Please remember the Attendance Count!!

USHER DUTIES at First United Methodist Church, St. Cloud, MN.

Your GOAL is to help worshippers feel welcome in order to find Christian community and then experience God’s presence in worship.

1.   USHERS, PLEASE REVIEW THESE ROLES EVEN IF YOU HAVE BEEN AN USHER   BEFORE: (You play a very important role!)

1. Arrive at least 20 minutes before Sunday services to check pews, make sure bulletins are available, offering plates are ready, etc.

Please make sure the Christ candle is lit before the service.

2. In Winter, keep the Family Room Door Shut, to keep it warm.
3. Check all pews and pew racks before (as well as after) the service to make sure they are tidy. 
4. Check Choir pews and make sure a basket is available for their offering; collect this basket after the service.
5. Be stationed at the West door and Garden entrance. We do not usually have ushers at the front hallway door near the pulpit.
6. Put on usher name tag.
7. Greet each person with eye contact and a smile and word of welcome.
8. If infants or children are present, be ready to tell families about these items and show them personally:

                                                  i.       Nursery (always staffed by Nursery Staff-person),

                                                ii.      The Family Room (adult must stay with child)

                                              iii.      Activity bags for children to use during worship

                                              iv.      Kids’ Kingdom for pre-Schoolers to 6^th grade, during the 9 a.m. service. Diana leads education for children at 11:00am service.

                                                v.      Give a bulletin and/or children’s activity page to each child, according to the ages printed on the handouts.

                                              vi.      Crying children during the service: if a parent exits with a child, assist in opening the door, helping them to find nursery, etc.

9. Church Bell (Located Tower Entrance): Three minutes before service, one usher rings church bell, near Garden entrance
10. Continue to watch for guests and worshippers as the service begins.
11. Latecomers: Greet them and usher them in and assist them in finding seats during hymns or other joint acts of worship.  Avoid entering during prayers or special music, etc. 
12. ATTENDANCE COUNT: count all worshippers and worship leaders, including all children and the choir. Use form supplied in your bulletin basket.  THIS IS A CRITICAL NUMBER NEEDED EACH SUNDAY AND TRACKED TO ASSESS AND REPORT TO OUR BISHOP…PLEASE COUNT CAREFULLY AND ACCURATELY AT ANY AND ALL SERVICES, SUNDAYS OR OTHER SPECIAL SERVICES.
13. The Offering: Be attentive to the service and be ready to take the offering at the appropriate time.

9 a.m. Service: Start as soon as offering has been announced, even if music has not started; bring offering up during doxology and remain at top level after placing the plates directly on the communion table. STAY for the blessing prayer unless it is communion Sunday.

Communion Sunday: do not remain in front but turn to put in kneeler for communion (if communion involves kneeling) after the bread and chalices have come forward.

11 a.m. Service: After taking offering, bring offering to the rear of sanctuary and keep in secure place.  After the service, place offering in manila envelope and secure as directed.  Two ushers should care for this task together.  When communion happens, the offering plate is placed up front and people give as they come forward for communion.

14. AFTER THE SERVICE:

                                                  i.      Open all doors at the giving of the Benediction.

                                                ii.      Go through pews and tidy them

                                              iii.      Refill pews with the Welcome pamphlet if any are missing. (extra forms should be available in the ushers’ cupboards in main entryway)

                                              iv.      9 a.m. Ushers: Leave 8-10 unused  9 a.m. bulletins on the large wood table at the entryway, for 11 a.m. worshippers who want the calendar on the back page.

                                                v.      11 a.m. Ushers: Be sure to extinguish the Christ Candle.

15. EMERGENCIES: Call for assistance via phone (911).  Give immediate assistance as needed; send a message to the pastors to ask for a doctor or other trained medical staff if needed. First Aid Kits are available at several locations; be aware of these and alert office staff if supplies are low.

16. THEFT: Unfortunately we sometimes have thefts.  Be aware of traffic in and out of the doors and watch for unusual behavior.

MOST of all, ushers are meant to create a warm atmosphere of welcome to all who enter. As our Benedictine friends say,

“All shall be greeted as Christ.” May we do the same.

Thank you for your ministry! God bless you!

01-2010     F:\Worship Assist\Ushers\Usher Duties at FUMC