Observations of a church greeter

"Is this your first visit?"

It's a common question you may get from any church greeter pre-pandemic when we would meet in church lobbies.

I hated being on my church's greeting team. I was shy, insecure, and simply uncomfortable locking eyes with strangers to say hello. As I've gotten more comfortable over the years, there are some observations I want to share in no particular order.

When it comes to showing people to their seats, I've found it's most commonly broken into three groups:

1. People who have their preferred seats already and simply know where to go

2. People who are looking for the people they typically sit next with

3. People who are not sure where to sit

The third group is my favourite because they are typically new visitors or feeling alienated, so my role as a greeter should be focused on them. 

 

Pro-tip: instead of asking, "is this your first visit?", try "how long have you been attending?"