As we enter November, let’s hear it for Thanksgiving! You remember that holiday sandwiched in-between the retail bombardment of Halloween and Christmas. And we have so much to be grateful for as a congregation -- it’s so exciting to see the dream of our sanctuary take shape, our congregation continues to grow and we have an outstanding staff who keep our services and programs vibrant and relevant.
Also, I would encourage you to think of each of our visitors as a gift for which we can have gratitude. With a warm welcome and an authentic connection, some of our visitors may choose to return and become part of our community. We can each step up and make an individual effort to be welcoming. With this in mind, I asked our Membership Committee to share the following message. - Kathleen McFarlin, President
Greetings from the Membership & Friends Team. This month we are reflecting on what it is like to practice Hospitality. I would like you to take a minute and think back to your first visit to OCUUC. How did you feel in the parking lot? How many times did you think about coming before you actually made it? Now, how do you think your experience is different than others? As I was asking people to tell me their stories, I was amazed how similar they all are. Almost all of them reflect on connecting with one person. Really, that’s all it takes. We are seeing a good flow of visitors coming through our doors. Let’s all make a pledge to reach out to these new folks!
If you are a bit shy, like I am, it can be challenging to walk up to strangers. Here are a few questions we can all use to connect, either with new people, or connect deeper with those we know. In Rev. Sian’s recent sermon, she mentioned a loneliness epidemic. One way to break the cycle is engage in deepening the connections we already have. Here are some questions which I hope you will find useful at coffee hour.
- What was the best thing about last week?
- What are you looking forward to this week?
- Is there a cause you are passionate about?
- What are some of your hobbies?
- What are you grateful for?
As you can see, the list could go on and on. Let’s take a moment each week to connect with our new folks and truly make OCUUC a welcoming community. And if you’re looking for a way to meet more people, consider working the Welcome Table or becoming an Usher once a month; both are short-time commitment opportunities with wonderful returns. - Melanie Malaviya, Co-Chair of Membership & Friends Team
Kathleen McFarlin is Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church's Board President.