GUEST POST: Hospitality Begins In The Parking Lot

Spatial awareness seems to be a rare gift … at least among parishioners in my parish. My parish’s parking lot requires mindful parking. And many parishioners lose their minds by the time they get to church!

Parking is a frustrating topic in my parish, as well as many parishes. Parish leadership may feel powerless and helpless to solve the issue as parishioners feel frustrated trying to park. Is there any hope of addressing parking issues without losing our religion?

Or is the issue really about parking?

There is a nondenominational community that meets in at a nearby business on Sunday mornings. There are volunteers wearing safety vests directing parking and greeting guests in the parking lot. Invariably, there is always a volunteer with a welcoming smile greeting travelers with a wave.  This little community meeting in a borrowed or rented space doesn’t have parking lot attendants to address parking issues; they have greeters in the parking lot as part of their hospitality ministry!

HOSPITALITY: THE ART OF WELCOMING AND ACTIONS OF FRIENDLINESS

One-way streets going the wrong way and unmarked parking lots are a few of the items parishes often forget to mention on the “finding us” section of their website. Churches that rely on tow-away signs to mark their parking lot often misjudge the ability of visitors to read the signs from the street, especially at night. Hospitality needs to begin with the directions and signage.

Greeters are a friendly face of welcome in many parishes. Unfortunately, some parish leaders think of hospitality as a synonym for greeters and forget the ongoing need for hospitality within the whole community.  A friend, who is a regular greeter in her parish, shared a story about a guest who moved seats three times, seeking a friendly encounter with those nearby. Feeling unwelcome and invisible, that guest left minutes after Mass began.  Hospitality needs to permeate all aspects of the community, especially within the Mass. 

The August 9, 2019 issue of the Idaho Catholic Register unintentionally highlighted how unwelcoming and unfriendly parents expect parish communities to be. The article was about a diocesan summer family camp. In their description of the atmosphere of the liturgy, the writer commented, “There are no menacing glances from parishioners who find children distracting.” How welcoming is your parish to families with young children, children and adults with disabilities, or mental illness?

HOSPITALITY IS FOUNDATIONAL

Hospitality is one of the four pillars of stewardship, and it is usually the first step in implementing intentional stewardship in a parish. Stewardship is a way of life that increasingly understands that all that we are and all that we have are gifts from God; it is living a life of gratitude and generosity in response to our baptismal call to discipleship. The pillars of stewardship are the four primary ways we are invited to experience, witness, and live a life of stewardship (share our gifts of time, talent, and treasure with others.)

Not everyone has gifts in hospitality, but everyone is capable of being hospitable. #practicalchurchwisdom #ministrymatters #marathonyouthministry #guestpost #youthministry Click To Tweet

Regularly evaluating how your parish or ministry welcomes is very important. The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has a Welcoming Parish Assessment that can be a great beginning place to evaluate parish or ministry hospitality. You can also invite a friend or acquaintance, whom you trust, not directly associated with your parish or ministry, to come for a visit. Ask him/her to evaluate your parish or ministry’s hospitality. Be willing to reciprocate, especially if the person is also a youth leader in a parish! It is also great to get feedback from newcomers. Do you have a feedback form you can give visitors, new families, or new youth?

My parish’s parking lot is an issue, and it is an opportunity for hospitality. When hospitality begins in the parish parking lot, it can alleviate the frustration that can come with parking. A cheerful hospitality ministry that begins with parking stewards would create a welcoming invitation to join this community as well as disarm any stress or tension that someone might be feeling walking into church.

Where does your community or ministry need to grow in hospitality?