Tips on How to Create an Effective Church Hospitality Room

Stale doughnuts, bland coffee, silent strangers staring at you.....sounds warm and inviting, right? Sadly, this is the scene in most church hospitality rooms. A secondary feature in many minds, this important area of welcoming guests (or scaring them away, rather) goes badly neglected. Sound like your situation? Consider the following tips on how to create an effective church hospitality room.

Tip #1: Be hospitable, don't attack. One hospitality room volunteer on hand to answer questions is more than sufficient for average sized churches. Guests usually need no more than a friendly face to welcome them and offer support if needed, not an entourage of over-eager congregants battling for their attention.

Tip #2: Get a little more creative than "coffee and doughnuts." They're tried and true and work well enough, but put a little more thought into the refreshments offered. Your efforts will be remembered.

Tip #3: Offer something for dieters, diabetics, vegetarians, etc. Today's more enlightened eaters have a difficult time enjoying food on the go. Go the extra mile and serve refreshments that will appeal to a broader, more discriminating audience.

Tip #4: Offer reading materials answering questions on your modern views. Church guests who take the time to even visit a hospitality room are often hoping to cut to the chase and find out what your congregation is all about. Many want to know right off the bat how your church views issues that affect them, such as divorce, abortion, gay rights, etc. Be open and honest up front on your particular congregation's general viewpoints so that guests can gain a fuller understanding of how you approach the world.

Tip #5: Lead your guests to your hospitality room. Don't assume that visitors will search it out on their own, or even know what a hospitality room is. The front foyer should have a sign leading the way that also briefly states what the room offers for them.

Tip #6: Consider offering free "goody bags" of gifts and info. Churches use free goody bags in their hospitality rooms for three reasons....promotion, information, and thoughtfulness. Consider packing church contact information, group information, pens, hard candies, bookmarks, magnets, etc. Create your goody bags with the fact in mind that these gifts may be the only ones your visitors have received in quite a while. Stock them accordingly with items that will brighten their day. You might also consider creating them based on gender, age group, and/or interests.

Tip #7: Remember why we visit new churches for the first time. Whether it's due to grieving, the need for counseling, the hope for a safe haven, or simply looking for a group of friends, most visitors to a new church have a very distinctive purpose in coming. Offer information in your hospitality room that will guide newcomers to the resources available to them.

Tip #8: Make calendars available. New visitors will be curious as to what your church does to regularly reach out to the community and to one another. Post a large calendar in your hospitality room of upcoming events, and keep printouts available for them to take home as well.

Tip #9: Offer printouts of a church map. Knowing where classrooms, bathrooms, baby changing stations, and nurseries are from wherever they may be in the building may go a long way toward providing your guests with a bit of comfort in a new congregation.

Filling your hospitality room with these extra little amenities is what creating a welcoming room is all about. Make yours more effective by keeping the above tips in mind.