|
|
Jump to: Late Service Head Usher 11:00 Worship Usher Placement Diagram Thank you for being an usher. The intent is for our usher function to contribute to a reverential worship atmosphere with friendliness, helpfulness, and polish. We want to be “doting hosts”! If you are unable to serve at a scheduled service, even at the last minute, please call your Head Usher. If he/she is out, call one of us. Questions or suggestions are welcome at any time. Your interest in and support are greatly appreciated. Kim Cauthen, 649-3146, Usher Chairman George Grinton, 648-3802, Assistant Usher Chairman USHER INSTRUCTIONS – Early Service Revised February 2006 (Please familiarize yourself with this paragraph in advance of your month). Please be present by 8:20am. Dress is coat and tie or dress/suit, as appropriate for our church. Put on an usher carnation (box of them is with the offering plates in the right (as you face the pulpit) narthex cabinet), turn on sanctuary and pulpit lights, make sure the sanctuary is “squared away”, get bulletins from the church office or chapel, open doors (doors always open from the sanctuary into the narthex) pass out bulletins, and in general help generate an atmosphere of warmth and friendliness. Do not adjust the thermostat. Place a cup of water on the top step going up to the pulpit next to the wood (this location is labeled) before the service. This is for Dr. Cozad to reach as he goes up to the pulpit (he needs it due to chronic dry throat). Cups are in the right narthex cabinet next to the offering plates. Know where the (1) wheel chair (narthex), (2) “worship bags” (crayons and such for children (narthex), (3) hearing aids (top of both narthex cabinets), and (4) large print hymnals and bulletins (back benches in the sanctuary) are. Close doors at the chiming of the bells at 8:45am. In general, open doors only as necessary and not during prayers or the Confession/Pardon. Open all doors immediately after the Benediction. Count the number of worshippers and record the number in the attendance book. Getting a correct count is very important. It is important for one usher to remain in the narthex during the service for security reasons. The other usher goes inside the sanctuary with an “eye out” for medical emergencies. If there is a cell phone, use it. If not, nearest phone is in the church office. Don’t hesitate to call 911 as necessary. Reassemble in the narthex at the start of the 2nd hymn and enter the sanctuary together, with the offering plates, just after the Lord’s Prayer. Receive the offertory call (stand right in front of the minister) collect the offering, and return to the narthex. As soon as the prelude to the Doxology begins, return to the chancel down the center aisle and place the offering plates on the middle of the communion table. This applies to Communion Sunday also (there will be room for them). Return immediately to the narthex during the Doxology, one usher up each middle aisle. Please contact the office for offering procedures after the service. After the service, pick up bulletins and attendance sheets from the pews. Bulletins go back to the narthex and attendance sheets go to the church office. Refill the water cup. Turn off the sanctuary and pulpit lights and close the doors, ready for the second service. USHER INSTRUCTIONS – Late Service Revised February 2006 Thank you for being an usher. The intent is for our usher function to contribute to a reverential worship atmosphere with friendliness, helpfulness, and polish. We want to be “doting hosts”! If you are unable to serve at a scheduled service, even at the last minute, please call your Head Usher. (See Weekly Updates page for the head usher for your month. If he/she is out, call one of us. Questions or suggestions are welcome at any time. Your interest in and support are greatly appreciated. Kim Cauthen, 649-3146, Usher Chairman v George Grinton, 648-3802, Assistant Usher Chairman If you have not ushered since April 2002 at First Presbyterian Church, please review any questions you may have about ushering with your head usher. He/she can meet with you at 10:15am on your first Sunday so you can “see” the procedure. Please be present at 10:30am at the latest. Worshippers often arrive by 10:30am. Dress is coat & tie or dress/suit, as appropriate for our church. Pick up your usher carnation and report to the head usher for station assignment. Narthex door ushers pass out programs and help generate an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality. Close doors at the chiming of bells at 11:00am. In general, open the doors only as necessary and not during prayers or the Confession/Pardon. Open all doors immediately after the Benediction. Doors always open from the sanctuary into the narthex. The sanctuary is full some 25% of the time and overflowing 4-5 times per year. On these Sundays, the most important thing ushers can do is to locate seats and help late arrivals find them when, and as, the need occurs. Take late attendees to the empty seats. This ads polish and class to our ushering. Carry programs and serve as a secondary level of warmth and hospitality the rest of the time. The driveway ushers stay just inside/just outside the narthex center doors and two side doors, to open doors for and help those who drive up in cars, and to handle whatever other needs arise, including parking a car if requested. Don’t hesitate to “meet and greet”, with an eye out to be helpful to visitors. These have become a most useful position. At least two ushers remain in the narthex during the service for security reasons, and to help really late latecomers find programs and seats. This means the aisle ushers tell the ushers remaining in the narthex where the empty seats are. All ushers have an “eye out” for medical emergencies (we’re overdue for one). Use your judgment in responding, having noted where doctor members are sitting. The nearest phone is in the church office (if no one has a cell phone); don’t hesitate to call 911. If there is any question, refer it to the head usher. All ushers report to the narthex at the start of the 2nd hymn to line up for the offering. Lead ushers of the lines anticipate the time for the offering and open the middle doors beforehand. Enter the sanctuary at exactly the right time – enter the sanctuary in pairs. Lead ushers stop even with the far ends of the first CENTER SECTION pews (see diagram) and in any event at the same distance from the centerline as the other lead usher. This will put all eight ushers in a straight line across the front of the pulpit. Each usher knows beforehand which aisle and section he/she covers (check with head usher). All eight ushers will return to the narthex after collecting the offering. Two ushers will take all the offering plates back to the communion table during the Doxology. The two ushers should take all eight plates (2 stacks of 4) down the center aisle beginning as soon as the prelude to the Doxology begins. They place the plates in the center front of the communion table and immediately return to the narthex during the Doxology by way of the middle aisle (one up each side). This applies during Communion Sunday also (there will be space on the communion table for the offering plates). After the service two ushers should retrieve the offering plates and take them to the vault room in the office. The bags for the offering are located on top of the safe in the vault. Please seal the bag, date it and indicate which service. The key to the vault room is on a hook at the end of a shelf next to the window, at eye level. Put the bag in the drop slot at the top of a small floor safe on the immediate left. Relock the door, replace the key, and return to the narthex. Return the offering plates to the narthex cabinet. Say “good bye” to worshippers after the service, particularly at the side doors, and then gradually go into the pews to pick up programs and attendance sheets, as guided by the head usher. Bulletins go to recycling bin in office workroom and attendance sheets go to the secretary’s desk in the office. Know where the (1) wheel chair (narthex), (2) “worship bags” (crayons and such for children (narthex), (3) hearing aids (top of both narthex cabinets), and (4) large print hymnals (back benches in the sanctuary) and large print bulletins (with the regular bulletins) are. Ushers: Note the changes to the offering procedure and to the location of ushers for the 11:00 a.m. service. The offering is now returned to the communion table by two (2) ushers, without waiting for the Prayer of Dedication. See instructions for more detail. HEAD USHER INSTRUCTIONS – Late Service Revised February 2006 Thank you for helping the Worship Committee by conducting an effective and motivated usher function, one with friendliness, helpfulness, and polish. We are helping glorify God with our service. Ushering is often an enriching experience, particularly for newer members or those who “only go to church on Sunday” by providing contacts, camaraderie, and a sense of contribution. Each of your ushers will receive the enclosed usher instructions (please read them as well). Call all of your ushers and schedule eight for each Sunday in your month, ideally excluding yourself. Do this well in advance for your month. A substitute sheet is also enclosed. Session policy is that the minimum age for ushering is to have completed Confirmation class and be a member, usually 7th grade. Children who usher do not accompany another usher; rather they serve as a full usher on their own. If you are not able to be present on a scheduled Sunday, call either one of us ASAP. Don’t hesitate to call also with suggestions or questions. Your interest and support are truly appreciated. Kim Cauthen, 649-3146, Usher Chairman v George Grinton, 648-3802, Assistant Usher Chairman Please be present by 10:15am. A detailed list of responsibilities prior to 10:30am is at the close of these instructions. Note the dress standard in the usher instructions. Greet, introduce, and assign your ushers as they arrive, and ensure they have carnations and programs. Greeters are also your responsibility now although they are scheduled separately. Help the greeters get started if they need it – blank badges are on the left narthex counter, they stand on either side of the narthex front so that all worshippers pass between them. If they are late (10:30am), station two of your ushers as greeters until they arrive. Please note the emphasis on finding seats for latecomers on those Sundays when the sanctuary is getting full. This involves some effort and finesse but it adds class to our ushering. A lot of non-routine things can happen before and during worship service although they seldom do. Please always be on the lookout for medical emergencies. If there is one, simply use your judgment and your ushers to handle whatever needs there are with minimal disruption. Don’t hesitate to send an usher to the church office to call 911 (if no one has a cell phone) and don’t hesitate to send a message to a minister in the chancel as you deem necessary. It is also essential to have two ushers stay in the narthex during the service, to handle people who might wander in or who are not there to attend worship. Assign two ushers to count the congregation including the ushers and choir. It is essential to get an accurate count. Send them to the choir loft to do the count, one on each side. Wait a few minutes after the service has started to get an accurate count. Record the total in the attendance book in or on the left cabinet (all rights and lefts are facing the pulpit). Bring out the offering plates at the start of the 2nd hymn and pass them out. Line up the ushers to enter the sanctuary and ensure that lead ushers know where to stop, and that all ushers know which aisle section they cover. Ushers enter the sanctuary in pairs and stop in front of the first pew of the CENTER SECTION (see diagram). Make sure the READY switch is thrown ASAP to signal the organist. Two ushers will take all the offering plates back to the communion table during the Doxology. The two ushers should take all eight plates (2 stacks of 4) down the center aisle beginning as soon as the prelude to the Doxology begins. They place the plates in the center front of the communion table and immediately return to the narthex during the Doxology by way of the middle aisle (one up each aisle). This applies during Communion Sunday also (there will be space on the communion table for the offering plates). Note in the usher instructions the procedure for disposing of the offering. Ask ushers to stay and greet (side doors) and pick up bulletins/attendance sheets from the pews. Responsibilities prior to the service are summarized here. First look at the program to see if there are any special things going on in the service, to determine if there will be anything that affects the usher routine. Then – 1. Turn on all lights including chapel lights (2 switches), chancel lights (in the communion workroom in the gray box on the right wall just inside the door. Push the button marked “Sunday morning”), sanctuary lights (3 switches on wall just outside sanctuary on the right side – hold these switches until the lights come on fully), narthex lights (4 switches, widely spread out), and choir loft stair lights (1 switch on each side). Do not adjust the thermostat. 2. Get bulletins from the communion workroom on the left side of the chapel (there are variations – sometimes some or all of the programs are already in the narthex, sometimes they are still in the church office). Make sure you have them all. Put a bulletin on the far left first pew and another on the far right first pew for the acolytes, unless there is only one acolyte, then put it on the middle pew. 3. Open all sanctuary doors from the sanctuary into the narthex. 4. Look through the sanctuary and narthex and straighten up anything needing it. Note any special equipment or display arrangements that may effect how the ushers collect the offering. Ensure maximum “flow” through the narthex. 5. Make sure all eight (8) offering plates are in the narthex right cabinet. If not, missing plates are probably in the storage room in the church office, or in the office or chapel. 6. Place “reserved” signs on pews as required (check the program) for special events. They are in the narthex right cabinet and also in the left chapel workroom drawer. 7. See that the hearing aids are out. If one is brought back as not working, it is probably because of a low battery. Extra batteries are in the left narthex cabinet. Early service ushers place a cup of water on the top step going up to the pulpit next to the wood, before the service. There is a small label (tape) marking the spot. This is for Dr. Cozad to reach as he goes up to the pulpit. He needs it due to a chronic dry throat. Cups are in the narthex cabinet next to the offering plates. Late service head ushers check to see that the cup is there and is full (water is available in both chapel work rooms). Empty it after the service and put the cup back in place. Communion is usually a part of the service during one Sunday each month. Extra wine trays (normally four) are pre-positioned in the narthex cabinets. Four ushers each take a full wine tray to the K positions on the diagram, to exchange for the ones the elders are bringing up the aisles, if and as they become empty. (Each K usher watches his/her section – if a wine tray doesn’t have enough cups to go across a row, the server will exchange it for a full one from the K usher). The usher then watches the other server to see if he/she needs to add more cups from the 1st almost-empty tray. You select and brief other ushers prior to the communion part of the service. The first pew is reserved for elders all the way across the sanctuary on Communion Sundays.
|
Send mail to
Webmaster with questions or comments about this web site.
|
