Magnetic Church Committee Update

MAGNETIC CHURCH REPORT to VESTRY 2009

 

The Magnetic Church Committee was established in June 2009 as a sub-committee to Stewardship with a mandate to create a warm, welcoming environment for newcomers, and to invite, attract and retain newcomers as part of our worship community.

 

The committee was charged with the responsibility of reviewing the recommendations of : The Bokan Report, Parish Growth Committee, and the Magnetic Church Workshop and to develop a plan for implementation over the next two years.

 

It should be noted several changes have been made at no cost to the parish:

  • The entrance doors were repainted in a brighter more welcoming colour.
  • The hangings, plaques etc in the church and Narthex have been identified by explanatory notes
  • An excellent greeters program has been established to provide assistance to visitors and newcomers at all services and other special events in the church.
  • A new, colourful sign welcoming everyone to St George's has been installed over the doors from the parking lot.

Additional recommendations were made to and approved by Parish council on November 24th,2009. these will be implemented when funds are available. It is not the plan for these expenditures to come from the Parish Budget.

  • New signage will be installed inside the church providing directions to all key areas:
    • i.e. washrooms, Thompson hall, Church office etc.
  • Signs will be added to the doors of all key locations: Nursery, Fireside Room, Church Office, etc.
  • A new "exit only" sign will be erected where the exit lane reaches the street
  • Sign to be installed at the front of the church identifying the Memorial Garden
  • Lines on the parking lot to be repainted with specific spots identified for visitors
  • Existing bulletin boards to be moved around the corner with the open space to be converted to a "Welcome Area with a more spiritual focus than currently exists
  • Changes will be made to the distribution of name tags as well as updating the mail boxes.
  • The committee recommended and Parish Council agreed that the parish endorse the replacement of the current main sign facing Fischer Hallman Rd within two years with a new, modern, lighted sign. Financing for this acquisition would be accomplished by fund raising outside of the budget.
  • The committee recommended that parish announcements be made at the beginning of both the 8:15 and 10 A.M. services.

 

A big thank-you to all who supported the activities of the committee during the year both members and non members who offered their support. We look forward to further implementations during the up coming year.

 

Previous Magnetic Church Updates

MAGNETIC CHURCH UPDATE and St. GEORGE'S "RED DOORS"

 

On the weekend of April 17th and 18th of this year a number of your fellow parishioners attended The Magnetic Church Conference facilitated by Andrew Weeks.

 

The focus of the conference was on: how to invite, attract and retain newcomers to become part of our worship community.

 

Your St George’s Magnetic Church committee has taken up the challenge of making St George’s an even more welcoming place and a number of specific things have already been done with more to come:

 

Welcoming and the RED DOORS:

  • You will have noticed the doors to the street and the parking lot have been painted red. This colour has proven to reflect a welcoming atmosphere as well as reflect a very spiritual colour
  • Starting in the Fall there will be two greeters at each service, welcoming everyone and assisting visitors and “church shoppers”
  • More and better signage, inside and out to assist visitors will appear latter in the Fall
  • The washrooms have been updated
  • We have high quality landscaping
  • Communications via a web site (which we have) is a must as is a newsletter on a regular basis (Dragon Flyer), bulletin boards and an easy to read Sunday bulletin. As well all of our printed materials will be reviewed starting this Fall
  • A great youth program has been established and, while the leader has moved, the groundwork has been set for a bright future in this area
  • Descriptive tags have been affixed to the various church hangings, pictures and books for those who may not know their history.

 

Thanks to those of you who have stepped forward to become greeters. There is always room for more so please think about it and, if you would like to join the Greeters, contact Ruth Pearce.

 

It is the responsibility of all of us to make St George’s a welcoming place of worship and fellowship, not just the Rector, the Wardens, Parish Council or someone else but all of us. It may be as simple as saying hello to a visitor, inviting someone to coffee or wearing your name badge.

 

As mentioned earlier, a Magnetic Church committee has been established under Stewardship to make recommendations on matters relating to communications, property, and to work in other areas to ensure our parish becomes even more welcoming than it is now.

 

As facilitator of the Magnetic Church Committee I will be very happy to hear from anyone with ideas to help us invite, retain and attract newcomers. Contact me, Wayne Matheson, at 519-746-2881 or Marc Mennel, Chair of Stewardship at 519-745-9245.

 

Wayne Matheson

August 2009