Winter is upon us and it doesn’t seem like any part of the United States is being spared rough weather. Churches in the North are most likely prepared to deal with the dangers of bad weather. For all of the churches that usually don’t experience snow, sleet, or hail, there are some things to consider to keep people safe, and your liability in check.

Act like a visitor. Travel to your church as if you aren’t there all the time. Seeing the approach from someone else’s viewpoint can help you see potential dangers. How clear and clean is the parking lot? This includes how solid the surface. Are the walkways clear? Are there low hanging branches or wires?

What about the steps? Is there a handrail? If there are floor runners are they secured? One of the most dangerous things is a loose rug corner. Is the floor dry? How’s the foundation looking?

Now think about things you can do to safeguard your parishioners and visitors. There are the standard ideas like shoveling, putting down rock salt, and mopping up wet floors. You can further improve the experience of attending services in inclement weather by offering things like walkers or parking assistants. Walkers are people who help someone walk through the parking lot and into the church. Parking assistants can park cars for people attending services.

Asking church members to participate as helpers provides a double benefit. It enhances the fellowship of the congregation while providing a helping hand to those in need.