From Newcomers to New Leaders Welcoming and Apprenticing The Rev. Dr. C. K. Robertson

How Do We Retain and Recruit Newcomers?

Take a piece of paper & a pen and…

Take a Field Trip of your own church Print advertising Website Phone message Signage Parking Facilities Service/social hour

Newcomers’ snapshots: What do they have to say to us about us? What works well? What needs work? Programs Follow up Welcome Nursery Liturgy

Create an ongoing record of newcomers Such a record allows us to keep track of our newcomers in an intentional way.

Newcomer Integration Record “From First-Time Visitor to Fully Adopted Member” Full Name: ___________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Phone: ______________________ (home, work, cell—circle one) Secondary Phone: __________________ (home, work, cell) E-mail: ______________________________________________ Names of Household members & birthdays: _____________________________________ _____________ Anniversary or other special day: _________________________ Clergy call in 48 hours: _____ Formal letter in 72 hours: _____ Lunch with Clergy: _____ Invited to Info Event: _____ Attended Info Event: _____ Added to Vestry Prayers: _____ “Brownie Buddie”: _____ Filled out pledge card: _____ Inquirers Class: _____ Membership Liturgy: _____ Added to directory: _____ Confirmed/Received: _____

Pray for Newcomers Send a Monday e-mail to all Vestry members with names of persons who visited services that weekend, to add to their daily prayers

Create a “Membership Moment” Make sure that your new members are formally recognized and blessed in a Sunday service! We Episcopalians do liturgy beautifully… we can mark the transition of a newcomer into a fully adopted member.

Passing on something special

3 People It’s all about intentional introductions. Not a sales pitch but a sharing of who you are and what matters to you.

3 People Ask someone to help you do a personal inventory… Consider your screensaver, your phone photos, your weekly update stories. It’s all about intentional introductions. Not a sales pitch but a sharing of who you are and what matters to you.

Recognize the gifts of others! Are our “leadership lenses” stuck at 20/80?

Nurture new leaders Instead, we can empower newcomers and help them become “insiders”

Pass it on! Think now of who you would like to mentor.

Pass it on! Think now of who you would like to mentor. Consider how you can share what you have learned from your leadership time.

Pass it on! Think now of who you would like to mentor. Consider how you can share what you have learned from your leadership time. Make exit interviews standard procedure for volunteers & staff.

Look Beyond the Usual Input

Look Beyond the Usual Input + Who are the “Council of the Wise” to whom we can go as needed for feedback, support, and wisdom?

Look Beyond the Usual Input + Who are the “Council of the Wise” to whom we can go as needed for feedback, support, and wisdom? + How can we make use of a congregational report card?

Look Beyond the Usual Input + Who are the “Council of the Wise” to whom we can go as needed for feedback, support, and wisdom? + How can we make use of a congregational report card? + Pray!