Connection Points: Greeters

Greeters are a wonderful addition to the VBS team, especially when we train them to be connectors in addition to greeters.
Think of the typical Sunday morning greeter. His or her job is to open the door, say a word of greeting, distribute bulletins, and possibly help people find the appropriate classrooms or a seat in the worship service. Basically a greeter’s job is to get people from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible so the greeter can turn around and help the next guest get from Point A to Point B.
While this definition of a greeter is an extremely important role, the greeter rarely engages in conversation with guests beyond saying hello. We need unchurched families attending VBS and VBS Family Celebration greeted and welcomed, but even more we need them connected to other families, church leaders, and the ongoing ministries of the church.
To do so requires enlisting additional greeters so each guest can receive personal attention. Training all greeters what it means to be a connector is an important part of VBS preparation.
To become connectors greeters need to be trained to do the following:

• Ask guests a few simple questions that will help greeters connect guests with someone in the congregation that lives in the same neighborhood, has kids attending the same schools, has a similar career, or interest in the same hobbies. Use simple questions such as: “Where do you work?” “Where you do live?” “What do you enjoy doing on the weekend?” “Are there other family members living in the home?” “How did you learn about VBS?”
• Become observant of vehicles, clothing (such as camouflage or nursing scrubs), or logos that might give a clue about a guest’s interests or career.
• Tell the guest’s about someone in the church who lives in the same neighborhood, works in a similar career, or has a similar hobby.
• After a guest has been escorted to his destination, the greeter needs to make enough notes to be able to recall the conversation and then check with the registration team for contact information.
• Later the same day the greeter should use the collected information to contact the person in the congregation who is best able to connect with the unchurched guest.
• Members of the congregation need to be trained to expect calls from greeters and to follow through by working to build a relationship with the assigned family.

Join the conversation: how do the greeters at your church connect with guests?
Next week’s Connection Points: Preschool Workers.