What Is An Usher
Recommendations for the Ushers Ministry
First, the doxology has two forms; the greater and the lesser doxology; it is a prayer in song.
· The Lord is in his Holy Temple
· The Lord’s prayer
· However the holy Spirit works through the Choir Director
· All order of Service (printed program) is subject to change according to the moving of the Holy Spirit.
· We will not allow any group, or person to entangle us with the yoke of bondage.
· Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty
· How can we be consistent with our doxology?
· It is a rule that the usher remains in the attitude of prayer until the Doxology is concluded.
· Let us review some the rules of ushering per the “Universal Church Usher’s Manuel.”
Q. What time during a Church service people are not permitted to come in or go out?
A. at Prayer, Scripture reading, Solos, Anthems, invitation to join the church, official reading of the Church Announcements or any other special number.
Q. How long should the doorkeeper serve on his station before being relieved?
A. not over thirty (30) at a time if you have ushers available to relieve him.
The aisle ushers are to be relieved every 15 to 30 minutes.
All doorkeepers are to be relieved every 30 minutes.
Q. What type of usher should be assigned to the duty at the door?
A. The doorkeepers should be men only if they are available as the pulling of the doors is not for ladies, those assigned to this position should be of a very pleasant disposition, very alert and yet very firm.
Q. What is the memory verse of the usher?
A. Psalm 122:1-2 “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.”
Q. What should the motto of every usher board be?
A. If every usher was just like me, what would this Usher board be?
Anytime ushers are facing the front, the doorkeepers hold the quest in the rear, for there will be no seating until the usher turns back sideways in a service position.
What is an usher?
· An official whose business is to introduce strangers, or to walk before persons of rank, an under-teacher or assistant in a school. To introduce, to forerun, a doorkeeper.
· An officer of the church where he or she serves
· Introduces strangers by having them sign a visitor card. The usher then takes the card to the officer of the church who ahs been assigned to read the communications.
· The Church usher helps the pastor to make the service a success by putting the congregation in the right frame of mind to receive the message, for the usher meets the people with a pleasant smile, a warm welcome, and directs them to comfortable seats, the usher also sees to it that perfect order is kept during the services.
· Church ushers are doorkeepers in the house of God, and guard same at all times during the service.
· Church ushers are missionaries for they propagate the Church spirit thru out the congregation.
· Therefore, we see that the Church usher plays a very important part o the Church’s program, and their conduct at the service is a reflection on the Church. Therefore, it is to the interest of the church that our conduct as ushers be of the best at all times.
· The usher is one who sees that perfect order is kept in and around the Church at all times during the services.
To Be a Good Usher You Must:
1. Know your church’s program
2. not talk while in church service
3. not move any more than is absolutely necessary.
4. be alert at all times during the service
5. not chew gum while in uniform
6. not go into another usher’s section to seat a guest, but pass that guess on to the usher of that section
7. not visit with people in the pews during the service
8. when signaled to come off the floor, the usher must come directly to any given point
9. not leave stations without being relieved
10. report for duty on time so as to be available for any for any duty the president may want to assign to you
11. when inside the church all ushers must when standing or walking have their left hand and forearm across their back with the hand at the small of the back; the right arm straight down the side (this is called service position) and is a mark of distinction showing as ushers we go about our duties reverently.
12. All ushers inside the church must face the Rostrum and fold their arms when prayer is being said when signaled to do so by the one in charge; right arm must be over left with both hands showing.
13. Try to satisfy the wishes of others as far as you rightly can and wisely can, but be not afraid to say, “No.”
Signal Code
· From Doorkeepers to The Welcome Committee
From the aisle usher to the usher in charge
· Send someone for a message or information
· Seats are available in this aisle or sector
· More than three (3) seats are available in this aisle or sector
· Send fans
· Ushers to take their stations
· Ushers to face the Rostrum
· Asking if seats are available in his or her aisle or sector
· Ushers to move from their stations in the aisles to the stations at the beginning of the aisles.
· To bring the ushers off the floor
The usher’s distress signal –right hand to tie and then brush hair back with both hands.
All-clear signal – right hand to tie and then make a downward stroke across the face with both hands.
· From the usher in the aisle to the usher-in-charge
Changes …(1975)
1. When facing the Rostrum for prayer all ushers that are serving, will stand and go into the prayer position with the ushers in the aisles.
2. There are only two (2) signals above the head
a. face the Rostrum
b. Distress Signal
3. The minutes state: only go into prayer position for: “The Lord’s Prayer; if it is said in your devotions; Not as a Solo.
4. No signal is complete until hands are back at your side.
5. When seating a guest on the left side, come out of service position, drop hand to the side, then extend waist high toward the pews where guest are to guest are to be seated.
6. After Prayer or scripture, the key-Usher will look to the left then make a right about face.
7. Invite the guest…
A polite gesture of the hand shall be in this manner; the elbo of the right arm is close to the body at or near the waist, the fore-arm is extended toward the guest. The fingers are gathered close together, the palm of the hand is upward, and you have to inviting look on your face.
THREE PROBLEM TYPES OF PEOPLE
THE END-SEATER, who makes people climb over him, may be a claustrophobic (afraid to be closed in) and is not selfish in desire.
THE MIDDLE-SEATER who must sit away from the end, may be an agoraphobic (afraid of open spaces)
THE SAME-SEATER, the person who has used the same pew for twenty years, would feel strange in another section.
The immovable may have reasons not to change places. Each with his own desire, reasonable or seemingly unreasonable, has a right to his opinions. As the usher becomes aware of these spoken or unspoken requests, he should grant them when possible.