FAQs

Everybody says we’re welcoming, and we hate paperwork!

It’s great that people tell you that, but what about the people who come and leave without a word, or those that never come in the first place? We’ve tried to keep the paperwork to a minimum, but we do need to have some to confirm your progress.

How much will it cost?

The main expense will be your time but there is always the possibility that following your reflections you may decide to spend some money. For example: improving your notice boards, increasing signage, or creating leaflets for newcomers; may have financial implications and there could be others. To get you started each church in the NW Synod is being given a copy of the Grove Booklet ‘Creating a Culture of Welcome in the Local Church’ and we have loan sets of the Welcoming Church material available.

How long will it take?

It all depends from where you start from?! When you begin exploring you may find you are well on the way towards being truly radically welcoming or you might have a bit further to travel. We are giving you a framework to explore and are leaving it to you to set the pace and decide how far along the path you are comfortable to travel. It must also be said that this journey is one that never truly ends. There will always be dumps in the road, new issues to explore, and fresh challenges to engage with.

This all seems fairly haphazard and unstructured?

So is life! We have put in place an overall structure that relies on church meeting, feedback from other congregations, individuals and the wider church to give everyone confidence in affirming and declaring each stage completed. The responses to radical welcome are as varied as the number of congregations and members within those congregations, so we’ve tried to point to resources that meet the challenge of each stage and leave their selection to each congregation.

What if there isn’t a church to ‘buddy’ with near us?

We will try our best to find a church near to you and will look beyond the Area borders to do so. If it proves impractical then we will see if a member of the steering group or Synod Training Team could fulfil this role alongside you.

Our congregation is broadly evangelical. Can we be involved?

Yes. All three stages involve discussions and decisions at the local church level which are possible for any congregation to take part in. But it has to be said that to be radically welcoming demands an acceptance of absolutely anyone through your doors which with integrity some congregations cannot declare.

How does this link with ZI?

This programme is a response to the shelving of the URC’s advertising campaign to accompany the Radical Welcome resources. It seeks to keep congregations engaged with the challenge of Radical Welcome. Any actions you have taken as part of the ZI initiative will enable you to progress swiftly through the initial stages of Welcoming Church.

Is this just ZI lite?

ZI was an advertising campaign which encouraged people to try churches that were truly radically welcoming. Welcoming Church starts three steps before that point and at present does not include a plan for local, regional or national advertising. Welcoming Church seeks to start from where churches are, be open to any theological or ecclesiological stance, and affirm each stage as a valid response to the programme. Every congregation can benefit from being more welcoming and engaging with the programme as far as they are able.

We were raring to go with ZI and are already an inclusive fellowship. Why should we bother?

There are always more things to reflect upon and room for improvement. We are giving you a framework that will affirm where you are and we just ask that you review that and we’ll do our best to make moving through the stages as straight forward as possible. We want to promote your example to others, so share your story through this programme and we’ll be more than happy to award you the plaque!

When we have finished, can we use the ZI posters?

Mission Council has shelved those posters so they will not be used. For us to be able to extend our welcome beyond our walls we will need to have advertising material available so we will be creating other posters for you to use, adapt, or be inspired by. If you have examples please email them to us.

We’re stuck! And our question is not answered here. Who can we contact for help?

The steering group is made up of ministers from each of our four Areas so please email: welcome@nwsynod.org.uk and someone from your Area will get back to you as soon as possible.