Would you like to know how to park lovingly? It’s simple. Try parking in the overflow lot at church. If all able church members were to park in overflow areas, the premium spots would be left for those who really need to cut their walking distance, and for those who are new to the church.
I know that the front parking spot is a badge of honor. I admit that I feel like I’ve won a contest if I am in the front row. Think of how welcome a visitor will feel if they get that premium spot. Having premium spots available for visitors is one way to let them know that you care about them before they even enter the church. This is what it means to park lovingly.
Note: Parking is a limiting factor in church growth. If the lot is full, your services will stop growing, regardless of how big your sanctuary is, so make sure that you keep an eye on how full your lot is getting, and be proactive!
Running Stats: One Sunday morning, count the number of people in worship and in other activities on property. Then count the number of cars in the lot. If you divide the number of people by the number of cars, you will get an average of how many people ride per car. You will be amazed at how low it is. My guess is most will find 1.8-2.1 people per car. That number will be important as you try to plan parking. For example, you can use that number for an educated guess on how many spaces you will need on Christmas Eve. If you imagine 400 people will be present, and you know your average is 1.8 people per car, you need 222 parking spaces.
[...] special places for church staff or lay positions… in fact I have taken my own advice in another post and park in the back of the parking lot in order to give room for others to park up [...]