Information for Ushers
October
20, 2006
Ushers Ÿ Basic Information - The Board of Ushers shall be responsible
for the ushering function of the Church worship services.¹ This includes:¹ the scheduling and administration of the ushers; establishment of
practices to foster a warm and friendly atmosphere toward the congregation;
ensuring appropriate decorum during worship; assisting the Ministers and other
Boards in greeting visitors to the services.¹
The Usher Chairperson (ûhead usherú) will solicit volunteers and develop
a schedule.¹¹ The schedule will divide
the ushers into multiple teams per service, aimed at an objective of ushers
serving once every six weeks.
Substitutes - In the event a member is not able to be
present on an assigned Sunday he or she is requested to find a substitute from
the list of ushers.¹ The Group Leader
should be notified of the replacement.¹
Early
Service - Four
ushers are assigned per service with one designated as the team leader.¹
The bulk of
this document pertains to the early service.¹¹
Late Service - Two ushers are assigned per service with one designated team
lead.¹
Late Service
ushering is lower key.¹ Please inform
the minister you are present and will be ushering.¹ Greet the congregation as they come in.¹ The most important thing is to assist with the collection.¹ After the conclusion of the sermon, the
minister will descend from the pulpit with the plates.¹ Receive the plates from the minister, pass
the plates among the congregation, and then return the plates to the minister.
¹
The
Usher Group Leader - The Usher Group
Leaders are familiar with the process and can provide assistance and guidance
for their groups.
Be
on Time - Ushers are asked to arrive at least 20
minutes prior
to the start of the service.
Proper
Dress - In order to
improve on the decorum of the group, men are requested to wear shirts, ties and
jackets.¹ For women, dresses, skirts,
slacks are appropriate. No jeans or sneakers, please.
Greet
people - Greet people as they
come into the Church.¹ Try to learn as
many names as possible.
Station
Assignments -¹¹ Locations from which¹ to conduct greeting:¹ the rear of the church, the narthex and the
door to Lisle Hall/Barnwell.¹¹ At least
one usher should stay in the rear of the church for the duration of the service
in assist in case of an emergency.¹
Seating
- Ushers are to assist members and visitors in being seated by showing them
to a pew and handing out bulletins as they are being seated.¹ Suggestions may be made to those seated to
move to the center to provide space for latecomers.
Late
arrivals - Late arrivals tend to
be an issue.¹ There are asterisks listed
in the bulletin as to when late arrivals may be seated.¹ It is important that this be followed to
avoid people being seated during times that will interrupt the reverence of the
service.¹ Ushers are requested to stand
in the aisles at the rear of the Church to deter people from entering until the
proper point in the service.¹
Offering
Period - the four ushers who will be receiving the offering must be ready to move
down the aisle when the minister is standing in the front of the Church.¹ Ushers are asked to walk down the aisle at a
steady pace making sure they are in step altogether with their partners.¹ The same procedure will take place when you
bring the offering to the altar and returning you to the rear of the
church.¹ Please do not race and please stay together.
Attendance
- Attendance should be taken after the youth leave for Church School.¹ Two ushers, assigned by the head usher, take
attendance including the choir, the ministers, organist, congregation, and
ushers.¹ Attendance should be recorded
in the notebook that is on the windowsill in the back of the narthex.
After
the Service -¹ After the service, all ushers in
the group are responsible for replacing all hymnals and Bibles and for picking
up all discarded bulletins.¹ There is a
box in the Copy Room (opposite the Office) for the bulletins.¹ Put away any folding chairs used during the
service.
** Emergency **¹ -¹¹ In the event that a member of the
congregation requires medical attention, call 911.¹ Telephones can be found in the Church office, in the kitchen of
Barnwell Hall, and inside the door behind the organ.
Fire
Extinguisher - The fire extinguisher
is located in the narthex under the stained glass windows on the left
side.¹ Call 911 if there is a fire.
Ice
Water and Cups -¹ Ice water and cups are available
on the windowsill in the narthex for the relief of coughing, etc.¹ Check to see if there are cups and if the
water is fresh.¹ If there are no cups
please take some off the coffee table or ask the Sexton.¹ If there is no water please fill the
pitcher.¹ Ice can be found in the
freezer in the kitchen.¹
Bell
Ringers -¹ The bell ringing should take
place at 9:50 and at the end of the prelude.¹
The minister will prompt the bell ringer.
Check
-¹ Check that lights are on, the altar candles
are lit, doors and windows are opened or closed, etc.¹ If there is snow, ice, or other dangers present, please notify
the Sexton immediately.
Hymnals
-¹ Put extras in
windowsills on heavy attendance Sundays.
Chairs
-¹ Set up folding
chairs in the rear when the Church is almost full.¹ Put the chairs back after the service.
Standing
-¹¹ People are to
stand in the side aisles, not in the narthex.¹
People should not sit in the windowsills.