Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Hospitality Tips

HOSPITALITY TIPS (Including “Will You become an O.S.P?”)

by Pastor Dave Sonnenberg

As the people of Good Shepherd, we are called to share the love of God with the people of our community. It is a sacred task that we’ve been entrusted with. One of the ways we demonstrate that we are taking that call seriously is when we consciously work to be gracious hosts. When we consider ourselves hosts, then we become willing to go out of our way to help others. If there are any barriers, a host will seek to remove those as quickly as possible.

How can you help us extend gracious hospitality? Here are but a few examples:

Try the two-minute challenge.

Studies indicate that most visitors to the church leave within two minutes of the service ending. If they are not greeted within that time the chances of them returning decrease tremendously.  Challenge yourself to take the first two minutes after the service to greet someone you do not know; after that seek out your long time friends. As we see week in and week out, friends stay for 15-20 minutes or longer to reconnect.

 Be the first to say hello.

Simply offer your name first and let the other person respond according to their comfort level, “Good morning, I’m John. Nice to see you.” Perhaps they will say, “My name is Jane, this is my first time,” or perhaps they will say, “I’m Judy, I usually come to the late service. Nice to meet you.”

Wear your name tag

In the hallway near the sanctuary are name tags for Good Shepherd members. As we enter September, please consider wearing your name tag. It is a simple way of saying to others “I am a part of Good Shepherd. I am happy to talk with you or help point you in the right direction.

... and Become an O.S.P. on Sunday Morning

What does O.S.P. stand for?

a. Overly Sloppy Person

WhiteBox

b. Overly Silly Person

c. Odorous Shady Pirate

d. Off Site Parker

Correct answer: d. Off Site Parker!

We’re offering a simple challenge to our membership in the days to come. As an act of hospitality and as part of helping to make room for others, we challenge you to become an OFF SITE PARKER.

Compared to many churches Good Shepherd actually has tremendous parking options. Within one block of the church we have 200+ spaces available to us. Our parking lot has 96 spaces, and less than one block away down S. Westland we can park at Rosemont Elementary School. Rosemont has more than 80 spaces available, is a short walk to church, and walking from there does not require us to cross a highway. We also have permission to park at Walnut Hill Shopping Center, directly across Rt. 355. There are many spaces available to us in the shopping center.

The challenge is simple - are you willing to park half a block away to leave room for others who need it most - the elderly, the handicapped, those with small children, and the newcomer? Give it a try! If you are a leader in the church or a choir member or a staff member, are you willing to park off site? I have been parking at Rosemont for many months now. It’s a short, safe walk that takes less than two minutes. Give it a try. It may not seem like a big deal at first, but it really will make a difference!

What will happen if all of a sudden, we have 75-100 drivers coming to church and their first act is an act of hospitality, namely, parking off site? I suspect what will happen is that they will come into the building and begin to demonstrate hospitality in others ways as well. Give it a try! Let the office know if you are willing to become an O.S.P. (office@goodshepherdonline.org)

 

 

 

Last Updated:  04/11/08 08:45 AM