"Knowing your members are available for visitation is one thing," says Ron Norman, "but organizing and arranging for their contact is another ball-game."
Norman, pastor of Village Green Baptist Church in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, has developed a workable method for mobilizing laity for volunteer visitation.
He began by circulating small questionnaire cards in the church bulletin. The cards featured a short, motivational statement about the importance of visiting hospitalized individuals, church visitors, and inactive members. Two categories of information were sought: the type of visit, and a preferred visitation partner.
Under the first category he listed four choices: ¥ Sick and/or hospitalized :000 ¥ Church visitors
¥ Inactive members
¥ Special situations
The second category listed six choices:
¥ With spouse
¥ With another man
¥ With another woman
¥ With a youth
¥ With one of the pastors
¥ Alone
Members were then encouraged from the pulpit to indicate their interest in the visitation effort by checking ...
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