Thank you for a very successful Fusion Webinar on Tuesday.

In light of the recent Fusion Webinar and the questions from it, I wanted to share again this post on hosting a regular Newcomers Reception as an environment to connect with new people at your church (click here for “How to Host a Newcomers Reception“).

One question that people often ask when I talk about doing the receptions is “when should we do it?”

Here are a few thoughts:

• Hold them when you think you can get a crowd - I aim for 30-60 people in attendance.  This will make the reception more enjoyable for everyone and reduce any potential awkwardness.
• Consider scheduling Newcomers Receptions about 1 month after key Big Days plus one in the summer.
• Here are a few good times:
  • March (one month after your February Big Day)
  • May (one month after Easter, depending on the date)
  • Late July (to connect with new summer attenders)
  • November (one month after your October Big Day)
  • and possibly a Christmas Reception
• Host the receptions on Sundays after your services. This will reduce the chances that the receptions will conflict with small groups or other activities.

The key to a successful Newcomers Reception scheduling is to do everything you can to have enough people to raise the energy level and reduce the “wierdo factor.” In other words, the more people who attend, the more likely it will be for newcomers to meet some people they can relate to.

P.S. For more information on Newcomers Receptions and other advanced Assimilation strategies, check out The Assimilation Intensive.