Welcome Ministry Meeting – October 17, 2009

The Welcome Ministry meeting was instigated
by Father Brett Adams to re-invigorate the Welcome Ministry, to encourage new
people and to ensure that everyone is aware of best practice.

Notes

Father Brett Adams opened the meeting with
a prayer and explained his vision for the Welcome Ministry, quoting passages
from scripture as a guide.

Experiences of Welcome

Those present were asked to contribute
their experiences of Welcome:-

·
Need to identify new people.

·
Parish Group event in the Hall
a few years ago was the first time that one lady was able to
“break-in” to get involved, despite having been attending Mass here
for 40-years without being invited to get involved.

·
It is not very nice to just be
given a hymn book without any eye-contact or smile.

·
The biggest thing is the smile.

·
There are not enough hymn
books.

·
The side door needs to be
opened for wheelchair access without needing to be asked.

·
Need to make more effort for
the elderly.

·
Treat everyone as being welcome
despite what they look like.

·
Welcome co-ordination  phone number needed as a fallback when
ill.

·
Need to encourage different
people to take up the offering.

·
Need to clarify how to handle
second collection.

·
Guidance on how to deal with
people chatting in the lobby.

·
The welcome rota needs to cover
1-year and not just 3-months to allow people to book their holidays.

·
A hand-out on procedures for
Welcome would be a good idea. A Welcome Guide will be created and made
available in a Welcome Kit.

Welcome Ministry Badges

Teresa Sales presented ideas for badges to
be worn by those on Welcome duty. As a minimum the badge would state
“Ministry of Welcome” with name of our church.

Theresa Higgins advised that badges need to
comply with sight-impairment disability requirements, e.g. black writing on a
cream background and at least 18-pt text.

We agreed that everyone can wear a Welcome badge
according to their preference, but wearing of a badge will be encouraged.

Those present were canvassed for their
opinion on how names should appear on badges.

No badge to be
worn   : 2 Votes

No name                      :
1 Vote

Christian name
only       :
Majority

Full name                      :
2 Votes

Ideas for Improvement

·
Welcome ministers should be
able to provide information on how to contact/join Parish Groups when asked.
Information Pack suggested.

·
Welcome ministers should stand
at the back during Mass.

·
There should be a
“Welcome Kit” to include bottles of water and cups. This should be
located in the crypt next to the collection baskets.

Stephanie Clarke agreed to assemble the Welcome Kit.

·
There should be chairs in the
lobby for elderly/sick.

·
There should be a Welcome
Guide.

·
If hymn books were not given
out, the Welcome ministers could be more welcoming. Should look at locating the
hymn books at the pews.

·
What to do when the doors for
lighting and access to the crypt are locked.

·
We should temper how we do
Welcome according to the different Mass times.

·
There should be a special
Christmas and Easter Welcome rota.

Theresa Higgins and Hywel Edwards agreed to co-ordinate
the Christmas rota for this year.

First Aid and Tips

Ideally First-Aiders should be identified
and wear a badge accordingly. Unfortunately there are no qualified first aiders
in the Welcome ministry.

A first-aid demonstration was given after
the meeting Tony from the St
John’s Ambulance brigade arranged by Teresa
Sales.

The following tips were provided by Tony
during his first-aid demonstration after the meeting:-

·
Collapse is more likely at
early morning Mass.

·
Do not try to look for
pulse, only look for breathing.

·
If someone has fainted
(rather than a more serious collapse) their pulse will be “full and
bounding” not fast and weak. Lift their legs above their heart and they
should recover from faint.

·
Anyone who has collapsed
should be put into the recovery position and you need to shout for help.

·
Do not allow someone who
has fainted or collapsed to drive home. Get someone to take them, or offer
yourself if possible.

·
Anyone who bangs their head
and goes unconscious needs to go to hospital for a check-up.

·
A diabetic can appear to be
drunk, but is not drunk. If you suspect diabetic collapse (hypoglycaemia), a
sugary drink or sweet needs to be given. If the collapse is due to elevated
sugar (hyperglycaemia), giving sugar will not do any additional harm.

·
A CPR demonstration was
given - consult first-aid literature for details. For example:-

Think ABC – Airway, Breathing, Circulation.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-cpr/FA00061

·
There were other points made
during Tony’s first-aid demonstration which are best refreshed using
official first-aid literature, or you may want to do a first-aid course.

·
Follow-up : we will try to
arrange a first-aid demonstration each year.

CRB Checks

All Ministers
of Welcome need to be Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checked.

CRB checks to be arranged by Hywel Edwards assisted by
Jane and Gabriel?.

Hymn Books

John Sutcliff agreed to follow-up on new hymn books
and placement in pews.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS AND CONTACTS

Diana in the Church Office continues to be
the main contact point for the Ministry of Welcome.

Peter Thorpe will continue to organise the
rota.

Paul Horwood agreed to maintain database
and to be the contact point for the rota via email and telephone. Paul will
liaise with Peter Thorpe. Paul’s contact details are:-

Email : [email-masked]

Telephone : 07895-177574

The rota will be published on the website.

Clarification on whether Welcome ministers
on duty can also do Eucharistic Ministry duties at the same Mass will be
covered in the forthcoming Welcome Guide.

The Union of Catholic Mothers (UCM) will
nominate dates when they will organise cover for a Mass. Typically monthly. Paul
Horwood to liaise with Lenore Sykes.

END.