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.
|
|
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
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
This slideshow about St. Thomas' Parish provides a visual and narrative introduction to life in the Parish.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
 St. Thomas' pushed the envelope yet again in its participation in the 2007 D.C. Pride Events. The weekend's events included hosting a barbecue with fellow parishes, marching in the parade with the Bishop of Washington, and celebrating a mass affirmation of couples—gay and straight—in committed relationships.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
