Ushering 101

A church usher is the first official representative seen when entering the church.
The role of the usher

in church is a volunteer position, and is often considered one of honor, particularly if the church or a
church committee member selects an usher by nomination.
The concept of an Usher is not new. In the Old Testament, there were positions addressed as
"Doorkeepers" or "Gatekeepers", and their roles were very similar.(2 Kings 22:4) (1 Chronicles 9:17-27)
(Psalms 84:10)
Jesus' disciples can be considered ushers, in the sense that they:
Prepared the way for Jesus.

Kept order among those listening to Christ.
Served food to the audience.
Cleaning up after a service, such as the Feeding of the Five Thousand.
In modern times, the church usher has many duties. Depending on the church's denomination, size, and
preferences, ushers may perform all, some, or a few of the following:
Though it is common for attendees to seat themselves
Collect the tithes and offering

Keep order at the entrance
Clean and prepare the Church
Distribute bulletins and service programmes
Look out for the pastor or visiting speakers
Ushers are required to be punctual and time conscious. In some churches, they are required to be in the
church far earlier than the rest of the congregation. Since they are part of the service, some churches
have them meet early in order to pray with the clergy. Adequate spiritual preparation by the usher
ensures a service full of the presence of God.
What is the role of ushers in the church?
A church usher is a person who helps ensure a smoothly running church service and who ministers to
people in a variety of practical ways. The specific responsibilities of an usher vary with the church, but
his duties usually include greeting people as they arrive for the service, assisting people with special
needs, and collecting the offering. Some churches provide a pin or name tag of some kind to easily
identify their ushers.
Before the church service starts, the ushers will often have the responsibility to check the thermostat,
check the restrooms, make sure the hymnals are placed correctly, and prepare the bulletins for
distribution. As the churchgoers arrive, the ushers will act as doorkeepers, greeting each person with a
smile, shaking hands, and handing out bulletins. They are also available to answer visitors questions
and extend extra help in seating those who need the assistance. Often, the ushers will escort people to
the proper nursery or Sunday school classroom, especially if the church building is a large one.
During the church service, the ushers usually take part in some way. They are responsible to take up the
church offering and make sure it is put in the proper place. In some churches, ushers also help with the
Lords Table. Ushers have a goal of minimizing distractions during the music and sermon. Ushers stand
ready to assist anyone in the congregation who might need help, to aid latecomers in finding a seat, and
to inform those in the sanctuary of any urgent matters. Some churches appoint an usher or two to
monitor the facility, including the parking lot, to prevent vandalism, theft, or other wrongdoing.
Church ushers are well versed in emergency procedures. In case of an emergency, the ushers will take
the lead in getting people to safety in an orderly manner.
After the service, ushers will again be at the door to greet the congregation as they leave and provide
assistance as needed. In many churches, the ushers will then make sure that the sanctuary is tidy, the
thermostat is adjusted, and the lights are shut off.
Although the position of usher is not mentioned in the Bible, ushers today provide an invaluable
service to the local church body. In many ways, the ushers are the face of the church, the first ones that
people see when they arrive and the last ones they see as they leave. It is important that an usher be
friendly, honest, and willing to serve. It is an honorable position in the church, requiring integrity,
cordiality, and wisdom.
The heart of an usher is the heart of a servant, and he does his work for his Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:24).
A church usher has a true love for the people of the church and a desire to promote an atmosphere of
reverence and worship in the house of God. An ushers theme verse could very well be Psalm 84:10, I
would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
Do's and Don'ts on Ushering

the purpose of ushering in church is not merely to serve people, as in a theater or restaurant. Its
purpose is to serve God. When the ushers see to it that an atmosphere of reverence and order is
maintained before, during, and after the service, they do it for God. When they usher the
worshippers to their seats, they do it for God. When they gather the offerings, they serve God. What
they do, they do not "as unto men, but unto God." They are a part of the total congregation which
presents itself before God to worship Him.
DON'T regard ushering in church as a mere mechanical necessity to direct people to their pews, or a
social function which church custom considers desirable. The whole congregation, and particularly
the ushers, must have the right mental attitude for the work of ushering. Otherwise it loses its
sacred character and will not accomplish its real purpose. No one should be allowed to usher who is
proud, overly self-conscious, desirous of making himself known and prominent, wants to show
authority, thinks he is doing others a favor, or has the idea that it is a job someone has to do,
and since no one else is willing to do it, it's up to him to carry it out. All ushers must have the right
mental attitude. Their motto must be, "We serve the Lord Christ."
DO Recognize the importance of church ushering. Next to the minister, the organist, and choir,-the
ushers have the most important task to perform in the worship service. It is up to the ushers to
keep order, to help create a spirit of worship, reverence, and friendliness in and about the church.
These things are absolutely necessary. Without them the church service cannot be held.
Furthermore, ushering is an important factor in the church's public relations. The ushers are the
representatives of the church to the people who come to worship there. Visitors receive their first
impression of the church from the ushers and that impression may be the deciding factor in making
a visitor a regular worshipper, or of causing him to go elsewhere of winning or losing a soul to
Christ and the church.
When the importance of ushering is realized, it will also help solve the problem of getting people to
do the work of ushering. People like to do things that are important. That is a challenge. It will not
be difficult to find and train a group of men for this work, if they are convinced that they are
performing a valuable and important service. Therefore, emphasize the fact that ushering is a great
privilege and a sacred duty; emphasize the importance of ushering.
Note! While ushering is important, and its importance must be emphasized, the ushers themselves
must not have or convey a feeling of personal importance and pride. Let him memorize and apply
the Third Beatitude, "Blessed are the meek." Let him learn of our Lord to be "meek and lowly in
heart." He is a servant of God. His work is important is its relationship to God and the worship of
God, but personally he must not feel proud and important.
D) Have regular meetings of the ushers for the purpose of instruction, interchange of
ideas, suggestions, and discussion of experiences and problems. In some churches the ushers meet
for fifteen minutes before every worship service. For example, if the service begins at 11 a.m., the
ushers' meeting is from 10:30 to 10:45 a.m. This meeting is opened with prayer, after which some
phase of ushering is discussed, and a final check-up is made for the ushering in the coming service.
The advantage of this type of meeting is that it helps get the ushers to church on time and prepares
them properly for their work. The disadvantage is that the time is too short to conduct a course on
ushering. But whatever the arrangement, some provision ought to be made for the training of the
ushers. They must know what to do, how to do it, and when to do their work.

Ushering 101

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ushering 101

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ushering 101

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are the main responsibilities of church ushers?

What is the importance of church ushering?

A church usher is the first official representative seen when entering the church.

The role of the usher

Jesus' disciples can be considered ushers, in the sense that they:

Prepared the way for Jesus.

Though it is common for attendees to seat themselves

Collect the tithes and offering

What is the role of ushers in the church?

Do's and Don'ts on Ushering

a visitor a regular worshipper, or of causing him to go elsewhere of winning or losing a soul to

Christ and the church.

privilege and a sacred duty; emphasize the importance of ushering.

God, but personally he must not feel proud and important.

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.