No, we don't ask them to stand.

I think it makes them feel that we respect their wishes to worship with us that day, without singling them out. We do try to make sure that a minister/elder/deacon talks to the visitor during our extended meet & greet and invite them to lunch.

We do not ask visitors to stand, though we do ask new members to stand. When my dad was alive and I was begging him to go to church with me, he agreed to go only if nobody would notice him. I think it's really a put-off to be asked to stand for being new/a visitor.

no....what we have always done is the regular attenders all stand up and the visitors remain sitting......and then we give them a pamphlet about our church....we don't want them to be embarrased so they just keep sitting. but we don't do that all the time....not sure why.

tim magill
kansas city, ks

We all stand up and greet each other at the beginning of service. So visitors and members are welcomed. Keith, I sure you can attest to this, you even see people walking to different sections of the auditorium to greet people at our congregation. It is a very encouraging time, the song leader has to "reign" everyone in to start worship.