Whatever happened to "Welcome to Wal-mart"?

 

“Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.” Ed Cunningham

  Do you have a favorite restaurant or store? I do. Most of us do. There are places that I go faithfully…though there may be other option, even less expensive options…just because those businesses go out of their way to make me feel welcome.

  Okay, confession is good for the soul, so I’ll fess up – I HATE EXERCISING…I HATE GOING TO THE WELLNESS CENTER. It’s not that I hate exercising, it’s that I hate all of the time that it takes. There are two individuals though who work at the Wellness Center though that help me ti keep going back: Nathan and Veronica. When I walk in the door, they greet me. They know my name. They ask how I’m doing. When I leave, they tell me to have a nice day. They know a little about me and go out of their way to make me feel welcome. I’ll be honest, they’re a major part of why I keep going.

  Have you noticed that Wal-mart no longer has greeters? Personally, I think that’s a marketing blunder. It’s hard to find someone to help you in Wal-mart and they’re workers often aren’t exactly known for their winning personalities. The main reasons people shop at Wal-mart are price and selection. There’s no relationship and no customer loyalty.

  I’m old enough to remember Woolworth, Montgomery Wards, Zayre and even S.S. Kreesge. Do you know what all those stores have in common? They’re gone, extinct. Obviously, there are a variety of reasons for their demise, but someday Wal-mart will probably be among them. Some day someone will out Wal-mart Wal-mart. And it’s the seemingly little things missing like friendliness that contribute to a company’s eventual demise.

  That’s why one of the most important ministries at Grace Church is our Greeting Ministry. Researchers say that church guests decide whether or not to return to a church they’re visiting in the first 10 to 12 minutes upon entering the church. Our greeters help us communicate our message – God cares about you and we care because God cares.

  For several years now, Tammy and Scott Elblein, have led our greeting ministry. They’ve done a great job! Recently, they’ve asked for a break and felt the need to step down (though they’ll still be substitutes J). We’re so thankful for the job they’ve done. Please go out of your way and thank them for their faithfulness. And a big thank you to Rich and Jayne Benson who faithfully greet folk as they come in to church and leave at the end of the service week after week.

  One of our newest members, Steve Fifer, has graciously consented though to take over this vital ministry. Please be praying for Steve as he steps into this role.

  The fact is that you only have one chance to make a first impression. Our Heavenly Father in His providence continually brings newcomers through our doors. I doubt you’d ever find a church that didn’t think that they were a friendly church. Yet, I’ve visited and you no doubt have too, visited churches that think that they’re friendly…and they are…to each other. Because they have friends there, they greet each other and engage each other. What they don’t realize is that there are often new people that are walking right by them and while they’re so caught up in their conversations and greeting their friends, they miss those coming in their doors who are new and don’t have any friends yet in that church. As someone pointedly asked, “What is the difference between a guest and a visitor at church?” It is the difference between never missing another Sunday or just never coming back.

  That’s why it’s so important that all of us are conscious and sensitive to newcomers the Lord might bring into our church. Some of them have never heard the Gospel and are looking for answers, for something to fill that God-shaped hole in their soul. People visit a church for countless reasons. One thing that nearly all of them are looking for – is someone to simply care, someone to notice them, someone to befriend them. Can they count on us?

  That’s why every ministry from our greeters, to our ushers, to our nursery, Sunday Morning LIVE, Children’s Church and even our coffee ministry are so important every weekend every service. Each one of them is communicating that God cares and because He cares, we care, too.

  The most vital part of our weekly welcome committee though is YOU. Let’s be honest, everyone expects the greeters and ushers to be friendly…and hopefully, the Pastor. After all, that’s their ministry. But when you sit next to someone or behind or in front of them…and they’re friendly to you, when they care about you – that really gets your attention. 

  Holiday Inn interviewed 5,000 people to fill 500 positions that were needed to open a new facility.  When the hotel managers interviewed these candidates, they excluded anybody who smiled fewer than four times during the course of their interview. This standard was applied to every available job and to every prospective employee.

  So how many of us would qualify for a job at Holiday Inn? As believers, though we have a lot to smile about, really to rejoice about? We know that we’re loved, forgiven, have God’s grace moment by moment and then have a retirement program and Home waiting for us that’s literally out of this world. No wonder the Apostle Paul commanded us, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

  I’m so thankful for the Elbleins, the Bensons and Steve Fifer. Yet, it’s not just their job. God has called each of us to be a vital part of the Welcome Committee! I’m all in…how about you?