The Trumpet Is Now Monthly Until October Warm Welcome Needed I have visited Episcopal churches all over the U.S. and at most one is lucky to get a handshake from the priest at the door.
Most parishioners seem to be oblivious to a visitor's presence.
A couple of months ago I visited a parish in a university town in Ohio where again not one person said a word. One reason I have stayed in my home parish for 26 years is that on my first Sunday there the rector put me on the mailing list and several people asked me to come back. I did, even though another parish was closer to my house. For most of us, the liturgy and friendliness attract and the theology comes later. The Episcopal Church needs to make an organized effort to be more friendly and to have trained greeters in every parish to make sure no one gets out the door without being invited back.