• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Building Faith

Building Faith

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Who We Are
    • Our Writers
    • Author Guidelines
    • FAQs
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
  • ARTICLES
    • Articles by Topic
    • Most Recent Articles
  • EN ESPAÑOL
  • RESOURCES
    • Curriculum Center
    • Intergenerational Resources
    • Vacation Bible School
    • Webinars
    • Episcopal Teacher
  • SUPPORT US
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home/Welcoming & Evangelism/How to Identify and Welcome Visitors – Make Welcome Packets

How to Identify and Welcome Visitors – Make Welcome Packets

When done well, this practice is an expression of Christian hospitality, and also an important first step in church growth.

 

 

 

Welcoming is Formed
Here at Building Faith we believe that welcoming visitors is closely tied to formation. Here’s the issue: a welcoming congregation does not just “happen.” Churches that are truly effective in welcoming (and integrating) newcomers have been taught and formed in this practice.

A recent Building Faith poll showed that many churches do not identify visitors during services, although they do welcome visitors in other ways.

It depends on your context, but we encourage everyone to consider deliberate yet gentle ways of identifying visitors and newcomers at church. When done well, this practice is an expression of Christian hospitality, and also an important first step in church growth.

Welcome Packets
These serve two important purposes. First, they get important and relevant church information directly into the hands of newcomers.  Second, they create a “low impact” way for visitors to be identified by members of the congregation.

Welcome packets are easy to make using plastic gift bags and church information which you may already have printed. The following video walks you through the basic idea. You can change your packets to suit your community.

 

 

Other Articles and Links for Welcoming

Three Keys for Welcoming Newcomers at Church by Tim Schenck
In this article, a parish priest describes the steps that his parish uses to invite visitors and then guide them toward membership.

Making a Good First Impression by Carolyn Moomaw Chilton
This article provides practical suggestions form making sure that your church is visitor friendly.

Purchase Olive Wood Crosses
This wonderful website, run by a family in Connecticut sells beautiful crosses which make perfect gifts to visitors. The website sells these crosses as a ministry, for no profit.

 


Did you enjoy this article? Consider subscribing to Building Faith and get every new post by email. It’s free and always will be.  Subscribe to Building Faith.

 

About the Author

  • BuildFaith Editors

    View all posts
Print PDF

August 15, 2014 By BuildFaith Editors

Filed Under: Welcoming & Evangelism Tagged With: hospitality, ministry, newcomers, visitors, welcome, welcome packets

Primary Sidebar

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS

Subscribe to Building Faith

You’ll get new articles, plus free weekly updates in your inbox.

We respect your privacy. View our privacy policy here.

Search Our Site

New Articles

"Visually Safe Disability Pride Flag" with red, yellow, white, light blue, and green diagonal stripes from upper left to lower right on a dark gray background

New and Recent Resources for Disability Pride Month

July is Disability Pride Month in the U.S. As Lizzie Cox explains in her article "Disability Pride …

Continue Reading about New and Recent Resources for Disability Pride Month

Two hands of a person with dark skin tone shaping bronze-colored clay on a pottery wheel in front of a blurred blue background with brown spots

“Nobody’s Perfect”: A Resource for Talking to Youth about Sin

Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault and racial violence. In November of 2018, …

Continue Reading about “Nobody’s Perfect”: A Resource for Talking to Youth about Sin

Circular dots of various colors aligned in rows and columns on a gold surface

Intergenerational Insights: What Is Intergenerational Ministry?

This article is part of a series on Intergenerational Formation Insights written after a literature …

Continue Reading about Intergenerational Insights: What Is Intergenerational Ministry?

Footer

Keep in Touch

  • Email
  • Facebook

Building Faith

Lifelong Learning, Virginia Theological Seminary
3737 Seminary Rd.
Alexandria, VA 22304

Copyright © 2025 · Building Faith · A Ministry of Virginia Theological Seminary

Design by Blue+Pine Creative, Inc.

Subscribe to Building Faith

Get articles and resources by email

Privacy Policy

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.
If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.