Vincen de Paul Saint
catholic church | seward, nebraska
MAKING ST. VINCENT’S
By TESS SOUSEK
W
hen we moved to Seward two years ago, we only knew one other couple. Two people, in a town of 7,220. For us, — like many, I’m sure — it was intimidating and difficult to move to such a small, tightlywoven community. Sure, everyone is friendly! But many of the people we met had been here a long time. Families, friend circles, and traditions had long been established, and initially, there didn’t seem to be a lot of room for us to squeeze in. Thankfully, due to parishioners who reached out and welcomed us, St. Vincent’s was where we found our first friends, made initial connections, and began to become attached to this little town. At St. Vincent’s, we have not only the ability, but the duty to be the body of Christ and welcome the newcomer, the elderly, the whatever-you-are. It’s our duty to make sure that everyone who walks through our doors feels welcome, invited and indispensable in our parish. But how on earth do we do that as a church? The answer? The Welcoming Committee and ourselves, as welcoming individuals. 4
The Welcoming Committee does a fantastic job of reaching out to new members of our parish and personally visiting them to welcome them to the community. Led by Sharon Jelinek, the Welcoming Committee regularly makes home visits to newly registered members to help them get connected with the church and the things going on. “The people making the visits represent the Church” Sharon says. “We are an extension of the priests and the community.” Members of the Welcoming Committee very well may be the first faces newcomers recognize at Mass, the first people they ask questions, and the first invite they receive — it was that way for us! Committee members deliver an information packet about the church and school, provide a photo directory, and several other informational pieces and gifts. Visits are brief to respect busy schedules, but extend a very personal welcome from the church as a whole. Although the Welcoming Committee does a fantastic job of being intentional with our
