As Sunday services go, Easter ranks as the highest attended worship service throughout the year—outpacing Christmas and Mother’s Day. You know this. You’ve seen your crowded worship spaces each year. And no doubt you and your ministry staff have already begun your sermon and lesson preparation for Holy Week. But in all your planning for the most important day on the Christian calendar, don’t forget to think beyond the pulpit.
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From your website and road signage to your parking lot and greeting team, your Easter Sunday visitors will encounter many things before they ever choose to take a seat and listen to your sermon. How groomed and equipped are all these elements in preparing the way for your guests? Will they draw people in or push them further away? The look and feel of your church building plays a significant part in whether people will choose to return after their first visit this Easter.
Here’s a checklist of 15 things for you and your cleaning crew to review before and during Holy Week:
1. Pick up branches, trim bushes, and tidy planting beds around the church building.
2. Mow grass, if needed.
3. Fill all parking lot potholes.
4. Remove winter debris from all areas of your parking lot where snow may have been plowed.
5. Check and change any inoperable lights in the parking lot or on the building exterior.
6. Sweep off and spray down all sidewalks and main entryways.
7. Remove all unnecessary signage around your campus, specifically picking up any campaign placards near the road.
8. Thoroughly clean all glass entrance doors.
9. Regularly restock all paper supplies throughout Holy Week.
10. Earnestly clean all lavatories, including mopping/waxing all floors and replacing decorations in women’s restrooms.
11. Shampoo all carpet in heavy-traffic areas, such as entryway, lobbies, and hallways.
12. Check and replace all expired interior light bulbs in main areas, including theatrical lamps and gels.
13. Schedule additional cleanings during Holy Week—even if your church typically gets cleaned only once a week.
14. Update all digital and print signage to reflect current sermon series.
15. Schedule a sufficient staff of greeters throughout the week.
Over the next few weeks, allot time for you and your church staff to walk your grounds and roam through your church building. Put yourself in the mind of a visitor. What might they see when they arrive—many for the first time—at your church?
And, remember, while you walk your church building and grounds, remember to pray constantly for everyone who will come to your church during this Easter season.
By taking these steps, your guests will feel welcome on Easter and well beyond.