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HINTS FOR PASTORAL VISITING
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1. Phone and make arrangements ahead of time. This will put both you and your host more at ease.
2. Don't stay too long. This will leave the welcome mat out for a pattern of future visits.
3. If you call three times and still have difficulty getting an appointment, put that family at the bottom of the list and carry on to the next name.
4. Sometimes it is helpful to have a pretext for visiting such as information on a new program or the seasonal activities of the parish.
5. Try to engage the family members that are the least interested in the church in conversation so you can get to know each other.
6. When you phone let people know that you will be staying just a short while and that you don't expect any food or any fuss.
7. After you leave make notes of any follow up that you have promised, and add names to future lists if you think you can wisely include them in parish activities by invitation in the future.
8. Practice your conversational skills so people don't find the time with you too tense.
9. On your first visits to the family make it your objective to get to know them and understand them and allow them to get to know you.
10. After the first few visits, if you want to deepen the conversation, ask them how they first became involved with the church or who were the people who helped them take their first steps in faith.
11. Get in a habit of setting aside enough evenings for visiting so that you can see active members at least annually and inactive members at least bi-annually.
Item VII
©1999 Ronald C. Ferris
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