No holier-than-thou attitude
Christ Church welcomes folks to come as they are
By MARIE PANTON
Episcopal Life Staff
BEFORE VISITING Christ Church in Ballston Spa, N.Y., almost a
year ago, Doug Mattice was not an avid churchgoer. As a result,
his experience at the first service was confusing. "I was a little
uncomfortable. There were lots of kneeling, standing, and I did
not know when to do what," said Mattice. However, parishioners
were welcoming and helpful. "I felt comfortable afterwards because
people offered me guidance as well as their friendship."
According to the Rev. Derik Roy, rector for almost nine years,
making newcomers feel welcome begins the moment a visitor arrives
at the door. "I really think that you could have an inspiring
worship service, but if the people don't treat you warmly and
kindly, then all of those good things are going to go to naught."
When he first came to the parish, average attendance for both
services was about 130 people. Evangelism efforts focused inside
the church. Today, attendance is close to 220, with 80 children
in Sunday school and 100 adults involved in a weekly formation
group. Evangelism efforts are placed on drawing people from the
community into the church. "We need to let people know that we
are here, because then they will come in and get involved in some
of the activities offered by the parish," he said.
One of the activities everyone in the parish gets involved in
is the greeter ministry, Roy said. "We have people designated
to do certain things; however, we try to see that as everybody's
role." Each person wears a name tag on Sundays. A three-pew ministry
happens during the Passing of the Peace. "When the peace is shared,
the parishioner shares his or her name, asks if the person sitting
next to him is a visitor and, if he is, then they will be introduced
to three other people," said Roy, that usually include the rector,
an assistant or a staff person. At the coffee hour, a visitor
is usually brought into the midst of conversations and introduced
to parishioners.
Dennis and Lynne Crimi lived in the area many years ago, moved
away and returned about three years ago. Recognizing their spiritual
growth, the Crimis said they did a lot of church shopping. They
almost left the Episcopal Church because of its tendency to be
a little stuffy, said Lynne Crimi. "We had the sense in some churches
that people did not care if we came back ... as if we were intruding."
When they found Christ Church, they liked it immediately.
"The number-one reason that attracted us was that people were
smiling and very friendly," said Dennis Crimi.
His wife added, "People there seemed very down-to-earth, in addition
to what we thought was a really nice blend of renewal music while
keeping the old music, The Book of Common Prayer, the Litany,
and still singing from the hymnal." She also called the bulletin
impressive. "It says 'The head of the church: Jesus Christ. Then
the names of key officials followed, and at the bottom of the
page it says, The ministers: the parishioners.'"
Lynne Crimi said Christ Church recognizes each individual as sinners,
and people have told her that they enjoy coming because they feel
accepted in their brokenness.
"They don't have to be perfect to come here," she said.
A newcomer two years ago, Cathy Larosa, a divorced mother of four
children and at the time a devout Roman Catholic, said she walked
into the church with a real level of shame and failure, but she
was not judged.
"I felt very embraced right away," said Larosa. "Someone stopped
me right after the service and told me about coffee hour, and,
although I did not make it, I still felt very welcomed and accepted.
They have ended up being my new social circle, and they helped
me through the hardest time of my life."
Dave Collum has been a member for 11 years, responsible for training
greeters and making sure that other people in the congregation
reach out to newcomers. He thinks the support parishioners give
each other helps to build relationships. "Our church model is
very simple. The pastor should be in a position to proclaim the
word ... talk about who Jesus is. But people will come back and
stay in a church because of the relationship that they form, and
Christianity is a religion of relationships."
Roy talked about the importance of being welcoming. "There are
a lot of people who really need Christ in their lives, so we need
to be opening our doors and building bridges to people," he said.
"It is the primary purpose of the church, as it says it our prayer
book, 'to restore, to be welcoming, providing a path or bridge
for people to come.'"
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