Immediate Belonging with Nametags
“The Church exists primarily for the sake of those who are still outside it.” This insight from Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple (1881-1944) informs Christian ministry in a myriad of ways, including in our approach to nametags.
When we all have the same style of nametag on Sunday mornings, we create immediate belonging with our guests. Someone who has been worshipping here for decades will be wearing the same style of nametag as someone who crossed All Saints’ threshold for the first time that day (Jesus told an important story related to this in Matthew 20:1-16).
This approach to nametags is an active form of welcome in which we have intentionally broken down the structures that signal who is an insider and who is an outsider. For when only guests have a “temporary” nametag, the message — intended or not — is: you don’t belong here and you'll need to clear hurdles and navigate a system yet unknown to you to achieve a different status.
Instead, grace abounds! Including in our own thoughts and habits as we continue to live into the radical welcome in which God has embraced us and we are to embrace others.
Available now are new, attractive All Saints’ logo emblazoned nametags. They are “crack & peel” style: bend — or “crack” — the nametag along the horizontal centerline cut across the back, then peel the two strips of backing to apply the sticker.
Thank you for wearing this nametag as an act of welcome and hospitality. God continues to draw folks here and we will let them know — including in our style of nametags — that they belong.
Yours in Christ,
Genevieve+
