Here at City Church, Madison, Wisconsin, we have a ministry entitled “FrontLine.” This ministry consists of volunteers who are willing to be greeters, ushers, man our Welcoming Table and our Information Center. They are the first ones to extend a welcoming hand and warm smile to all those who come through our doors.
As is true with any position, it is good to have ongoing training to hone our skills and maintain our enthusiasm and passion for what we are doing. That is where Welcoming Touch Ministries, Inc. comes in. We have had C. Ward Utterback come twice to share with our FrontLine volunteers, and he has done an excellent job of reminding us that everyone we meet on Sunday is a guest of Jesus– He invited them. Ward then poses the
though-provoking question, “How are you going to treat Jesus’s guest?”
The material that Ward covers is excellent, some things we probably already know but need to brush up on, and he also suggests new and creative ideas of how to do things better. We have instituted several suggestions and they are working great! Ward is personable, warm, friendly and very easy to work with. He lays out clearly what his expectations are, but is very flexible if things need to be tweaked to accommodate your facility and goals.
If you are truly committed to making people feel welcome, then we would highly recommend that you invite Welcoming Touch Ministries, Inc. and C. Ward Utterback to do a presentation [Welcoming Seminar] for those who are serving on your welcoming team. You will be blessed!
Nancy Van Maren
FrontLine Ministries Coordinator
City Church
Madison, WI.