1. Spend some time discussing the Invite Welcome Connect concept with key stakeholders in your church: clergy, vestry, greeters, ushers, communicators, newcomer teams, hospitality. Schedule a watch party for either the Invite Welcome Connect in Five Minutes video or the 12-minute Invite Welcome Connect Overview video.

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2. Ideally, Invite Welcome Connect teams should watch the videos together to participate in the discussions. You may begin with any of the essentials (Invite, Welcome, or Connect), but it's important to watch all the videos within an essential area in order. Discuss each video in your group before moving on to the next one.

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3. Creative Idea Generation: After each presentation segment (of Invite, of Welcome, of Connect) small groups arranged at tables are asked to begin generating ideas around the implementation of each.

 

The rules for engaging this generative process are:

• Let ideas flow generously;

• Do not censor yourself – i.e., begin asking how much time a certain idea will take, or what it will cost; let every idea live

• Give space for the voice of everyone at your respective tables;

• Place each idea on a post-it;

• Display post-it ideas on windows or on white easel paper;

• Report out ideas from each group.
   

This is a space for beginning to re-imagine the relational reach and the mission of your congregation. Ideas are generated by the laity, without leadership prompting them or their being subject to leadership’s approval.  We know that the success of Invite Welcome Connect depends much on the support of congregational leaders.  However, the flow of these workshops and their creative processes indicate there is a type of “give and take” that begins by resourcing the voices and imagination of everyone in the room.  This process represents the headwaters of creativity and initiative of congregations, enabling them to expand their presence to each other and to their neighborhoods.  It’s crucial for everyone to be involved.

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When you have your ideas collected, you can begin assessing which ones are most immediately and easily implemented and which ones will require more strategizing.   BUT that is something that happens after, not before or within, the process of creative idea generation.

 

4. After you finish with the Ideas report out, ask everyone to discern which team they would like to join: INVITE team; WELCOME team; CONNECT team

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5. Each team then takes the IDEAS generated in their small group time and they begin to implement these IDEAS one by one.

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6. Follow-up team meetings on a regular basis are encouraged.