This ministry’s charge is to develop strategies to identify, invite and incorporate new members into the congregation. The ministry members are responsible for developing and implementing a ministry of welcome after each worship service.
The ministry is divided into two areas:
WELCOMING: Trains and schedules parishioners to serve as greeters at the Sunday morning services, coordinates follow up with newcomers, plans welcoming socials for newcomers about four times per year, and makes sure that newcomers are aware of the parish’s offerings.
INCORPORATION: the most significant indicator of a healthy and successful church community is the active participation of its members in the ministry and life of the parish; with this in mind, the ministry works to ensure that every member of St. Thomas’, new or established, is invited and encouraged to participate fully in the ministry and life of the Church. The ministry’s focus is two-fold: first, to work with the Rector to coordinate newcomers orientation sessions for those who are interested in joining the parish; and second, on a regular basis to identify the skills and interests of both newcomers and current parishioners who are not actively engaged in parish life, encouraging other ministries to develop programs with these people in mind or to invite them to get involved.
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Newcomers's Series Begins September 25
We love that you are here and look forward to getting to know you! We want to share with you all we are and help you add your gifts to our lives as a community.
September 25: If you are new to our community dureing the past year, you are invited to share a meal with Nancy Lee Jose (our rector) and her husband Wayne Floyd in their home on September 25, 2011, following the 11 am service and coffee hour.
This gathering will be followed up with opportunities for you to meet the parish leadership
and receive information about parish activities on the next two Sundays.
October 2: Please join the Senior Warden, John Johnson, and Junior Warden, Matt Cloninger, in the Godly Play room after the 11 am service and coffee hour on October 2 to learn more about the parish and have time for Q & A with you. Light lunch fare will be provided.
October 9: The program group leaders will want to spend time with newcomers in the Godly Play room after the 11 am service and coffee hour on October 9 toto explore all the ways to get involved in the life of the parish. Light lunch fare will be provided.
Can't make it this time? This series of three events will occur again in January (1/15/2012, 1/22/2012, 1/29/2012)
and in April (4/15/2012, 4/22/2012, 4/29/2012). We hope you will give us this opportunity to know you better!
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FOYER DINNER SIGN UP
The Foyer Dinner program has been a long standing St. Thomas' tradition that brings small groups of parishioners together each month to share a meal in each other's homes. These are wonderful get-togethers where conversations are wide-ranging and laughs are many! There's not an easier way to get to know one another. Nearly thirty parishioners participated in the last series.
Please join us! The dinner groups will be assigned after the completion of the sign up period. Each group is limited to about six or seven parishioners - a number that allows for great conversation and community building in even the smallest of apartments. Participants gather for four meals over the three month, early October to early January, period. The dates and times of the gatherings are flexible and decided the month before by group consensus. Your participation in the series helps St. T's to build community one meal at a time.
Sign up on the door to the Guild Room (coffee hour room) from Sunday, August 28th through Sunday, September 18th. As you sign up, we thank you in advance for your faithful commitment to assuring the success of this parish program. For further information, see or e-mail Jerry Donahoe at maineescape@aol.com.
If you, for whatever reason, you miss sign ups, please contact Jerry and he will help you join a group even if we are midway through the cycle. The next foyer dinner cycle will begin in February.
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Who: The parishioners of St. Thomas
What: Including Newcomers
Where: St. Thomas Parish Episcopal Church
When: Every time you are at St. Thomas
Why: Because we can only grow and deepen in our spirituality if we include and incorporate new members who come through our doors
How: Talk to people, give them a welcome card, have them fill out the card, and you give that card to John Dwyer, Nancy Lee, Jessie Brewster, or put it in the Parish Administrator's box in the office
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To request a new, replacement, or updated name tag, please email nametags@stthomasdc.org. This includes requests to change a yellow newcomer tag into a regular white one. Committee ribbons can also be obtained. Of note, please be sure to return your name tag to the proper bin so that you can find it the following week.
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Greeters help steer our parish toward reaching its goal to be a place of welcome to all! Greeters provide a friendly “hello” to folks as they enter our church doors, make a special effort to chat with newcomers at coffee hour following services, facilitate introductions, and serve as a resource for newcomers with questions about St. Thomas’. Greeters have proven to be a key resource in acquainting newcomers with our parish and its numerous offerings for spiritual growth and engagement.
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