Role Play: How do new people feel in your NWC? 

It can be hard to remember what it was like coming to church or a new church for the first time - especially, if you’ve been going most of your life or you’ve always lived around the same area. But for many it can be a very uncomfortable, weird and even distressing experience. For others it can be uplifting, exciting and inspiring. Sometimes it just depends on who they meet! So how can we help people and how can we set up our NWCs in ways that respond well to their particularly needs or situations? As a team try the exercise below, to see if you can start imagining what is like to be new to your NWC:

Team Exercise (20 mins):

Get ready to try some acting! This may feel a bit embarrassing but remember its just a bit of fun and it could be really helpful in you figuring out how to understand what new people think about your NWC. 

In preparation - write down descriptions of three sorts of people who might come to your NWC for the first time, just a quick description, maybe a bit about their job or family or background. Give them a name.

Task - Give the three descriptions out in advance of your team meeting to three of your team members. Ask them to pretend to be those people. If there are any other members of your team, they can be ‘Welcomers' (they get to play themselves as if they were meeting the others for the first time at your NWC). 

As the leader tell the three people how ‘newcomers’ how the NWC and why you are here. 

Treat them like you would if they were real newcomers. 

Ask them how they got invited and if it was difficult getting here? Listen to what they say and respond. 

Ask them what they do for a living and if they’ve ever been to church before? 

Ask them if they like being in your NWC? And ask them what would make them feel at home or like they could come back?

If you’re brave enough, offer to pray for them - what do they say?

Reflection

How did it go? What did you learn from the task? Anything at all?

Discuss whether this teaches you anything about how real newcomers might find your NWC and church.