Immaculate CONCEPTION
The Hospitalit
Building a True Spirit of Welcome w
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he next time you arrive at Immaculate Conception for Mass, if you enter the church through the door by the choir room, you will be greeted by a very familiar and friendly face. Bob “Slug” Morris is almost always there waiting with a smile and a helping hand. For Slug, greeting at Mass is more than just an act of service — it is a way to enter into community with his fellow parishioners. “Volunteering in Hospitality Ministry has given me a chance to really get to know people,” he says. “A lot of people have come to know me as well. We have created a great community and many relationships along the way. My door is near the handicap parking, so I have some ladies that I go out and help set up their walkers. I make sure they have a Eucharistic Minister come to their pews — they have become my people.” The Four Pillars of Parish Stewardship are Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service. With Hospitality as the first of these, the Hospitality Committee most certainly plays a vital role in parish life. The committee is comprised of several different ministries including Mass Greeters, Second Sunday Social, Baptism Baskets, and We Care. They also typically host several events through the parish, though they, unfortunately, have been limited since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For new parishioners or those who are new to the Catholic faith, the spirit of welcome within the
walls of the parish can be crucial to their feeling of welcome or even their conversion. We never know exactly what is going on in someone else’s life, so that feeling of being wanted and welcome somewhere is very important and is a very critical part of the mission of the church. Mass greeters set the tone for those entering the parish. By welcoming all who enter and being able to answer questions that anyone may have, greeters are serving Christ and helping others enter the liturgy. “People have a tendency to wave but they don’t know each other,” Slug says. “Being a greeter has made me feel more for my fellow person. I have worked at the same door for three years. I get to help them and we have become friends.” Shyril Savary is the President of the Hospitality Committee. As a convert to the Catholic faith, she knows how important it is to feel welcome in the life of a parish. “From day one, I was a greeter,” she says. “As a people person, it is a great opportunity to get to know others. I love seeing families greeting at the doors together. It is a great ministry for the whole family. Greeting is also a very flexible ministry because you can choose the Mass that you attend and find a substitute if you are not available that weekend.” Second Sunday Social is a place for parishioners continued on page 5
“Volunteering in Hospitality Ministry has given me a chance to really get to know people. A lot of people have come to know me as well. We have created a great community and many relationships along the way.” — Bob “Slug” Morris 4
