Most of us can remember what it felt like to visit a church for the first or second time and wonder what, exactly, we were supposed to do next. It’s one thing to walk through the doors; it’s another thing entirely to figure out whether a community can become home. Over the past year, I’ve watched guests come with real openness and spiritual curiosity, but without a clear sense of where to begin. To make those first steps more simple and personal, we’re introducing Step into CUMC, a month-long rhythm that repeats every month and offers a clear on-ramp for anyone returning to our church.

Here’s how it works:

• The first Sunday of every month is Connect. After worship, guests are invited to a short conversation at the Welcome Desk where they can meet a few of us, share a bit of their story, and get a sense of the heartbeat of Collierville UMC.
• The second Sunday is Discover, a time for guests to learn who we are as a congregation—our mission, our ministries, and the way we practice faith together.
• The third Sunday becomes Grow, where guests hear about small groups, studies, and discipleship opportunities that help faith take root and relationships form.
• The fourth Sunday is Go, focused on the ways we serve both inside and outside the church and how a guest’s gifts might join God’s work in the world.
• If a month happens to have a fifth Sunday, we close with Celebrate. It’s a chance to look back on the month, name the connections that have begun to form, and encourage whatever next step a guest may be ready to take. If there’s no fifth Sunday, we simply begin again the next month.

One more thing: you don’t have to be a new person at CUMC to participate. In fact, we would love for you to come and walk alongside folks who may have the same questions you do!

Reach out to Dr. Joey for more information — or just come and see how each of these Sunday sessions unfold.