Based on the questions I field, there are many understandable, yet inaccurate assumptions about the usher ministry. I’m the paid staff person responsible for this vital ministry and since we always struggle to find enough ushers for our services, dispelling the inaccurate assumptions might help us recruit more. At least that’s my attempt through today’s entry.
Ushers only collect the offering – Though part of what they do, collecting the offering is just a small part of the ushers role. Ushers are some of the first who have the opportunity to greet church attenders. They have the opportunity to help them find a seat; make sure our guests know where the restroom is, when the nursery is located and their other needs during the worship service. They have the opportunity to make our guests feel welcome and comfortable.
Ushers have to wear a coat and tie – I hear this assumption more than any other. While I’m all for wearing your Sunday best, attire in our culture has changed. To adapt, I expect ushers to be in decent attire that reflects the attire of our congregation.
Only legal adult men are allowed to usher – I think ushering is a perfect ministry for men and women, legal adults and youth. If the role of an usher is to make our guests feel comfortable, the ushers should be a cross section of our congregation. As a safety precaution, I do require that the ratio of adults to youth/children ushers at each service is at least 1:1 so that in the event of an emergency there are plenty of adults to lead the response effort.
Here's what I'd like to see from each usher:
Time Requirement
- Ushers are organized into 2 teams for each service. Teams rotate, serving for 2 months and then off for 2 months.
- When serving, ushers should be in the Auditorium ready to begin greeting worshippers 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the service and remain at their posts until after the offering is collected or until 30 minutes after the service started (which ever is later).
- Always on call for the duration of the service. If an emergency should occur, they will need to assist with crowd control, evacuation, etc.
- General schedule – First service
Greeting – greeting people as they enter the Auditorium with a smile, an outstretched hand and a “Glad to have you with us!”, specifically seeking out those who appear to be new or unfamiliar.
Directing – helping worship attenders find the restrooms and other needs they may have while worshipping with us. This can include parking their wheelchair, accommodating their seating needs, assisting the elderly, etc.
Emergencies –
- Assuring the congregation to remain calm in an emergency
- Directing the congregation to the nearest exit in an evacuation emergency and assuring them that the children’s workers will do their best to get their family members to safety
- Assisting the elderly and handicapped out of the building in an evacuation
- Handling crowd control in non-evacuation emergencies (keeping the crowd at a distance so medical personnel have the space they need to assist the individuals injured and a clear path to transport the injured out of the building.
- Assisting the medical personnel as requested (calling 911, getting the emergency kit from the church office for the medical personnel)
Offering – receiving the morning offering
