Remember that unchurched people are very receptive to coming to church on Easter. Embrace the opportunity for them to come to your church. Plan for these important, but sometimes overlooked, elements of welcoming on Easter:

Ask some loyal volunteers to answer the phones for extended availability/hours. People without a church home may decide at the last minute to get out to worship. A human (not a machine) taking people's calls to find out about your worship times can also answer other questions, provide driving directions, and issue a warm and caring invitation.

Enlist parking attendants to serve and help manage the traffic. Newcomers will be especially unsure of where to park and how to get inside. Remember that the all-important first 10 minutes of contact with newcomers includes their parking experiences. If your church building has multiple parking lots and entrances, get some parking helpers to be sidewalk greeters, pointing the way toward other friendly faces.

Remember to schedule ushers and greeters to serve on Easter. Be sure that the greeters and ushers watch for new faces and make introductions to others in the congregation.

Remind the congregation to greet old friends, who may be home for the holiday, AFTER they practice the "Rule of Three." (The "Rule of Three" covers the first three minutes after the service ends - a prime time for newcomers to dash for the door. Talk only to people you don't know during those three minutes, so you can welcome a newcomer before he or she leaves.) In the welcoming congregation, old friends will understand the importance of making new friends and will wait to be addressed.

Schedule childcare helpers! Of all times to have reliable, planned childcare help, this is it! You will have newcomers with children, so be ready for them. Remember to mention childcare in your publicity and your evening worship program.

Think about the ongoing welcoming

Offer free exercise classes to help people work off holiday pounds.

Teach a money management class that helps people learn biblical principles for handling their finances.

Run a refresher course of Welcoming 101 and Inviting 101 (Igniting Ministry Planning Kit Appendix A.1 and A.17) for your adult education classes or small groups to remind everyone of the need to reach out. Or start a group to study Beyond 30 Seconds: Developing a Welcoming Congregation together.

Begin a new class or small group for newcomers interested in learning more about the church, Christianity and each other.

Pull your youth together to provide free childcare for a "parents' night out" service to the congregation and the community.

Remember to publicize your outwardly focused events through your local media and in your Easter worship program (take advantage of the big crowds that night to get the message out). People need to know what you have to offer before they can get involved.