Ordained Leadership: Deacons
Called to Serve

Committee: Worship Support

Mission:  Coordinates Usher teams, Acolytes and Cross Bearers to support Church worship services.

Subcommittees:  Usher Teams, Acolyte & Cross Bearer Teams

Larry Kurtz (Chair, 2007), Ed Scheibel (2009)

                                  

The Ushers Manual
January 2006 through December 2007

Revised: April 2006

Content Overview:
                   1.      Schedule for January 2006 through December 2007
                   2.      Job Description
                   3.      Team Lists
                   4.      Alphabetical Usher List

 

COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USHER SCHEDULE FOR 2006

SPECIAL SERVICES FOR 2006

DATE             TEAM            
MAUNDY THURSDAY                  APR 13               5     
GOOD FRIDAY**                            APR 14               1**             
EASTER                                             APR 16               3                 
EASTER                                             APR 11               1                 
THANKSGIVING EVE                    NOV 22              4                 
CHRISTMAS EVE                            DEC 24               5                 
CHRISTMAS EVE                            DEC 24               1

 

COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USHER SCHEDULE FOR 2007

 

SPECIAL SERVICES FOR 2007

                                                            DATE             TEAM            
MAUNDY THURSDAY                  APR 5                 2                 
GOOD FRIDAY                                APR 6                 3**
EASTER (1ST)                                                APR 8                 4                 
EASTER                                             APR 8                 5                 
THANKSGIVING EVE                    NOV 21              1                 
CHRISTMAS EVE (1ST)                   DEC 24               2                 

CHRISTMAS EVE (2ND)                   DEC 24               3                 

** GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE GENERALLY REQUIRES TWO (2) USHERS.  THE ENTIRE TEAM IS NOT NECESSARY.


 

USHER’S DUTIES

The usher’s primary responsibility is to conduct the orderly seating and exiting of the congregation.  Ushers will also perform various functions throughout the worship service to enhance the overall effect.  In accomplishing these functions, there are a variety of specific duties, which must be performed.  These are listed below and not necessarily in order of their execution or importance.

Ushers for Covenant Presbyterian Church are assigned to one of five (5) teams.  A captain heads each team.  Ushers are a responsibility of the Deacon Board and the Worship Support Committee of the Deacon Board.

APPEARANCE

The usher is generally among the first to be seen by the congregation.  Therefore it is very important that our presentation sets the mood for the service.  This includes a well-dressed, well-groomed individual who is pleasant, happy, and pleased to seat people in God’s house.  If breath mints are required, use them as necessary.  Wear your nametag and a white rose (red for the usher captain).  Put on your rose as soon as you report to the captain and return it to the Usher’s room after the offering has been collected.

CONDUCT

Politeness and pleasantness are a necessity. 

GENERAL DUTIES

  1. If you are unable to attend your assigned service, notify your usher captain as far in advance as possible in order that a replacement may be secured.

 

  1. Report for duty at least 30 MINUTES prior to the beginning of the service.  Follow the instructions of your Usher Captain.
  1. The usher captain should check all of the headsets to insure that they are in working order.  All ushers should know where these headsets are located for the hard of hearing.  Ushers should direct worshipers to their team captain so he may help them with the headsets.

 

  1. Ushers passing out the Order of Worship should stand at the Sanctuary doors.  The Order of Worship should be handed to the worshiper so that they can read it.  This would be upside down for the Usher.  Make sure that the Order of Worship is readable and greet each person with a smile.  Wish them a good morning or evening.  Ushers must know where to direct visitors with small children (age 3 and under) or babies to the Mother’s Room.
  1. Occasionally there are no acolytes or cross-bearers and the candles do not get lit.  If this happens, the Usher Captain will assign an Usher to perform this task.  The candles should be lit 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the service.

 

  1. The center doors to the Sanctuary and one-half of the four side doors to the Sanctuary should be closed as soon as the procession is complete.  Continue to greet any latecomers helping them as needed.
  1. To encourage latecomers to be seated downstairs, leave one-half of the four side doors to the Sanctuary open until the children leave the Sanctuary.  Close these doors when the children leave.  Remember to keep the noise level in the Narthex at a minimum.  With the doors open, noises can be quite disruptive.

 

  1. As the service begins, four Ushers should station themselves at the four side doors to seat worshipers at appropriate times so as to minimize the disruption to those already seated and for those conducting the service.  These times are generally between events, such as after the Prayer of Invocation and before the Praise Introit.
  1. Ushers who are not passing out the Order of Worship will remain in the Narthex to direct latecomers to the side aisles or to the balcony.

 

  1. Attendance should be taken by one of the following:
  2. Count the children and adults as they leave the Sanctuary after the children’s sermon.  Then have each Usher count the remaining people in his section during the children’s service.  The Usher Captain will assign one Usher to count the ministers, cross-bearers, acolytes, choir, organists, pianists, and the Mother’s Room.

B)  (No children’s sermon) Count kids and adults as they leave for Sunday School and then count the congregation.

  1. Crying children can be very distracting.  Cards or notes discretely suggesting that a Mother’s Room is available should be handed to the responsible party.

 

  1. Ushers should remain after the close of the worship service to help tidy the Sanctuary, Balcony, Mother’s Room, and the Choir Loft.  The loose Order of Worship folders should be picked up.  The hymnals and Bibles should be placed back into the pew racks or neatly placed on the pew.  The Fellowship folders from the Sanctuary should be returned to the Usher’s Room and the current information pages removed from each folder.  The remaining Fellowship folders should have the current information pages removed and the folders left in the Balcony, Mother’s Room, and Choir Loft.  If you haven’t returned your rose, now is the time to do so.  Return the offering plates to the Usher’s Room for the next service.
  1. The Usher Captain should collect the Fellowship information pages and attach the attendance count to them.  These should be returned to the box outside of the Church Administrator’s office.  The Usher sheet does not need to be returned.

 

  1. Some people will require wheelchairs.  These are located in the closet in the Narthex.  A first-aid kit is located in the Usher’s Room at the right side of the pew
  1. Remember that talking and noise in the Narthex should be kept to a minimum because it can be heard in the Sanctuary.  Even after the Sanctuary doors are closed the noise can carry up the Balcony stairs and reflect directly to the Chancel.

 

  1. Ushers should stand directly in front of the open doors during prayers to prevent anyone from entering the Sanctuary.  Once the prayer is over, allow the worshipers to be seated.
  1. No messages are to be given to the pastor during the service unless it is an emergency.

 

  1. One Usher will be assigned by the Usher Captain to patrol the parking lot and campus.  Unauthorized persons parked in the reserved handicapped spaces should be given a card (kept in the Ushers Room) asking for their future courtesy to our handicapped worshipers.
  1. Ushers should stand at the exit doors and greet people as they leave the service.  Be alert to visitors and direct them to the Kiosk for additional information in the event they are interested in uniting with our church.

 

OFFERING

    1. The Usher Captain will assign one Usher to collect the offering from the Choir prior to the start of the service.

 

    1. Ushers will sign up for their collection area prior to the service.  One Usher should be assigned to collect offering from the Mother’s Room before taking the Sanctuary offering.  This will avoid confusion later.  Then all Ushers in coats and ties should line up quietly behind the double doors leading to the Sanctuary and wait until the end of the prayer announcing the presentation of tithes and offerings.  Each Usher should have one plate held with both hands while walking down the center of the aisle.  Note: 2R and 2L may wish to have two plates if the outer sections are full.  You may then go to your aisle and begin collecting the offering.
    1. When taking the offering always face the Chancel and watch for the plates out of the corner of your eye.  Move carefully backward up the aisle.

 

    1. After the offering has been collected, place all prayer cards in the 2R Usher plate.  When all Ushers are ready behind the double doors leading to the Sanctuary, open the doors as a signal to the organist that you are ready.
    1. Two Ushers should collect the balcony offering.  Do not rush to get down the stairs.  Take your time.  Should you not make it down before the other Ushers, proceed to the Chancel, give the offering to the Team Captain. He will take it to the Elders collecting the offering at the end of the service.

 

    1. Ushers should use both hands to carry the offering plates to prevent offering from falling out.
  1. When the Pastor’s have received the offering plates (usually after the Lord’s Prayer) and have begun to walk back to the altar, the Ushers will turn inwardly and file back up the center of the aisle.  The Usher Captain will then provide the Ushers with additional instructions or dismiss them.

Return your rose.

* Click to go to the Ushers Teams and Schedules

* Click to go to the Acolytes and Cross Bearer Teams

* Click to go to Worship

 

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The Elders

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