Are we failing newcomers? What really helps newcomers integrate into church life? A pilot study of Anglican churches in South Sydney region has revealed some answers.
Jeremy Halcrow looks at the five most welcoming parishes and gets their hospitality tips.
Janet Ottaviano is sharing some fine Italian antipasto and a laugh with friends in a chic-looking cafe on Leichhardt's trendy Norton Street.
Surprisingly, she has only known her friends for a matter of months, meeting them for the first time when she decided "out of the blue' to come to church. Like Janet, they are in the church-owned cafe to hear a talk about the controversial anti-Christian biologist Richard Dawkins.
At a nearby table Janet spots some strangers who have walked in off the street, deep in conversation with some other church members. She has sympathy for the newcomers.
"The first Sunday we felt a little conspicuous as newcomers, but we had had our son christened a few years prior, so we had been to the church twice already, albeit some time ago," she says.
Janet explains that her life has been radically altered by joining the congregation at All Souls', Leichhardt and she plans to be baptised later this year.
So what really helps newcomers become integrated into the life of our churches? A pilot study of Anglican churches in South Sydney region has revealed some answers. The research will soon be expanded across the Diocese to examine differences between urban South Sydney and suburban and rural contexts for ministry. However, the ministers of the five highest-ranked churches told Southern Cross they were not doing anything special.
"I don't think it's got anything to do with our brilliance," said Tom Henderson-Brooks at Bondi Beach, adding that being in a transient area just means "we have to try new things".
What newcomers want
But that's the rub, says report author, the Rev Dr Tim Foster. The data shows that the churches who have a high number of newcomers share three factors: they are community-focused, they are flexible and innovative in their approach to new ministry ideas, and they try to offer a warm welcome to strangers.
"If you are operating from a smaller base in a transient urban community, then it changes your ministry mindset. It makes you more open to doing things to engage newcomers," says Tim, who is also rector of All Souls', Leichhardt, one of the top-ranking parishes.
Surprisingly the research suggests that "one-on-one' evangelism techniques play a minor role in the conversion of the unchurched. Being prepared to invite your neighbours to church is more important, says Tim. And most genuine newcomers " those who haven't switched from other churches " come through the community-building activities of the church.
"The vast majority of newcomers are people who come in off the street due to something happening in their life. It might be a new baby or, more likely, a problem of some kind. These people usually want to belong, and in the context of belonging discover the gospel."
From out of the blue
Janet Ottaviano is just one of Tim's congregation to begin attending church seemingly "out of the blue'. She decided to start going to church regularly because her husband, who had had a church-going upbringing, wanted his children to be educated about Christian values and beliefs. Although Janet did not have this background, she was comfortable with his decision, having attended an Anglican school in Perth.
"I didn't have a religious upbringing but was supportive of what I saw to be a sound and worthwhile belief system."
To connect with people like the Ottavianos, says Tim, more effort needs to be focused on communicating "a warmth of welcome" through the church's website, property, signage, hospitality and strategies for integrating newcomers.
"It's not brain surgery," he says. "It's what we've all been told for the last 30 years."
The Rev Craig Segaert, curate-in-charge at St Nicolas', Coogee " the highest-ranked church " agrees that creating a culture of hospitality is key to reaching newcomers.
"My wife and I have tried to model hospitality from the front," he says. "I think that is important."
John, a single, forty-something temporarily located in Sydney from the USA, tried several churches around the city, but came back to St Nicolas' because he felt "their warmth and hospitality" the minute he stepped into the church.
"I felt genuine love coming to St Nic's," he says. "This starts with Annie and Craig and, through their example, the church extends that love to the community."
Seeing newcomers converted creates its own momentum that in turn brings more newcomers. New Christians are more energised by the church's mission and have more non-Christian contacts.
"We have a high level of people who have been converted and they are excited about inviting their friends," explains Tom Henderson-Brooks at Bondi Beach.
Concern for community
It is no surprise then that the five churches that appear to be growing quickest through conversion growth all have very strong community profiles, often with the property being utilised throughout the week: Bondi Beach, for example, is open seven days a week, housing a community cafe and an Anglicare centre.
Likewise, the vitality of St John's, Glebe, has been turned around thanks to the development of the mid-week Glebe Assistance and Partnership Program (GAPP) which seeks to care for residents of the nearby Housing Commission area. Scores of people from the local community have connected with the church by becoming GAP volunteers.
In summer St John's holds BBQ church on the front lawns for "folk on the outside". But lay minister Wayne Brighton says it has also helped those volunteers not comfortable with church services to become "involved in the life of the church'.
Wayne says he has been "surprised by the amount of knock-on effects of GAP".
"I have spoken to baptism enquirers who have contacted us because their neighbours recommended us. The GAP program is very well known in the local community."
Serving the secularists
In the heartland of Sydney's militant secularists, former CMS missionary Peter Rodgers took on leadership of St Stephen's, Newtown in 2002 and discovered that building links into the community through activities like "jazz in the graveyard' was going to be the only viable way forward for the church. Doorknocking the neighbourhood was certainly not going to be a safe option for a mainly grey-haired congregation.
"We are building up our presence in the community rather than using personal evangelism [strategies] to break down people's negative stereotypes about the church," says Peter. "This is very important in a place like Newtown because people are so much more anti-church than in the suburbs."
But Peter's strategy also made sense missiologically. Both anecdotal and hard research evidence suggests that even when people have never been church-goers before, they are more likely to go to a church with which they had already developed a relationship.
"It may be through playgroup, their child's Scripture class, a baptism or social group in the church," explains Tim Foster. "I think that means we need to work hard in building our community profile and connections through these kinds of activities."
Why welcoming churches work
So why did the Ottavianos choose to go to All Souls', Leichhardt, in particular?
The story actually goes back two years, when they decided they wanted their new baby son christened. They approached a few churches but settled on All Souls'.
Firstly it was close to home, but more importantly, Janet says, "Tim Foster, the minister, seemed to be very welcoming, approachable and accommodating. He didn't seem to hold it against us that we were asking him to christen our son when we weren't part of his congregation".
Some may assume this is where the story would end. But it didn't. The positive connection they made with Tim during the baptism was crucial.
"When we decided to start attending church regularly, we chose All Souls' because we had our son christened there, and the initial contact had been a positive one," Janet says.
However for Tim " who did his PhD thesis looking at the emerging church and its emphasis on going outside the church building to do mission in the world " the feedback from newcomers like Janet as well as his latest on-the-ground research has shaken up his assumptions about ministry.
"Looking at the data has changed my mind about ministry. What was hard for me to face was that the evidence reinforces the attractional [model of ministry].
"The emerging church goes too far in claiming we have entered a post-Christendom context where people are no longer open to going to church. I've been persuaded over the last few months that what is most important is having lots of multiple entry points to church, lots of different activities that promote hospitality " a culture where complete strangers can come in and feel welcome."
What struck the Ottavianos that first Sunday at All Souls' was "how sociable and friendly everyone was".
"We immediately met a number of people that we enjoyed speaking to, who were warm and welcoming and drew us into their circle," says Janet. "Also, a nice surprise was that I recognised a few families whom I knew vaguely from my children's local school, and attending church strengthened those friendships."
Janet says the most important thing Tim did was introduce them to other members of the congregation "and he remembered our names!"
"Even though we hadn't been for several years since having our son christened, Tim remembered us and made us feel welcome."
