I don't know if this has happened to you before - if not - learn from my mistake...
You see someone you don't know at The Journey. You want them to feel welcome so you go up to them and introduce yourself. Great job. Then you say "Are you new?" or maybe "Is this your first time here?" Then they say, "Nope, I've been coming since 2004." Then I say, "I'm a moron".
We want to treat people like guests in our home and we want to build connections. So we all have a part to play in welcoming people whether we are an official host or not. So, if you find yourself in the above position...try saying this "I don't think I've had the chance to meet you before". That goes over well, no matter if they're new or just switching to a difference service time.
I have used this in youth group. I've caught myself almost asking if they were new, and it's good I didn't.
Posted by: Brian Retzlaff | 12/14/2010 at 07:58 AM