Three things to do when you meet someone for the first time.

Meeting new people is not always easy, especially for those of us who consider ourselves to be introverts. But with new guests coming to Elmwood on a regular basis, it’s important to grow in our ability to connect with new people. Following these three steps will help you feel confident in meeting new people and will help our guests feel seen without feeling smothered. 

This is the obvious place to start, but sometimes the largest hurdle to overcome. If you meet a new person on Sunday morning, say something like, 

- “Good morning! I don't think we’ve met. My name is [name].” 

- “Good morning! I’ve seen you around, but we haven’t had a chance to meet. My name is [name].”

Most of the time, they will respond by sharing their own name, but if they don’t, just ask! It’s as simple as saying, “And what’s your name?” Or, “Remind me of your name.” 

When you introduce yourself to someone, you put them on defense. Because you are the one who initiated the conversation, they will likely not respond by asking you lots of questions. So be curious! It’s good to have thought about a handful of questions ahead of time so your brain doesn’t go blank in the moment. Here are some examples:

- “How long have you been at Elmwood?” This is a great question because it eliminates the awkwardness of asking if this is their first time and having them respond by saying, “I’ve been here for six months.” There’s almost nothing more awkward for both of you! 

- “Are you new to the area or have you been here for a while? What brought you to the area?” If they are new to the area, they may not have visited any other churches nearby. If they have been here for a while, you know they have either left a church they were a part of or haven’t been going to church at all. Either way, there’s a story to be told! 

- “Do you have family nearby?” This will give you a clue as to whether they have a lot of existing relationships or are starting from scratch in a new place.

- “Tell me about your work. Do you work in the home or in the marketplace?” This question can easily lead to lots of other follow-up questions: How long have you worked there? How did you end up in that line of work? What do you most love about your work? Tell me more about your company. 

- “How did you hear about Elmwood?” Pay attention to whether a person was referred by a family member or friend, or if they found Elmwood through a simple online search of "churches near me." 

Remember, you want that person to feel seen and valued, not smothered or interrogated — this can be a delicate balance to strike, but they will thank you in the end.