by Justin Morton
Today marks the one year anniversary of our family’s first visit to Walter Hill. What a warm welcome we received! We actually were late getting to our seats because so many of you stopped and welcomed us as we came in. I can’t help but think about the importance of that warm welcome as we consider our emphasis on discipleship. First and foremost we want to be disciples of Christ. But we also want to fulfill the Lord’s expectations and make disciples. In doing so, we are going to have visitors attend our services. We want these visitors to feel the warm Walter Hill welcome my family, and many of you, received when we visited for the first time.
All of us play a vital role in that welcome. Let me offer a few suggestions for how we can continue to promote a positive experience for our visitors: 1) When you see someone visiting, take the opportunity to speak with them. Your kindness and interaction will help make a good impression. 2) Ask visitors if they would like to sit with you or help them find a seat. Finding a place to sit as a visitor can be intimidating! 3) I know we all like our certain seats, but if at all possible make as much room as you can for others. Maybe that means scooting closer to the middle of the row or sitting right beside a brother or sister in Christ rather than several seats away. As we invite friends and neighbors to attend, we will need as much open seating as possible.
All of you here at Walter Hill made us feel welcome from the moment we stepped through the doors. Let’s make it a goal to offer a warm welcome to everyone who comes to worship with us at Walter Hill!