Believe it or not, it’s already time to be thinking about Christmas. But we’re not talking about pulling out the Christmas decorations quite yet. Instead, here are some helpful autumn suggestions for preparing your church building for the first-time visitors that Christmas always brings.
Cleaning Up Nicely
If you want to give the best impression possible to your Christmas guests, spring cleaning effort shouldn’t be limited to spring. For example, now is a great time to check that all your gutter downspouts are in place. Fall is also a good time to get rid of cobwebs lingering in high (or low) corners, and any dust that might have gathered in out-of-the-way spaces.
Don’t forget to include your restrooms in this fall cleaning. They should always be well-supplied and regularly cleaned, but take the time to make them shine from corner to corner and ceiling to floor. Think of how often people will evaluate the quality of, say, a restaurant by the cleanliness of its restroom.
Another aspect of cleaning is de-cluttering. Over time, things can accumulate at your bulletin boards, ministry displays, collection boxes, and welcome center tables, making them look messy. Remove outdated information and make sure what’s left looks neat and is easily readable.
Back to Basics: Finishes and Flooring
One great—and economical—way to brighten up a space is to apply a fresh coat of paint. Perhaps a new accent color would be a better match for your church’s new vision statement, or you might need to cover up the scuffs and dirt that come with the passage of children over many months. A bright splash of color can also brighten up your café or lobby space.
The flooring of your church building takes a beating over the years. When’s the last time you had your floors professionally deep-cleaned? Cleaning also helps extend the life of flooring, especially carpeting.
If your church building clearly could use new flooring, now’s the time to start that project, since you’ll be able to complete it before the Christmas decorations come out. And make sure to tell your contractor that you need high-quality, professional-grade flooring.
Will Guests Get Lost in Your Church Building?
Another good fall fix-up task is evaluating your signage. Walk through your church building as if you were there for the first time—or invite a new neighbor to do it with you.
Can you find the restrooms? Do you know where children should go for church? Once you’ve identified where signage is needed—and which older signs might need an upgrade—work with a local sign company to design signs that will fit with your vision and color scheme, and are consistent with the rest of your signage.
There’s more to consider when it comes to preparing your church building for Christmas. In part two of this series, we’ll cover the rest. Meanwhile, visit our website and sign up for our free i3 webinar series, so you won’t miss any useful tips for constructing or maintaining your church building.