Making those who walk through the doors of your church feel welcome is important for church growth. Both current members and visitors need to feel a sense of belonging and that you’re happy to have them there.
Well-known Christian leader Andy Stanley said, “The quality, consistency and personal impact of your ministry environments define your church.” Personal impact starts with ensuring that everyone who comes to your church is met with a welcoming spirit.
Research has shown that visitors decide within the first 11 minutes of arriving at a church whether they’ll come back – before the worship and message begin. Hospitality is the effort to tell them, “We’re glad you’re here and you belong.”
Table of Contents
- How to Give a Welcome Speech in Church: Your Essential Guide
- Welcome Speech for Church Examples
- General Words of Welcome Before Worship
- Scripture Based Greetings to the Church
- Humorous Welcome Speeches
- Welcomes to Inspire Generosity
- Greetings from Church Youths
- Welcome Speech for a Good Friday Service
- Welcome Speeches for Women's Ministry
- Welcome Speech for a Church Convention
- Sample Welcome Speeches for Church Events
- Welcome Speeches to Promote Church Events During Services
- Welcome Speech for Thanksgiving Services
- Church Breakfast Speech Samples for Your Next Event
- Easter Sunday Welcome Addresses
- Free Church Welcome Video Loops
- Welcoming Church Countdown Videos
- FAQs
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What are the key elements of a good church welcome speech?
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How can I make a church welcome speech engaging?
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How often should the welcome speech format be updated in a church setting?
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What is the best way to address newcomers in a church welcome speech?
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What tips can help first-time speakers deliver effective welcome speeches at church?
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- 192 Amazing Church Speeches and Templates
How to Give a Welcome Speech in Church: Your Essential Guide
Churches are in a crisis. Though 63 percent of Americans identify as Christian, 32 percent attend church once or twice a month. Many young people rarely if ever attend church, regarding services as being too boring or stifling.
If you want to expand your congregation, you need to take steps to make everyone feel welcome. Delivering great welcome speeches is one effective step. But getting a handle on how to give a welcome speech in church can be complicated.
What tone do the best speeches strike? How can you be welcoming to everyone without being too pointed about it? What should you do except speak?
Answer these questions and you can create a wonderful and welcoming space for everyone to worship in. Here's your comprehensive guide.
Understand the Occasion
Your welcome speech should reflect the event you're welcoming your guests to. For an average Sunday service, your tone should be upbeat and encouraging. But for a more somber occasion like a funeral, you'll want to be more stoic.
You may need to give some practical information in your speech. If your service needs extra time or if you're serving food, you should include those details in your remarks. You should also include a brief description of your service so your audience knows what to expect.
When in doubt about your welcome speech for church, look at these church quotes and speech ideas. See what tone the speakers strike and what welcome speech details they provide.
It's almost always appropriate to open with a prayer. If you're suffering from writer's block, consider leading the congregation in a prayer that reflects on the occasion in some way. You can also read an excerpt from the Bible or another religious document.
Give a Warm Greeting
Your welcome speech should always begin by introducing yourself. "Hi, my name is..." is all you need to say, though you can add other details. If you're a pastor or priest at another church, you should say that, so people don't confuse you with other staffers.
After your introduction, you can transition into the body of your speech. A remark like, "I'm so happy to welcome all of you," is a good transition. It serves as a greeting to your audience and lets you move on.
Try to avoid using cliches like, "I welcome you on behalf of..." Many people have heard remarks like these, and they've lost their power. You should also avoid introducing someone else unless you're requested to do so.
While you're giving your greeting, smile and raise the pitch of your voice slightly. You can gesture with an open palm, which signifies openness and hospitality.
You can also greet anyone coming onto the stage after you. Make sure to say their name and rank and give a brief summary of what they are about to say. Don't ask for applause, as your audience will likely clap as they come up.
Create Emotions in Your Audience
Smiling and shifting your tone up is a good way to make your audience happy. You can also use creative diction and action verbs to inspire your audience and encourage them to listen to you.
Try to avoid using adverbs or adjectives, and instead find verbs with similar meanings. If you want to say, "We'll get through that quickly," you should say, "We'll speed through that."
If you're going to tell a joke, try doing a pun or wordplay. Never make a joke at someone else's expense, unless you're being self-deprecating, but that can also be risky. Instead, try something like rhyming. It may not be funny, but it can catch your audience's attention and connect two ideas.
Be Brief
Welcome speech examples are rarely more than 150 words long. Your speech is not the time for an exegesis of the Bible or an introduction for a guest. Say what you need to say to start the occasion and then move on.
Consider writing out your speech word for word and seeing what details you can cut out. Save church announcements and in-house business for another occasion. You can send reminders about upcoming events in emails and text messages.
Accommodate First-Time Church Visitors
Worship service greetings should appeal to first-time visitors to your church. Don't say, "Welcome members of my church," as a greeting. You can say something like, "We're so glad all of you could join us today," instead.
You can also say something like, "If you're visiting us for the first time today, we're happy you're here." Don't point out first-time visitors in the audience because this can make them self-conscious. Feel free to give visitors directions to your church welcome center or the bathrooms, especially if you have a large church.
You can say something to put your first-time visitors at ease. "We won't ask you to stand up or participate during songs" can be comforting for some people.
You can point out that you meet every week and that visitors are welcome to return to your next service. You can also mention a newcomers' gathering.
Introduce Your Church
Your speech should serve as an introduction to your church as a whole, not just your service. You can include your church's mission statement if it's one or two sentences long. If it's longer than that, condense it into a brief description.
Also mention any unique features of your church, like the year it was founded. Highlight only one detail in your speech so you don't spend too much time talking about your church's history. You can discuss any other relevant details in a sermon later in the program.
Accompany Your Speech with Visuals and Handouts
Visuals can underscore what you're talking about and entertain your audience. You can put a simple graphic behind you that welcomes guests to your church. You can find stock art online for free with welcome messages, or you can make your own.
If you have guests who may not hear you properly, you should have a transcription of your words on the screen. Make sure you select an appropriate font like Times New Roman that's easy for people to read.
You can also put flowers around the lectern or on stage. Try to find flowers associated with Christ that are reflective of your service. White lilies and orchids are extremely popular in churches because they signify purity and faith.
Another effective way to put guests at ease is to give them something. At a minimum, they should have a Bible and songbook so they can follow along with the service. You can also hand out bottles of water and snacks that they can consume during the program.
Church welcome materials can include church connection cards and fliers. You can leave them at the back of the room for first-time visitors to collect, or you can have someone hand them out.
Practice How to Give a Welcome Speech in Church
Practicing welcome speeches takes time. You should write a draft of your speech and then read it out loud to see if the sentences flow together. If anything seems choppy, you should rewrite your speech until everything feels fluid.
Once you have a workable draft, stand up and rehearse - you can even use a mirror while you do this so you can make the right facial expressions as well.
You don’t have to memorize your speech. But when you're not looking at notes, you should be making eye contact with your audience. Sweep across the room so you can look at everyone without focusing on a particular person.
You should run your speech by the person leading the service. You should also run it by anyone who is speaking later in the program. This will help you avoid repetitive details and let you make a proper introduction.
Welcome Speech for Church Examples
A key approach to capture your audience's attentiveness is to include the core points of your speech in the introduction. You should also warmly invite the participants to connect with the church through prayer.
Give a clear speech for your church program by identifying the reason why everyone is gathered. Your welcome address for your church program not only creates a connection with the congregation but also honors your guests by thanking them for serving you and the church.
Finding the perfect words of welcome before worship is a challenge for many. You want people to be inspired and welcomed, but how can you tell what will be effective? Unfortunately, there’s no crystal ball to see what will work, but you can borrow from others to get the inspiration you need.
If you're looking for some inspiration to craft a well-worded and elegant welcome address for a church program, check out these examples.
General Welcome Speech Examples
1. Sunday Services
Good morning and welcome to [CHURCH NAME]. We're so glad that you have chosen this place of worship to honor the Lord's name with us.
If you're new to this church, we would like to thank you for worshipping with us and we warmly welcome you into [CHURCH NAME] as our brothers and our sisters.
Let us reflect on this day and give thanks to the Lord our God with the passage Psalm 100:4-5, "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His court with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations."
2. Church Speech
Good morning/ afternoon. It is so nice to see all that have gathered here today. Thank you for coming to our church to take part in the celebration of our Sunday mass.
We're so blessed for our short time together and thank God for uniting us as one. We give thanks to God for both our regular churchgoers and the visitors to [CHURCH NAME] today.
Each one of you is special to us and we want you to feel the love of Jesus as we worship together.
3. Church Welcomes
Church Welcome Sample #1
Welcome to all as we celebrate the glory of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is my pleasure to welcome all the brothers and sisters of the church.
We want to thank everyone for taking time out of their day to give praise to the Lord for continuing to bless their lives day in and day out. Your sacrifices have allowed you to be fruitful and abundant.
We would also like to extend a warm welcome to any newcomers. The Lord brought you here as a stranger but will make sure that you leave as family.
Please join me as we pray.
Church Welcome Sample #2
Good morning and happy Sunday! Thank you for taking time out of your Sabbath to gather with me in the house of our Lord.
Today, I see many familiar faces of those whom I've grown to love and cherish. And today I thank the Lord, for I also see a few new faces of people who I can get the opportunity to meet.
Please look around the room with me and see how blessed we are to be gathered with all these beautiful people! Now turn to your neighbor for a peace offering, for we are all loved by the same God, and He wants us to love each other.
Hello everyone and welcome. We would like to thank you on behalf of [CHURCH NAME] for coming out to celebrate with us.
4. Welcome Address for Church Program
My name is [INSERT NAME] and I would like to welcome you on behalf of the church as we gather here today to honor our heavenly Father. We all embody the image and likeness of God, as we are His humble servants.
Let us take time to recognize the significance of Christ's resurrection into the kingdom of Heaven. For God sacrificed His only son to save us.
We're overjoyed with love as we celebrate this holy Sunday. May our journeys be filled with happiness and gratitude. May we overcome every obstacle we may face and resist all temptation with the grace of God.
Thanks be to God.
5. Welcome Speech for Church
Good morning. I would like to extend a few words of welcome before worship. Thank you all for gathering here for this occasion.
We have been blessed by God with another beautiful day. Let us rejoice in his sovereignty and give thanks.
Let us quote from 1 Romans 6:4, "We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life."
We're all family here at [CHURCH NAME] and through the grace of God, let us join in communion and give thanks for the ability to worship.
6. Church Anniversary Welcome
Hello! We're so happy that you have chosen to celebrate with us at our place of worship. This is a very exciting time for [CHURCH NAME] as we welcome another anniversary of our church program.
Let us take this precious moment to thank our heavenly Father for granting us yet another successful year. We're truly blessed by the Lord and with Him by our side, we can do anything.
A hundred thanks to you, the people, because we would not have a church without its worshippers.
We have been righteously guided by our wonderful pastor to carry out the works of God.
May we continue to be blessed with abundance and opportunity in the years to come.
In God's name, we pray.
Get more ideas for anniversary speeches here.
Scripture Based Greetings to the Church
Incorporating scripture into your church welcome is a great way to introduce others to the Word. Visitors may not be familiar with encouraging passages. Regular attendees came to hear God's Word, too.
Here are a few examples of worship service greetings that highlight The Bible.
Scripture Based Welcome Greetings to the Church #1
Hebrews 13:2 says Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. My name is [name] and I'm [position at church]. We here at [Church Name] want to welcome you in the Name of Jesus...even if you're not a stranger!
We're so blessed to have all of you here with us today. First and foremost, we want you to know about Jesus' gift to you. John 3:16 tells us that ‘God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that we would not die, but have eternal life.’ If you have any questions about that verse and what it means, or any other questions, please find a pastor or church elder before you go today.
I'll ask our pastors and elders to stand. These men and women would love to get to know you today and share the Word of God with you.
Our church family loves to get together around the Bible each week. We're so happy you've come to join us. Please find a welcome card in the pew, fill it out and place it in the offering basket when it comes around.
After our service today, we'd love to have you stick around for Sunday School and adult education classes. They'll be meeting at [times and places].
Feel free to join us for some coffee and fellowship after that. If you'd like to join us for an activity during the week, those are listed on our bulletin and on the website [give website verbally and on a slide/PowerPoint].
Now let's stand as we worship the Lord together and dive into His Words for us.
(This is a good time to lead a prayer or go straight into worship songs).
Scripture Based Welcome Greetings to the Church #2
Psalm 107 verse two tells us, ‘Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— those He redeemed from the hand of the foe.’ We're so excited to be together today. We are the redeemed of the Lord and we can't wait to tell our story!
It's great to see familiar and new faces today. If we haven't met, my name is [name] and I am [position at church]. We want to remind everyone how much God loves you. We hope you'll experience the power and might of our Heavenly Father today as we worship together.
I have a few things I'd like to share with you today. First, we have Sunday school for adults and children after the service at [time and place]. Second, we'll be sharing a meal at [time and place] and would love to see you there as well.
This month, pastor [name] is taking us through the book of [name of book] in a sermon series titled, [sermon series name]. If you're joining us for the first time today, you can catch previous sermons on our website at [verbally tell website and visually post it].
With that, I'd like to extend to you the welcome Paul gave to the church in Romans chapter one, Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let's pray over our time together today.
Scripture Based Welcome Greetings to the Church #3
In Matthew 18:20, Jesus says, ‘For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.’ Today, we gather in the great name of Jesus and know that He is here with us.
Welcome to [church name]! It's so great to see new and familiar faces today. My name is [name] and I am [position at church].
If this is your first time with us, we invite you to fill out a welcome card. Feel free to leave it at one of the baskets in the back before you leave or drop it off at the welcome center.
Today, pastor [name your pastor] will be preaching on a passage in the book of [name of book]. Let's open our Bibles to [name of book] today and locate that passage together. If you're not familiar with the Bible, you can find one in your pew or use a Bible app on your phone.
First, flip to the book of [name of book], it's in the New Testament, towards the back of your Bible. I'll wait a minute here and let you find that.
Now, find chapter [chapter]. The chapters are the big, bold numbers. Great!
Once you've found chapter [name of book] find those teeny-tiny numbers, those are the verses. We'll be starting at verse one today to make things nice and simple for you.
Before I close in prayer, I want to invite you to join us for Sunday school at [time and date]. Take a look at the screen up front for our weekly church schedule. You can also find the church activities calendar on our website.
Thanks so much for being here. Let's pray together.
Make 'Em Laugh
Laughter is contagious and it helps put people at ease. A well-delivered, good-quality joke helps break the ice and grabs parishioners' attention.
Here are some church introductions that will make 'em laugh.
Funny Church Congregation Greetings to the Church #1
Good morning, everyone! I'm [name] and I am [position at the church]. It's great to see new and familiar faces here today.
My job this morning is to welcome you with a few brief announcements. Your job is to listen. If you finish your job before I finish mine, please let me know!
We're excited for what's coming up at [church name] this week. Check out your bulletin or the website for a full church calendar. If you're visiting us for the first time, stop by the welcome center for your welcome packet.
Today, pastor [name] will continue his sermon series on [title of series]. If you'd like to listen to previous sermons, they're on our website as well.
Before I finish announcements, is anyone done with their job before me today? Show of hands? Who's not listening anymore?
We really do hope you're blessed this morning. It's so great to laugh and worship as the body of Christ. Please join me as we thank our Heavenly Father for our time together today.
Funny Church Congregation Greetings to the Church #2
Good morning! It's great to see everyone here today. My name is [name] and I am [position at the church]. I'd like to start off by inviting all of you to enjoy coffee in the fellowship hall immediately following the service today.
The men in our congregation have recently been informed it is their Biblical duty to make the coffee. You can find it in the New Testament...HeBrews.
All joking aside, we have an exciting week coming up here at [church name]. If you're visiting for the first time today, we extend an especially warm welcome to you. Please feel free to pick up your free gift at the welcome center before you leave today.
We hope you'll join us for Sunday school and adult education today after coffee hour. And if the coffee doesn't taste good, you know who to blame!
Joking, joking, we know it will be great! Before pastor [name] comes to bless us with God's Word today, please bow your heads in prayer with me.
Evangelistic Worship Service Greetings
Does your church love reaching those who haven't heard the Good News of Jesus? If so, you might want to take an evangelistic approach to your church's welcome speeches.
Evangelistic Congregation Greetings to the Church #1
Welcome, welcome, welcome to our church family and visitors today! We're so excited to worship together and share the love of Jesus today. If we haven't met before, I'm [name], the [position at the church].
Our family of believers here at [church name] come before the Father every Sunday to praise Him for what he does for us. We believe that Jesus is God's one and only Son who saves us from our sin.
We believe that Jesus loves us all and desires for us to know and love Him as well. We care deeply about our visitors and regular attenders here at [church name]. We want everyone to experience the love of Jesus today.
We invite you to listen to our preacher's message today with an open heart. Please join us for our Sunday school and adult education classes at [time and place]. We'd love to see you at our coffee hour [time and place] as well, who doesn't love free coffee at treats?
At this time, I'll ask our pastors and church leaders to stand. If there's anyone here who doesn't know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, please find one of these friendly folks before you leave today. They would love to talk with you and answer any questions you might have about God, Jesus and the Bible.
Now, it's our delight and pleasure to worship together as a church family. Please join me in prayer before we listen to [pastor's name] bless us with the word of God.
Evangelistic Congregation Greetings to the Church #2
Hello, [church name] family and visitors. We're so glad you're here today to worship the Lord together. For those who don't know me, my name is [name] and I'm [position at the church].
At [church name] we believe that Jesus has come to save us all from a sinful world. We believe that each and every one of you is loved by our God and Savior.
It's our deepest desire that every person here is redeemed by our Lord and Savior. As you listen to [pastor's name] speak about [sermon topic or scripture] today, we invite you to pray together.
Pray for [pastor's name] as he/she delivers God's message to us. Pray for the people sitting next to you today. Pray for our world and our country.
Bring your troubles and your gratitude before God today. If you haven't already, we pray that you will come to know Jesus as your Savior. We would love to surround you as a supportive community in Jesus' Name today.
Whether it's the first time you've been here or the 100th time you've been here, we want you to know Jesus and trust Him as your Savior. I'll ask our church leaders and pastors to stand at this time.
If you have any questions about what you hear today or things you've heard about God in the past, find one of these friendly faces. They'll be more than happy to connect with you and address any questions you may have.
If it's your first time here, grab a connection card or fill one out online. You'll find the QR code and website on the back of your bulletin. Join me in prayer today as we come before the Lord and ask Him to bless our time together.
Greetings That Inspire Generosity
President Theodore Roosevelt famously stated ‘Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.’ Once attendees know how much your church cares, they're more likely to care about what you know.
Your church congregation greetings can be a way to involve congregation members in community giving. Instead of providing welcome cards that only ask for information, try adding an element of charitable giving to the mix.
Anyone attending your church (new or not) can fill out a card or mobile form with their contact information. Next, they'll be prompted to select from one of five charities. Your church will donate $5 to the charity of their choosing.
This act shows visitors you care about your community. It's a reminder about the importance of community engagement to your current members. A charitable church greeting could go something like this.
Charitable Church Greetings to the Church
Hello, and welcome to [church name]! I'm [name] and I'm [position at the church]. It's so great to have new and familiar faces joining us in worship today.
I'd like to invite you to take out your cell phone or tablet right now.
Scan the QR code in your bulletin or type the website on your screen into your browser. Today we're asking you to help us give back to our community. With your help, [church name] is donating $5 to one of those five organizations on the screen.
You can tell us which of those you'd like us to select. We're so excited to have you worship with us and we appreciate you helping us give back to our community. We love our neighbors and want to show them the love of Jesus.
Today, you're helping us share Christ's love with those around us and we do appreciate that! So, go ahead, right now. I'll wait a few minutes and when you're finished, we'll open today's service with a word of prayer.
Let Your Youth Shine
Sometimes, a fresh young face up front could prompt parishioners to pay attention. Ask members of your youth group to deliver the morning welcome message. Make sure the students are comfortable speaking in front of the congregation.
Youth should practice delivering their welcome messages to a pastor or another adult before speaking in front of the entire church. They should have their message written down and prepared ahead of time.
Youth Greetings to the Church
Good morning! I'm [name], I'm a [grade in school or age] and I'd like to personally welcome you to [church name] today. On behalf of the youth group, I'd like to thank you for joining us here for morning worship.
We meet every Sunday and Wednesday night to study God's Word and grow in faith together. Last year, we [name a few things the youth group has recently done or learned]. It's a great group here, and we're enjoying each other a lot as we learn more about the Lord's will for our lives.
We've got quite a few things going on this week. Wednesday activities will take place [place and time]. I'd also like to let you know about the [upcoming event] this [time] here at the church.
All funds raised help to send me and other members of the youth group to [event/convention/camp/mission trip]. We're truly grateful for your generosity and we hope you'll join us for some good food.
Today, pastor [name] will be preaching on [title or passage]. After that, we'd like you to join us for Sunday school at [time and place].
If you're visiting today, welcome! Feel free to fill out the contact cards in the pews and put them in the collection baskets as they come by. You can also find the welcome info online by scanning the QR code in your bulletin or heading to our website.
Please pray with me as we prepare our hearts for worship this morning.
Welcome Speech for a Good Friday Service
Do you need a welcome speech for a Good Friday service?
For the day that commemorates Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, you can't simply throw something together at the last minute. This welcome deserves thoughtful words and a stellar delivery.
Read on for samples you can use or base your speech on.
Sample Words of Welcome
Hello and welcome! Today, we gather in the house of our Father to celebrate Good Friday.
Many of you may know why we honor this day. But I can only hope that some of you came to this service because you're interested in a relationship with Jesus! With you in mind, I'll remind the congregation of what this day means!
Sample Explanation of Good Friday
On April 3, AD 33, the Romans forced Jesus Christ to walk from his jail cell to Golgotha, carrying a cross on his back. Savages lined the path, mocking him as blood dripped down his face from a crown of thorns and the guards flogged his back.
When he arrived, after hours of walking, the Romans stripped him naked, only to further his humiliation. They then hung the son of God upon a cross.
They nailed his hands and feet to the wood. Jesus took on great pain before life left his body.
Sample Reason for Why This Friday Is Good
This horrific account does not sound "good." In fact, we can without a doubt name it a treacherous abomination.
So why do we call this day "Good Friday"? How can we attach anything positive to the horrendous treatment of our Lord and Savior?
We call this Friday "good" because God allowed His one and only son to die for our sins! He let this manifestation of Himself go through Hell on Earth so that we may be saved!
This makes today and every day of human existence good! Everything we filter through the grace of our God is always good!
Because of this sacrifice, the blood of the lamb washes away our sins. We sinners can still walk with the Lord when our time comes.
Sample for How We Can Give Back
How can we give back after such a sacrifice?
We can worship and give praise. We can do our best to walk with the Lord.
Though we will sin, we can try to be more like Jesus. Love thy neighbor and give to those in need.
Break bread with the poor so that they may eat too. Bring the lost to church so that they may find themselves in the savior.
Walk with Jesus in your heart. Be a leader in the church.
Sample Welcome Speech for a Good Friday Service Closing
Today is a day that the Lord has made! Remember His great sacrifice so that you may enjoy eternal life.
I come to you always forgiven by our God, but I too am a sinner. I ask that you bow your heads in prayer so together we may thank the Lord for making this day so good.
After we pray, let's lift our voices up to Heaven in song. Let Jesus hear us rejoice for Him.
Welcome Speeches for Women's Ministry
Your event is ready to start, and the audience is watching you from their seats. This is your moment to shine and capture their attention with an engaging welcome speech for church.
In this section, we will help you come up with content to welcome your assembly with open arms.
Welcome speeches for the church are important whenever you have a large group gathered so you can focus on the reason why you're all together. It will also set the tone for the meeting.
Not only will we provide you with the best welcome speech for women's ministry events, but also some helpful suggestions and variations to keep your audience involved.
Here are a few wonderful speech examples to help get you inspired to deliver the best speech.
Welcome Speech for Women's Ministry #1
Good morning and God bless us all as we gather here on this beautiful day. I'd like to sincerely thank each one of you for your time and would like to welcome everyone to this joyous occasion for the women in the church.
As daughters and servants of the Lord, we have come together to celebrate the beauty that we hold as God's children.
We've prayed for an awesome event and are thrilled with the turnout today. Let's thank our Father for giving us a chance to gather in His name.
We're here to share in the love that He has blessed us with. Let us listen with love to the speakers who are ready to speak with us today and may they be guided by the Holy Spirit.
Thank you, and God bless.
Welcome Speech for Women's Ministry #2
Good morning and welcome. If this is your first time at this church, it's great to have you with us.
It's lovely to see so many smiling faces filled with the Lord's joy this morning. I'm so excited to be worshipping with you today in this sacred place.
We've have been brought together to spread the Good News.
Women are the mothers of the church and daughters of the Lord.
Thank you for your time today to gather and celebrate God's good grace and get ready to hear the Word of God.
Let us pray over our speakers for the day and welcome them with open arms.
Thank you all for gathering here today, glory be to God.
Welcome Speech for Women's Ministry #3
We welcome everyone here with a smile and fellowship, just as the rising sun greets us in the morning. May we give thanks for this special occasion today and honor our fellow sisters of God.
Today is such a special gift from God, as we have been allowed to gather and speak in His name.
We hope that the love and knowledge that you experience here today will guide you as you continue to walk in His path in the future.
Let's ask God to bless our time together.
Welcome Speech for a Church Convention
Church conventions set the tone for the year or years to come. That’s why it’s important to kick them off right. Here’s a sample welcome speech for a church convention for inspiration.
I welcome you in Jesus' name! We've been awaiting this moment for a long time, and we want to express our gratitude to God for allowing us to see it.
As we begin the day, I want to extend a warm greeting to each and every one of you who took the time to come to this one-of-a-kind, life-changing conference. For those of you who are here for the first time, let me give a sincere greeting to all of you.
Because of the Lord's blessings, we've been able to get safely to this place after traveling for a long time and from a great distance. Feel the warmth of Christ and know that God's love is with us! Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."
1 Corinthians 5:4 says, "In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus!"
We should also express our gratitude to the Lord again for the precious gift of life as we start the day's schedule.
All of our visitors, as well as the speakers, are here and will provide us with the word of God, which has come directly from the mouth of the Almighty God.
I'll briefly sketch out some of our core values to give you a sense of who we are. Our mission is to bring individuals into a relationship with Jesus and to help them develop in that relationship.
So, first and foremost, our focus is on Christ. We firmly believe that Jesus was, in fact, the Son of God, sent to Earth to atone for our sins through his death on the cross. In other words, if you've never been to a church before, we hope that you'll learn to know Him as well as we have because He is the center of our lives.
We value every person who comes to our church. Please let me know if you ever feel like a number when you come through our doors — we care about every single one of our members.
We care about you and your family as a congregation of God's people, and we're here to provide spiritual nourishment as well as practical assistance. It's what we do, and we like it so much!
While our primary goal is to build strong interpersonal relationships, we also want to deepen our spiritual connections with God. More than any collection of laws, Christianity is centered on a person. That implies we're here to have a relationship with Jesus, not just to follow rules and regulations.
In order for God to infuse us with knowledge of truth and wisdom before we go, let us all examine ourselves.
Thank you for taking the time to hear what I had to say, and may God continue to bless you throughout your time with us.
Sample Welcome Speeches for Church Events
When visitors walk into your church, how do you want them to feel? This will help determine whether they will come again.
During the service, help them feel comfortable and let them know that they belong. Research suggests that people revisit places again and again when they develop an emotional attachment to those places.
A welcome speech for church invites newcomers, acknowledges loyal visitors and sets the tone for your service. Done well, it builds the bond that brings people back.
Read on for three samples that will make guests feel at home in your church.
1. Sample Welcome Speech for Church Event
Hello and thank you for coming! Today is a wonderful day for working together so we may build a new playground for our church!
Many families attend our church. Children are an equally important part of our community, and we want them to feel it.
Our old playground equipment was outdated and needed to come down due to safety issues. Today our bake sale will help make building a safe playground possible.
We need [AMOUNT OF MONEY]. This may sound like a lot of money, but when we work in unison, we synergize!
Remember in first Corinthians when God said that the body is supported by ALL of us, and he speaks of the strength in unity. Together we make this possible!
Each and every one of you contributed something to his sale. Whether you gave your recipe, your skills or your time, the thanks will all be heard in our children's laughter for years to come!
2. Sample Mass Baptism Speech
We're gathered here today to celebrate the cleansing of our fellow Christians. Some faces at this stage you may already know.
Others you may have only seen in passing on Sunday mornings. Whether or not they're familiar to you, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ knows them well and today, they're publicly displaying their intention to follow God in their lives.
Even Jesus of Nazareth faced this deciding moment. At Bethany Beyond the Jordan, John the Baptist cleansed his human flesh as I will for those standing before you now.
Can I get an amen!?
3. General Sample Welcome Speech for Church
It is nice to see familiar faces. We hope you take this time to build strong connections with your community members and establish new relationships.
We hope that you'll walk away from this event with at least one new friend and we're extremely excited to celebrate with you. This will be a time of fun and blessings.
Let's celebrate together the fruits of our labor and let us rejoice in the good tidings that have been gifted to us by the Lord. We have worked hard as a church to achieve what we have, so let us celebrate with delight.
Thank you for coming, may God continue to grant you blessings.
Church Events
When you welcome someone to church, you may want to let them know about activities outside church worship time. Pairing welcome messages with information about church activities invites guests and regular attendees to be involved.
Church Events Welcome Message Greetings to the Church #1
Welcome, one and all to worship today! We're delighted you've joined us this morning. If we haven't met, my name is [name] and I'm [position in the church] here at [church name].
First and foremost, I want to direct your attention to our welcome slide up here. We'd love for you to join us for one or many church activities during the week.
I'd like to highlight our Wednesday evening opportunities today. If you have children, we invite them to take part in our children's ministries' activities coming up this week.
I'd like to personally invite you to join us at our Sunday school hour [time and location]. The nursery is open during [time] and is located [directions] for our tiniest VIPs.
Please take a moment to fill out a prayer card or visitor info card and drop them in the offering basket by the doors on your way out. We're so excited to worship together today and continue our fellowship throughout the week together.
Let's stand together and worship The Lord this morning with our voices.
Church Events Welcome Message Greetings to the Church #2
Good morning! I'm so happy to see you all here today, thank you for coming to [church name]. My name is [name] and I am [position at the church].
At [church name], we love to gather together to worship, volunteer and study the Bible together. If this sounds like fun to you, we'd love to have you join us at [times and locations of Bible studies].
Now, we also like to have fun! Any athletes or sports fans out there? Great! Meet up with [group name] for [sport or activity] on [time and date].
Ok, who here likes to eat? Does anyone here today like food? Good news for you, we've got groups for that, too!
Today, for example, there's coffee and treats at [time and location]. For a full calendar of our church events, check out our website or scan the QR code in your bulletin.
I'll ask the church leaders to stand at this time. If you have any questions about activities or something you've heard about here today, find one of these fine people. They'd love nothing more than to get to know you and answer any questions you might have.
Let's worship the Lord this morning together with a word of prayer. Please pray with me.
Welcome Speech for Thanksgiving Services
Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on everything that God has done for us and to thank Him for it. That’s why your words of welcome before worship should express this theme. Here's a welcome speech for church example that is great for Thanksgiving services.
My fellow church members, our senior pastor [INSERT NAME], and the administrative team of our church, please accept my greetings in the powerful name of Jesus, our Lord.
I believe this day will go well, as we anticipate seeing the hand of God at work. As it is Thanksgiving, we're thankful for everything, and we want to extend our gratitude to each and every one of you who prayed for the event that is taking place today.
Colossians 2:7 says, "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."
Colossians 3:15-16 says, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 continues by stating, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
As we gather here today, we have a great opportunity to explore these verses in the scripture and do as they conduct.
To begin, I want to express my gratitude to our omnipotent God for providing us with the amazing chance to show each other love while commemorating the virtuous acts of our Lord.
In the same manner that we read about how the Lord guided the Israelites through the desert and safeguarded them from their foes, we have also noticed the same thing in our own lives. Since it first opened its doors, the church has seen tremendous expansion, and now marks the occasion of its 40th year of service.
Your attendance at this celebration is very appreciated, and we want to thank each and every one of you for making the effort to come and share in the festivities with us.
We also want to thank everyone who helped in any way to make this day a success, and we hope that our heavenly Father will continue to shower his abundant blessings on you in all that you do.
As we begin, may the Lord bless you and keep you safe throughout the whole ceremony.
All of you, thank you.
Church Breakfast Speech Samples for Your Next Event
A good welcome speech for church will draw your audience in and make them feel comfortable. Below are some samples of church breakfast speeches that you can use to jump-start your creative juices to ensure you craft the best speech for your upcoming event.
Welcome Speech for Church Breakfast Sample #1
Below is a sample of a welcome speech for church where the speaker welcomes newcomers and encourages them to fill out connection cards to get to know them better. This speech is designed to make visitors feel at home and encourage them to become part of the worship family.
Before we begin with the day’s activities, I want to take a few moments to extend a very warm welcome to everyone here, and I especially want to welcome those of you who are here for the first time.
To those of you who are new, we're so glad to have you here with us. Whether you're searching for a permanent place of worship or just want to have a look around, please feel free to make yourselves at home. Also, for our newcomers, we have connection cards that are located in the pew in front of you. Please feel free to fill one out and place it in the offering basket so we can get to know you better. We look forward to connecting with every one of you.
Welcome Speech for Church Breakfast Sample #2
This sample is a youth program welcome speech for church that can be used at a church breakfast that will precede any occasion.
I want to wish everyone here a good morning. Thank you so much for coming here today. It's awesome to see so many familiar faces in the crowd. If there are any who are new here, I want to extend our warmest welcome to you. We're so glad to have you here today. It is our hope that you can use this time to make some strong connections that will lead to long-lasting relationships.
Now, a few things before we begin: [mention all important items]. Before you're excused, [give directions you want the youth to follow and talk about what will happen during the event].
Welcome Speech for Church Breakfast Sample #3
This short welcome speech for church is one that can be used if breakfast will be followed by a social event that will consist of food, fellowship and fun.
I want to extend a warm welcome to each one of you here today. For those of you who don't know me, my name is [insert name here]. We're so excited you can come to [insert name of event].
For those of you who are new here, we're happy you're with us. We look forward for the opportunity to know you better.
The reason we are gathered today is so we can enjoy some tasty food, fellowship and fun. We're confident that everyone will have an awesome time.
In a minute, I am going to excuse all of you so you can make your way to the food tables. Before I do that, however, let us petition God in prayer.
Our dear Heavenly Father:
We want to come to you today to thank you for this lovely opportunity to gather to enjoy some tasty food, fellowship and fun. We're so grateful for the event that is about to take place, as it will be a source of wholesome socialization. Our dear Father in Heaven, we pray that this food here will provide us with great nourishment, and we pray that this event will be a source of encouragement to everyone here today.
In Jesus' name I humbly pray, Amen.
Easter Sunday Welcome Addresses
When your congregation gathers on Easter Sunday, it's important to quickly get them focused on the reason why. We refer to this address as a "welcome speech," and it is the foundation for setting the stage. The welcome speech establishes the tone, catching and keeping the attention of your audience.
Often, speakers try to start their sermons with off-the-cuff improvisation. This can be a mistake. Here are several examples of welcome messages that you're welcome to present on Easter Sunday.
- I feel blessed, seeing all your faces this morning. To see Christ alive is this community fills me with a joy that I can't express right now [pause] because it would take up most of this Sunday. But I know how fortunate I am to have you here. I know how hard it is to be Christian today. We struggle with so many challenges in a world that wants us to believe our path makes no sense. But I'm telling you, They. Are. Wrong!
- Peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ. We're here today at [CHURCH] to acknowledge — to embrace and celebrate — His rising. A resurrection that reminds us that every day is a miracle because we're here and we're smiling and we're crying because of Him, His sacrifice!
- Brethren in Christ, I wish you all a Happy Easter. It brings my heart great joy to stand here and welcome you to share this great day. I don't know about you, but it's a wonderful moment for a sinner like me to stand before you accepted by His blood before the Lord Almighty.
- Before we begin, let me say how honored I am to stand before you and our Lord Jesus Christ this morning. Once again, it's time to learn from the One who died for our sins and keeps teaching us every day that through his abundance the lives we live shall not be ours but belonging to the Christ who lives through us.
- Brothers and sisters, I accept this moment in the name of the Lord with great humility. I am blessed — we all are! — to see this day, to commemorate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus who grants us His ministry from the heavenly courts.
- For a Youth Easter speech: I'm humbled, standing before all these young faces, eager to thank the Lord as we celebrate this glorious day. The Holy Spirit spoke to me. He reminded me how important it is to remind you that the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior is important to all of you.
- Thank Jesus for this day. Thank Jesus because it's for Him that we have everything. We get to gather here as a congregation and smile in great spirits, to turn and look at family and friends and neighbors ... and celebrate.
Church Welcome Video Loops
Worship service greetings can take many shapes and be delivered in a variety of ways. You need not limit yourself to addresses from the pulpit. Many churches play church welcome videos before worship while members and guests gather. The videos are colorful and upbeat music accompanies the graphics. By playing these videos with the volume on low, you can create a welcoming atmosphere for all.
If you’re looking for videos you can play on your projector at church, Vanco has created a YouTube playlist just for you.
If you would like to access more video resources, please subscribe to Vanco’s channel. Our team is hard at work building videos for welcomes, countdowns, closing prayers, offerings and informational guides.
Welcoming Church Countdown Videos
Imagine this: it's Sunday morning, and the church is buzzing with anticipation. Friends, families and first-timers all waiting for the worship service to begin. But how do you build up that excitement and make sure everyone's on the same page? Enter church countdown videos!
These time-tested gems are perfect for worship service greetings, getting your congregation's attention, creating a sense of unity and setting the stage for an unforgettable experience. With a blend of engaging visuals, uplifting music, and the ever-ticking clock, these videos are the missing ingredient to kickstart services with a bang.
But where can you find these videos for your worship service greetings? Building engaging video countdowns can be time consuming and paying for them can be expensive. Don't worry. Vanco's got you covered with eight church countdown videos that are free to stream on YouTube for any church or religious service. The videos come in a variety of increments, including one minute, two minutes, five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minute, 20 minutes and 30 minutes. They all use welcoming music and visuals too.
If you're looking for even more videos and resources, such as guides, offering or prayer videos and church invitation letter templates, click on the links in this text and be sure to subscribe to our channel. We're always hard at work building engaging video content to guide and simplify your church management and worship services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key elements of a good church welcome speech?
A good church welcome speech sets the tone for the service and lets visitors know about your church’s personality and what they can expect. It’s their first chance to hear from a pastor, priest or other church leader and get a sense for what you’re all about. It should be to the point and clearly communicate that you’re glad to have each person hearing it as part of the service. Let them know and set expectations for the service ahead.
How can I make a church welcome speech engaging?
An engaging church welcome speech should reflect the style and atmosphere of your church. Using humor, smiling and trying to defuse some of the anxiety or scariness that can come from visiting a new church can help put visitors at ease. Letting those visitors know that they’re welcome just as they are and that you care about them and want to make sure they’re able connect, ask questions and learn about your church are vital steps in that process. Making eye contact with listeners is another way to engage them in your message.
How often should the welcome speech format be updated in a church setting?
Update your welcome speeches regularly, or even consider having a few different welcome messages you can alternate between. If visitors — or even members — hear the same welcome message every week, they’ll start to tune it out and might even think that the church isn’t putting much thought or effort into that message. Consider varying the message by referencing different things going on in your church at a given time, such as upcoming holiday seasons or recent activities or projects.
What's the best way to address newcomers in a church welcome speech?
In welcoming newcomers, it’s good to acknowledge them and express appreciation for their presence, but also to remember that many visitors prefer not to be singled out or made the focus of attention. Simple words like, “We’re glad you’re here and thank you for joining us,” or “If you have any questions or want to know more about our church, feel free to ask any of our leaders or volunteers, and we’re happy to help,” can go a long way.
What tips can help first-time speakers deliver effective welcome speeches at church?
Being a first-time speaker in church can be intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. Here are some helpful tips for delivering an effective welcome speech:
- Prepare: For any speaker, preparation is key. Knowing what you want to say, what topics you want to cover and the most important takeaway you want listeners to have should guide your words.
- Rehearse: Prepare notes or an outline and take time to rehearse your message before speaking.
- Don’t try to be perfect: Remember, you don’t have to be perfect. It’s OK to stumble on a word here or there. In fact, messages that are too perfect can come across as impersonal.
- Be friendly: Do your best to allow warmth and friendliness to come across in your message. Smile and try to talk to people as if you’re having a normal, one-on-one conversation.
192 Amazing Church Speeches and Templates
Writing messages, remarks and sermons for different occasions can take a lot of work. That's why we built a resource filled with nearly 200 messages for every occasion. Download the free eBook to get:
- Benedictions for worship
- Dozens of holiday greetings and messages
- Welcomes for worship services
- And much more!
