From Welcomed to Welcoming

Hello Emmanuel,

From being welcomed to doing the welcoming…….

Fitting into a new group can always be an anxious time.  Church is no different.  As many of you know, I am very sensitive to new visitors when they attend worship.  They are often there to decide if Emmanuel is a church for them.  I do what I can to help them feel welcomed and comfortable, but not overwhelmed or pressured. 

The next early step in the discipleship process is attending the Roots class.  Once a person has returned over a period of weeks or months, they are invited to attend the 3-hour class to learn more about Emmanuel--our core values, principles and overall vision of who we try to be for God.  Some decide to take the class.  Others are content to just attend on Sunday and be peripherally involved.  Either option is ok.  However, once the class is taken, they are given the option of joining the church.

But then what?  The next early step in the discipleship process is a step Emmanuel has been working on.  People at Emmanuel don’t always find their niche right away.  Some struggle to figure out where they can fit in; what ministry to be involved in; how to connect to other people in the church; etc.  If a new person or new member cannot find their place, it can be very discouraging and frustrating.  Some may eventually even fall away and go look for a different church.

While Emmanuel cannot be everything to everybody, we could do a better job guiding people along in the discipleship process…. Especially for those who specifically express interest in getting more involved.  Well, we will now have a class that may do exactly that.

‘Grow’.  It is a 6-week class designed to integrate John Wesley’s theology with the overall vision of Emmanuel.  It explores the church, but also explores personal faith and attempts to connect the two.  By connecting personal faith and church vision, a person has the opportunity to see where they are Called and by what avenue they can live out that Call at Emmanuel.

Now for those who think this class is only for the newer people, think again.  God has a habit of opening new doors also for those long-established church members who may feel the need for a shift in their church life.  More than once has a church member come to me to express some discomfort or uneasiness or even burnout regarding their place in the church.  ‘Grow’ is for you too. 

And for those who feel good about where you are?  ‘Grow’ will be a good refresher course on the vitality of our faith in the context of being the church. 

Vicky Hensley will be teaching this new class starting April 16^th.  The class will be on Thursday evenings, 7:00-8:30.  There is a short and easily read book involved for $10.  If you are interested in the class, you can email Vicky at sewblessed@fuse.net. 

I’m excited about this next new step.  Finding your place in the church is not always an easy thing to do.  We want to help you as much as we can.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe