Usher

General

Ushers are an important early contact for newcomers. Like greeters, ushers are crucial to helping guests feel welcome. Your friendliness and enthusiasm for OUUC can make the difference for visitors. It’s a great way to connect with old and new friends while making a significant contribution to OUUC. If you enjoy meeting people and making them feel welcome, please consider being an usher.

  • If you are unable to fulfill your commitment, please find a replacement in advance. Trade with another usher or greeter or call a substitute. If you absolutely are unable to find someone, let one of the others on your shift know, so they can ask someone present at that service to help.
  • Please arrive 30 minutes prior to the service for which you are scheduled and plan to stay for 15 minutes after the service.
  • Wear your own name tag and a “Welcome” stole, which should be in the Usher box.

Before the service

  1. Unlock both front doors and ‘hook’ the handle in the open position.
  2. Be sure the Orders of Service are in the foyer.
  3. Reserve your seats at the end of the row just behind the sanctuary doors in order to be available to assist latecomers and to monitor noise and activity in the foyer.
  4. Open windows and adjust fan as appropriate.
  5. Be sure chair arrangement allows for special needs seating.
  6. Set up two chairs in the foyer for those who may need them (e.g., parents with crying babies).
  7. Distribute hymnals. Check Order of Service to see if you need just the gray hymnal (songs numbered under 1000) or both the gray and blue hymnal (songs numbered 1000+). Always begin by placing hymnals on the first seat of a row. If two hymnals are needed you should end up with two books together on every other chair. This insures that no more than two people will have to share a hymnal. Be aware of the availability of large print hymnals for those who may need them.
  8. Open the sanctuary doors after choir practice has concluded. Smile and welcome everyone as you hand them an Order of Service.
  9. Close the sanctuary doors as the service starts (when the minister arrives). Allow latecomers in whenever they arrive. Assist them in finding seats if the sanctuary is crowded.
  10. Decide who will take the offering from the choir and far section; the other taking the first two sections. Be sure baskets have a pen and cash envelopes in each.

During the service

  1. After the service begins, one usher should stay in the foyer for a brief period to assist late arrivals.
  2. Be alert to open the doors for the children leaving for their Re classes.
  3. Offering. As the celebrant introduces the offertory, walk to the back of the sanctuary. Wait until the celebrant says “The offering will be received”, then walk to the front of the congregation and begin the collection. Use 3 or 4 baskets – one for the choir and one for each section of chairs.
  4. Before leaving the sanctuary, pull any green “Joys and Sorrows” sheets from the basket and hand them to the celebrant.
  5. Take the baskets of money to the office in order to establish a two-person count. Face all bills in the same direction and record the income on the green Sunday Offering Report. Count the number of checks. Complete and sign the green tally sheet and give it, the cash and coins, and the checks to Darlene Sarkela, the Church Administrator. Later, if you missed part of the sermon, you may ask the volunteer in the AV booth for a complimentary CD.
  6. Sometime after the children and teachers leave for RE, count all in attendance, including any children remaining in the sanctuary. At 1st service only, include choir, minister, celebrant, or guests. (Don‘t forget George or his alter ego, in the A-V closet.) The RE staff will count the children and teachers who leave to participate in RE. At 2nd service, count all in audience, but exclude the minister, celebrant, choir, and others present for both services.
  7. During the benediction, open the sanctuary doors at the end of service.

After the service:

  1. At the completion of the 1st service, one usher collects the Orders of Service in two baskets, one labeled “Complete” and one, “Incomplete”.
  2. After 1st service, redistribute hymnals and straighten up in the sanctuary.
  3. After 1st service, pass on Welcome Stoles to the 2nd service ushers.
  4. After 2nd service, assist with return of hymnals to rack.
  5. After 2nd service, collect and separate orders of service. Recycle inserts; return gray covers and green “Joys and Sorrows” form to the Office Administrator.
  6. After 2nd service, put all supplies, including the two stoles (neatly) back in the Usher Box and stow the box under the welcome table.

Supplies:

  • Orders of service
  • Hymnals
  • Welcome stoles
  • Reserved seat signs (2)
  • Offertory Baskets (4 – One for each seating section and one for the choir, if needed). There should be envelopes and at least one pen in each basket.
  • Green Sunday Offering Report sheet
  • Attendance sheet
  • Offering envelopes and Pens

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