With Christmas on the horizon, churches are making plans for every aspect of each Christmas event scheduled. One important detail that can get overlooked in Christmas preparation is having a good welcome speech for each occasion.
If you’ve been asked to give a Christmas welcome speech for church, we have sample speeches for 5 different types of Christmas events.
Christmas Welcome Speech for Church: Welcome Speeches for 5 Christmas Events
Whether your Christmas event is full of new visitors or has just one or two first-time visitors in the crowd, it is best to prepare with a speech that makes people feel welcome.
Church members and regular attendees can also benefit from the important information about the service that is included in the church welcome speech, such as changes because of the holiday schedule. It also can set a festive tone for the Sunday service.
Most of these welcome speeches are followed with a prayer. Check with the person in charge to make sure someone else isn’t scheduled to pray right after you.
Don’t miss the printable with these speeches at the end of this post, as well as 4 tips for giving a great Christmas welcome speech for church.
Christmas Welcome Speech for Church Christmas Celebration
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 KJV
Today at [name of church], we are celebrating the reason for the Christmas season – the birth of Jesus Christ. Whether it’s your first time here or your hundredth, we offer you a warm welcome to our church family.
I’m [name], and I am [what you do at the church]. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have after the service. Our bulletin has some handy information about what you can expect from the service.
Be sure to return on [date] for [another Christmas celebration or the next big event – keep this very short.]
Next, our worship team will be leading a few Christmas songs. You’ll probably recognize a few, but one or two might be new to you.
Let’s pray.
Dear Lord,
We are so thankful for today, and that we get to come together to celebrate You! You are the prince of peace of this world and in our hearts.
We pray that You will bless this service as we prepare our hearts for Christmas. May our worship glorify You here today. May we receive Your word and be changed.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Short Christmas Welcome Speech for Church
These short phrases are a great way to incorporate a welcome without making it an entire speech. Worship leaders can find them useful to open the church service. It can also preface a prayer time at the beginning of the service. Use them where you find them helpful.
- Good morning! We give a warm welcome to you from [name of the church]. A Happy Christmas to you and yours!
- We’re so glad you joined us today. We give a special Christmas welcome to our visitors, and hope that you will consider yourself part of the church family!
- This Christmas season, we are honored that you chose to spend time with us celebrating the birth of Jesus.
- God’s gift to us is the best Christmas gift of all – His son, Jesus Christ! Let’s celebrate our reason for the Christmas season with worship through song.
- Welcome, everyone, to this special Christmas service celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ! We pray that this will be a special time of inspiration and reflection for you.
Welcome for a Christmas Program
This assumes that this is a children’s event separate from a regular worship service, perhaps for a church-affiliated school, or for the children’s ministry. It serves as a welcome, but also an invitation to other Christmas events at your church. Consult with other leaders as to if this is right for your program.
Welcome to [name of church]! We are so happy to have you here for [name of event]. The children have been preparing a fantastic program for you tonight, and can’t wait to show you.
I’m [name], and I’m the [pastor, principal, other leader] here are [church name]. Tonight’s program is just one of many Christmas celebrations we offer here. You can find more information in the [bulletin], or check out our website.
Don’t forget to silence your cell phones as we get ready to enjoy tonight’s performance. Let’s ask God’s blessing on this gathering here.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for each person here tonight. Please bless the children as they use their talents and skills to bring us the performance. May You be glorified in this place.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Welcome for a Christmas Eve Service
Welcome to [name of church]! We are so happy you chose to celebrate Christmas Eve with us. As we anticipate Christmas Day, in this Advent season, we reflect on how mankind waited for the Messiah to be born, for their salvation to appear. We think of our waiting now for heaven, to see Jesus face to face.
As we prepare our hearts for worship today, let us be thankful for the salvation that we have through the Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t have to wait for salvation! We need only receive it from Him. Let’s thank God for that as we start the service.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for the salvation we have through Jesus Christ. We can be saved from ourselves, from sin, from hopelessness, from an eternal life away from You. We are so thankful for this gift.
May our words and worship bless You today, Lord, and may You bless those who are here.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Welcome for a Christmas Day Celebration
Merry Christmas! What a privilege it is to worship here together with you on Christmas Day! A hearty Christmas welcome to you.
[Name of Church] loves Jesus, and today, we want to celebrate His birth here! We look forward to a great time of worship and an inspirational Christmas message during the service today.
Today’s service might be a little different than a typical Sunday [announce any important points about modifications to the schedule, if applicable.]
Let’s take a few moments in prayer before we start our celebration of Jesus!
Dear Lord,
Thank you for bringing us here together on Christmas Day. It is such a joy to be here with the church family to celebrate Christmas together.
May this be a blessed day for everyone here. May we bless You with our worship and our praise today.
In the name of our Savior, Jesus, Amen!
Free Printable of 5 Sample Christmas Welcome Speeches for Church
You may have found this article because you have been asked at the last minute to give this speech, and you don’t feel prepared. Or you have many items on your to-do list, and you just need an easy solution. That’s why we’ve prepared a printable PDF of these Christmas welcome speeches. You can print out the .PDF, or read it off of your tablet.
Download here.
Tips for Making a Christmas Welcome Speech for Church
Prepare. If this is your first time making a speech like this in church, and especially if you aren’t used to speaking off the cuff in front of a lot of people, it would be a good idea to prepare your remarks and show them to someone else, most likely the pastor.
Listen to the feedback that you receive. They are trusting you to set the right tone for the Christmas service. Don’t use it to push your own agenda or go off script. If you don’t think you can agree to that, then politely decline.
Be sensitive. Some people only visit church for Christmas and Easter. While people sometimes joke about this, it isn’t appropriate to do so during a welcome speech where you are trying to help people feel at home in your church. It’s the opposite of welcoming, and can leave them feeling left out.
Include details. While you might know the pastor’s name, the schedule of the service, and what you should do after the service, the first-time visitor (and even second-time visitors) might not.
It’s good to briefly introduce yourself during your speech, and introduce the next person coming up. Incorporating other details as appropriate is recommended so visitors aren’t confused as to what is happening.
You may also include details such as if they should silence their cell phones, how to fill out contact cards, how to download the church app, and other important particulars.
More detailed information, such as the church’s mission statement, every event during the week, and other complicated details are best left for the bulletin.
Practice. Don’t leave your preparation to the last minute, though you might not always have the option to prepare. Practice in front of a mirror if you think it will help you improve your delivery.
As you prepare for the privilege of welcoming new people to these Christmas celebrations, pray that the Lord would give you the right words to make people comfortable and welcome in your church. Thank you for being willing to serve in this way!
If you like this post, you may also like Advent Readings for Church or 18 Welcomes for Churches.