Usher Ministry

Bill Yeager and Ken Robinson

Ushers play an important role in welcoming people to the Chapel of the Cross. They may be the first parishioner to speak to a newcomer. In addition to giving them a bulletin and helping them find a seat, ushers may provide information about childcare and directions to restrooms or other church facilities. They also provide directions to the newcomers table after the service. The most important characteristic of an usher is his or her smile and the ability to remain composed even when things are not going well. As the usher guidelines say, an usher should "Be friendly, approachable, and helpful, but unobtrusive. Do what is necessary to make all worshipers feel welcome and comfortable."

Ushers help to create an atmosphere conducive to worship by being sensitive to the needs of the congregation and assisting those in need without disturbing others. They may unite family members who arrive separately, direct people to available seats, and distribute the headsets to people with a hearing impairment. They also count the congregation, collect the offering, and release people during communion. After the service the ushers collect any bulletins, trash, or personal belongings left in the pews.

Four or five ushers are scheduled for the 9:00 a.m. and the 11:15 a.m. services each Sunday; six or more ushers may be scheduled for special services at Christmas and Easter. Leadership for the ushers is currently in transition. Ken and Diana Robinson have scheduled the 11:15 ushers, but they recently resigned, so a new person (or persons) is needed. Bill Yeager has scheduled the 9:00 ushers, but with his resignation in November; new leadership is also being lined up for that service.

Ushers are assigned to two or three services during a calendar quarter. Their assignments are posted in the parish's liturgical calendar along with the greeters, lay readers, and acolytes. To minimize conflicts, everyone on the roster receives a postcard about six weeks before a liturgical quarter begins so that they can indicate any dates when they will be unavailable. The people who prepare the schedules take these dates into consideration; but, since the cards are returned at least four months before the last service in the quarter, conflicts often arise. Ushers who find that they have a conflict on a Sunday for which they are scheduled arrange their own substitutes by calling someone else on the roster and swapping dates with them. The names and phone numbers of ushers (as well as greeters, lay readers, and acolytes) are listed in the back of the
calendar.

All ushers are volunteers and new volunteers are always welcome. Ushering is not difficult; the most important quality of an usher is the ability to keep smiling and calm when someone you are helping is not. Children sometimes serve as ushers with their parents; often they make better ushers than adults because they tend to be less self-conscious. Children also help newcomers, especially other children, to relax in a strange place. New ushers receive a copy of the usher guidelines and work with experienced ushers for several quarters before they graduate from the novice category. This is a great way for new parishioners to meet a variety of other parishioners.

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© 2005 The Chapel of the Cross