It wasn’t what I had expected; however, it was working out perfectly. A young adult had approached our table during the parish ministry fair to learn more about our young adult ministries. While we intended to have them sign up to serve, I saw the opportunity to connect them with other young adults because at our Outreach Table and Parish Council Table were three young adults I’ve been working with to build the ministry.
I took the young woman over, connected with her with the people at these tables, phone numbers, and emails were exchanged. Like that, connections were made. Granted, situations like this don’t occur regularly. People don’t always know how to break the ice and make connections. That’s why it’s essential for those of us who work in the church to embrace the ART OF NETWORKING.
Too many parishes rely on email blasts, bulletin announcements, and online sign-ups. While those work, they are only a piece of the puzzle. To get people into a community, you need to start by:
New people enter into your parish every week. There are teens who will show up to your programs for the first time. How do you make them feel when they first walk into the room?
Your church needs to be ready to welcome outsiders by having someone at the door with the right information on how to take the next step. Make sure they have the answers to the most frequently asked questions and that they carry a positive attitude. It will not matter if it’s a teenager or an adult; everyone wants to know they belong.
Who is your go-to person? When you meet a new parent and want to connect them to other parents, do you have someone in mind? Same goes for teens and young adults, do you know who you are going to introduce them to so that they feel connected?
Make a list of the friendliest and more welcoming people in your parish that you can call on when connecting two people. These are the people you can include in emails and share their phone numbers. By having a friendly face available, it expands your capacity to reach more people because you are sharing responsibility.
Networking is not just about introductions. It involves getting to know the person as best as possible so that you can connect them to the right relationships. To get a sense of who they are asking them questions like:
You could say, “Tell me a little bit about yourself.” but you want to make sure you get details. Take notes, listen to where they are in their life so you can guide them in the best way possible.
Are you present on the weekend during Mass? If not, you’ll have a challenging time mastering the art of networking. While you might not have the capacity to be at every event when you do show up, it increases your visibility. People will become more comfortable with approaching you because you will be a familiar presence. One of the keys to effective networking is people’s willingness to trust you, and they can’t do that if they don’t know who you are.
Networking isn’t relegated to the business world; it’s an integral part of ministry because it connects like-minded people. It’s an opportunity to increase accompaniment and strengthen the community. And when your parish has a strong community, it leads to a more effective path to growing disciples.
If you are looking to network with more youth ministers check out MYMU today: