When I heard requests for greeters in the past, I never volunteered. I’ve always struggled to recall names when I see people, and I didn’t think greeting was my “calling.” But I did enjoy chatting with newcomers at Let’s Eat, so when David asked me to help with the new guest entrance, I decided to consider it. I hesitated at first—coming in early and serving every week felt like a big commitment. But then I thought about Fred Henderson, faithfully greeting every week well into his nineties. If he could do that with joy, surely I could say yes. So I did.
I quickly discovered that I wasn’t serving alone. I love working alongside the other greeters who welcome newcomers with warmth and kindness. Each week we meet guests with different stories—some expect a warm welcome, some have been hurt by unwelcoming church experiences elsewhere, and some have never been inside a church at all. It feels deeply meaningful to help them relax, find their way, get their kids settled, and feel at home. Every now and then, I even get to recruit someone into my own Sunday School community.
“Whether we’re at the door or out in the community, people need to know they’re welcome in the Lord’s house.”
What I didn’t anticipate was how many members I would get to know better. Many from the Bowen community come through the guest entrance, and they make a point of learning our names and speaking to us every week. People I once knew only by sight have become familiar faces I look forward to seeing—from young families to seniors. I now find myself answering questions and offering help to members as often as I do to guests.
In short, I’ve never felt more welcomed into our church community than I have since I started welcoming others. It has taught me a powerful lesson about what it means to love people into the kingdom. I once overheard a guest say they weren’t sure “someone like them” would be welcome in our church. Whether we’re standing at the door or moving through our everyday lives, we must make sure people know they are welcome in the Lord’s house.
