First Impressions Team Coordinator

Leadership, Systems, and Sunday-Morning Ministry That Helps People Feel Seen.

As the First Impressions Team Coordinator at GC Church, my goal has been simple: create an atmosphere where people encounter God through simple acts of kindness. Through leadership, structure, and intentional culture-building, I’ve worked to ensure every person who walks through the doors feels seen, welcomed, and valued.

Sunday Leadership & Team Oversight

Every Sunday starts early for me. I arrive around 6:30 AM to prepare the campus and make sure everything is ready before volunteers and staff arrive. I oversee the Parking, Greeting, Usher, Café, Starting Point, and Connections Team, working closely with each team lead throughout the morning.

My role includes walking the campus, checking in with leaders, and making sure every volunteer has what they need to serve with confidence. Whether it’s troubleshooting a last-minute need, encouraging team members, or smoothing out details before the crowd arrives, my goal is to create an atmosphere where our teams feel supported — so they can help people feel welcomed, seen, and valued the moment they walk through the doors.

Parking Team

Greeting Team

Usher Team

Cafe Team

Starting Point Team

Connections Team

Building a Stronger First Impressions Ministry

Here’s a deeper look at the systems, culture shifts, and leadership initiatives I developed to support volunteers, improve guest experience, and strengthen the ministry long-term.

Launching The Connections Team

The Connections Team was created to fill the space between teams and focus intentionally on new guests—helping people feel personally welcomed, guided, and connected.
I built this team to:

• Focus on new guests and follow-up moments
• Staff and manage the Connections Booth
• Bridge gaps between Parking, Greeting, Usher, Café, and Starting Point
• Turn sign-up moments into genuine relationship-building opportunities

I’ve worked to shift First Impressions away from burnout and into a healthier, more supported culture. That has meant:

• Encouraging realistic serving rhythms
• Giving volunteers freedom to say “no” without guilt
• Clarifying expectations so people know what’s being asked of them
• Filling gaps myself when needed, instead of letting teams run thin
• Consistently reminding teams that they matter just as much as the people we serve

I encouraged team leads to invest in relationships, not just roles. One example was a Greeting Team dinner and vision night—food, games, and conversation focused on community and mission. Over 20 people came, which is significantly more than past Sunday-after-church meetings. That night helped:

• Build stronger relationships
• Increase buy-in and ownership
• Clarify the “why” behind the team
• Create excitement for serving together

To support long-term health, I’ve focused on building systems that last beyond me:

• Red-folder packets for each serve team with mission, vision, roles, and expectations—designed in Canva so they’re easy to update in the future.

• A 3-step Planning Center onboarding workflow for all new volunteers, now used across the Lebanon campus.

• Clearer scheduling expectations for team leads, reducing last-minute scrambling and constant reminders.

• Healthy leadership transitions—helping outgoing leaders step back well and new leaders step in with clarity.

Looking Ahead

This season has strengthened my leadership, sharpened my systems thinking, and expanded my heart for serving people well. As the campus continues to grow, I’m committed to building teams, systems, and environments that help volunteers thrive and help guests feel at home the moment they arrive.

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