Grace Hosts

Purpose: to ensure a guest(s) is well informed, comfortable, and connected at Grace

Job Duties

Before the visit:

• Contact the guest(s) by phone or email as soon as you are given their contact information to introduce yourself. You will only be assigned one person or family a Sunday. 
• Offer to answer or find out the answer to any of their questions
• Find out what worship service, Sunday School, or other ministries they are interested in
• Identify a time and place to meet the guest(s) on the day they are visiting. Pastor Ben can help create a map you can share with your guest in advance, to ensure they know where on the campus to park and meet you
• Tell the guest(s) how they will be able to identify who you are (what you look like, what you will wear, offer to hold a sign with their name like chauffeurs do at the airport)

The day of the visit:

• Meet the guest(s) at the agreed upon place and time at Grace. It is always better to be early; you don’t want a guest to be waiting around with nothing to do or person to talk with
• Offer to give the guest(s) a guided tour of the campus, remembering to gently point out where bathrooms are located (guests might not want to ask where bathrooms are located but they need to know)
• Escort the guest(s) to the Sunday School classes they will be attending. Introduce the guest(s) to the teacher(s) by name, and offer to stay in the classroom with the guest(s) (if appropriate)
• Escort the guest(s) to the sanctuary when it is time for the worship service they wish to attend. While the sanctuary is always open before services, it is a best practice not to bring guests into the sanctuary more than 15 minutes before the service since the people who lead worship are still getting ready
• Offer to explain the flow of the service (when to sit/stand, where to go, how things happen) before the service begins
• Offer to sit with the guest(s) during the service to help them feel comfortable
• At the end of their first Sunday at Grace, escort them to their car and thank the guest(s) for coming

After the visit:

• The week after their visit send a thank-you card by mail (or email if we don’t have a street address). Thank you cards are available in the church office
• Be sure to say hi to your guest(s) when ever you see them at Grace moving forward
• Call your guest(s) if you don’t see them within the next 3 weeks to see if you can be helpful to them visiting Grace again

Things to keep in mind as a host:

• You are the face of Grace UMC to these guests. How they experience you will decide if they come back
• Be mindful not to wear too much cologne or perfume. Just because you like a smell doesn’t mean someone else will. In some cases, too much smell pretty can cause asthma attacks. Likewise, you may want to grab a mint just in case your breath is telling of your breakfast
• Introduce the guest(s) to the people who they may connect with the best, between 5-10 people. Please introduce the guest(s) to the clergy. We want the guests to start to meet people, but we don’t want them to be overwhelmed
• Try to be present but not overbearing. You are a host, not a chaperone. If your guest(s) indicate they want some space, respect their wishes
• Have fun!