Dear Churches,
On behalf of anyone who has ever attended church: please discontinue the "Meet n' Greet" portion of the service immediately. We know that you want us to think that you are a friendly church. You probably are a friendly church. Most people who go to church are friendly.
Contrary to popular belief, the Meet n' Greet actually keeps you from being a friendly church. For one, it's not long enough for anything more than a short greeting. It's not enough time for me to get to know anyone else at the church. It's not enough time for you to get to know me and ask me to come back again.
It's also an excuse for no one to talk to me again for the entire service. No one has to ask me what my name is or what I do. No one has to say that they hope they will see me again next week. No one has to look at me or care if I come back the next week.
Let's face it. It's important that your church makes a good first impression. The mega churches get members to come back because of their assorted services and groups. Why not bring people back because they feel a connection. I know you mean well, but the Meet n' Greet is not the way to do make that first impression.
Sincerely,
A Churchsurfer
Spiritwalker Trilogy by Kate Elliott
10 years ago
Wow. I've never really seen a person get so worked up about meet and geets; however, you do have a good point.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, I sometimes do like the meet and greets, especially if there is someone new to the church sitting around me during service.
*shrugs*
I'm not worked up about it per se. I visit a lot of churches, 99% of which have a meet and greet. I understand the purpose it serves, but it ends up feeling like a cop-out to me. It's not even long enough to talk to someone I DO know at church! Meet and greet leaves me feeling disconnected instead of what it's really supposed to do--make connections. That's my beef with it.
ReplyDelete