by Alyssa and Irene, Fellowship Hour Coordinators
Do these situations cause anxiety or make you want to leave church immediately after liturgy?
- Standing in line for a ½ hour in the staircase making small talk or avoiding eye contact
- Finally making it into the fellowship hall and grabbing a plate and coffee, but then not finding a place to sit, or not seeing anyone you know
If you’ve ever faced these situations at St. Mary’s and just wanted to leave and decompress at home, know that we see you. Being in groups, meeting new people, and talking to strangers can be exhausting. And a crowded fellowship hour for introverts can be especially challenging even though you’d welcome having a bite to eat and chance to connect with a few people.
We’d like to offer a few practical suggestions for those among us who do not feel energized by engaging the masses.
- If you get your energy from within and need solitude to recharge, consider bookending Liturgy & Fellowship Hour with quiet time to yourself on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons. Embrace the Sabbath and don’t overextend yourself.
- Try making eye contact/smiling at one new person each Sunday; introduce yourself to one person as you wait in line for food; grab a seat in the hall near a wall, positioning yourself in a spot where you can more easily focus on just one conversation.
- For the one week per month that your alphabetical group is hosting fellowship hour, consider emailing your team leaders or asking them in person how you can join to serve. Oftentimes, having a role will allow you to either serve while it’s quiet or help you to get to know the rest of the team. For example, you could come early to set up the coffee maker and utensils before liturgy while the hall is empty. After fellowship hour, you can offer to quietly gather empty plates and cups or begin to wash dishes. Volunteering to sweep up or wipe down tables are solo activities that help the team, too. If you enjoy cooking or are willing to buy some food or drinks, you can email your team lead and drop it off in the hall (with a note about ingredients or allergens).
We appreciate you and would love to get to know you. We want to welcome you into our church community where we can serve you, and also help you find ways you can be of service to your brothers and sisters—always for the common good and the building up of the body of Christ.
