Purpose of the Ministry of Hospitality:

To serve our “community of faith” through the creation of an atmosphere of warmth, caring, and joy, recognizing the presence of God dwelling in each other.

Overview: “Where two or three are gathered in my name I am in their midst”. said the Lord. The Church believes and teaches this. “Christ is really present in the very liturgical assemble gathered in his name, in the person of the minister, in his word and indeed substantially and continuously under the Eucharistic species. (General Instruction of the Roman Missal)

The Ministry of Hospitality is the door way through which the people of God enter into the celebration of Sacred Mysteries of our faith. As they enter into the sacred space, the initial experience of those also in attendance with them will radically affect their experience of God. If they do not feel welcome and a sense of connection, they will have a tendency to move to privatize and spiritualize their experience of God. Their experience of God’s care for them will be mediated through their minds and therefore, lose its power. This experience becomes an act of religious piety without the profound impact that was intended for their lives. When people feel welcome and a sense of being connected, they will be more willing to participate in the experience and to be more open to receive the gifts that God wants him/her to have during that celebration. God’s care becomes real to them and radically affects their life.

The Ministry of Hospitality is the mission of all our members. As a community we embrace this mission through conveying a sense of welcome and connectedness to one another. There are also special ministers of hospitality that are asked to be the entrance way in which others enter our communal celebration of the Sacred Mysteries. It is a privilege and honor to be the person of Christ that others encounter as they enter into our sacred space. The minister’s smile, kindness, words of welcome, etc., are Christ’s. If those entering into the sacred space, encounter Christ at the door, they will be more open to hear his Word, experience his actions, receive the intimacy of his love, and to become God’s presence to others within the community.

Also, our mission is not only to make members or first time visitors feel welcome and a part of the community, but, perhaps more challenging, to reach out in a personal way to those at the fringes of our community, those who do not typically participate fully, or those who come out of a sense of obligation.

How can we accomplish this task of being the Christ that others experience before they enter the sacred space?

• Arrive at your designated door no later than 20 minutes before Mass.
• Greet people by introducing yourself and ask for and repeat their names. We want to move beyond the superficial to a place where a person feels as though they’ve been recognized as a individual, rather than a general guest. Memorizing names is a key component to making people feel connected.
• Engage people in conversation.
• Compliments, questions, always a smile – these are the bare essentials.
• If you find that it is someone’s birthday, anniversary, etc., let the priest know or send them to see Father Lynch or the other priest for a blessing.
• Make sure your section is picked up as well as the overall worship space before and after the celebration.

Additional Duties:

• Find seats for those standing or arriving late.
• Assist people in finding restrooms and responding to restroom alarms.
• Pass offering baskets and bring the people’s financial gifts to the back sacristy.
• Leave during the final hymn to pass out bulletins. Remain at your station to thank them for coming, wish them a good week, tell them “see you next week!”

**Throughout service, model what full, active, mindful participation looks like from your seat in the pew near the door. Unlike the old model of “ushering” in which ushers stood in the vestibule throughout the Mass, hospitality ministers actively engage with the community as part of the congregation. Even on weeks when you are not “on duty” hospitality ministers continue to greet those they’ve met by name, thus modeling this kind of active outreach to others in the community.

For more information contact Pat Stockdale through the Parish Center at 375-5887.