Dear Ministry People: What to put on your website

 Dear Ministry People,

You may or may not realize that going to church is really scary.  If you ever want anyone to be a part of your church, or any non religious people to come to your church you should probably try to make it not awful.

Here are some tips off of the top of my head.

I have been going to church regularly for most of my life, so when I walk into a Catholic church I have a baseline understanding of what to expect.  That means that I am oblivious to newcomers experience. I can imagine, but I cannot experience it.

Even though all things are different amid covid I think it's still important to say this.

Now that I am exploring all sort of other denominations I am spending a lot of time researching "what to expect when you show up for church services" at various settings.    The truth is, church communities don't put this stuff on their websites because the people who write church websites have been going to church long enough to forget all the things people are scared of.

So here is what you need to get Nones, people who are switching churches and the like to be less terrified to show up.

Put on your website:

Explain CLEARLY if it is accessible and how.  Are there ramps, stairs, hearing devices (how do you get one?), a program, a large print program etc.  

Are the bathrooms ADA accessible? State that. Do you have any single stall bathrooms? If so state that if not state that too.  If a guest is transgender would they be safe using the restroom?  Tell them.

Put a sample program or order of service on the website explaining what people do with their bodies (if able) during each stage. This includes, standing, singing, moving around etc.

Explain what people should do with their children. Are children welcome in the worship space? How do you get your kids to go to nursery?  What happens if the baby starts crying?

If your church is LGBTQ friendly say it. If you are ambivalent or working on it say it.  If you are not friendly say it.  Also make sure you have changing tables in men's and women's restrooms.

Just state honestly the racial makeup of your community. If you are white and feel weird about naming that then work on your racism and become more self aware because that is messed up.

Tell people how long services usually are.

If there is assigned seating. Explain that. If people usually sit in the same seats week after week but it isn't assigned then get your community to stop doing that. I have been to a lot of churches where people seem pissed that my family is there because we are in "their" seat.

If you don't usually have visitors in your church then don't make visitors stand up and introduce themselves that is awkward AF.  If you often have visitors and there is probably 2 or 3 or more different new folks there then go ahead and introduce them.  It's less weird if there is a group.

If you have some sort of social afterward and want new people to feel welcome then make the instructions of where to go and what to do super obvious. Then also, be nice to the guests.