecting with my fellow parishioners and seeing how they were coping during the first few months of the pandemic. This ministry exemplifies how we are all One Body in Christ.”

New members are always welcome, and can join by calling Katie Sheppard at 859-268-2861. We will have a series of Welcome Zoom gatherings the week of January 11th. Newcomers can sign up for one that best fits their schedule and interests at www.cathedralctk.org/newcomers.