Usher Committee: Arlene Morgan (Head Usher), Sister Ella Brown (Usher), Sister Nancy Light (Usher), Sister Annie Gilchrist (Usher)
Introduction
God asks the church to be a fellowship sharing a common purpose and continually growing
in faith. Paul describes the church as Christ’s “body” (Eph. 1:22).
People experience the presence of Jesus Christ in the world through the ministry of the
church. When your local church serves the needs of people, members and non-members, it is an
expression of the love of Christ. The church is a servant body, created for service. “For we are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that
we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).
Christ calls every member of the church into ministry. The church is “a kingdom of priests”
(I Peter 2:9). As an usher, you are a minister of hospitality and caring in the church. Every
Christian believer is called to ministry, gifted by the Holy Spirit, and in baptism ordained for
ministry (Eph. 4:11-12).
Shortly after Pentecost, the gift of hospitality (Rom. 12:13, I Tim. 3:2, I Peter 4:9) was first
exercised specifically for the church and those whom Christ died to save. As believers praised
God, they had favor with people. Their love for one another attracted others to their fellowship
and “the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47).
God supplies each person in the church with the resources for ministry—scripture, spiritual
power, God’s character, and spiritual gifts. An usher is equipped for his or her ministry by the
gifts of the Holy Spirit. These spiritual gifts are special abilities given by the Holy Spirit to
make their ministry effective and build up the body of Christ.
When people come to church they are sometimes burdened, sad or discouraged. Each
person, member or newcomer, comes with the hope that the Sabbath will be an experience of
uplift and inspiration, a time of renewal and celebration. The skillful usher helps to make this a
reality for those in attendance.
Although an usher’s love should be no stronger than is the love found in the rest of the body
of Christ, nevertheless the usher performs a major role in ensuring that people see and
experience that love. In Christ, you have received God’s unconditional love, and, in Christ, you
are called to extend that same unconditional love to others. The ministry of ushering is one of
the most crucial because it is one of the most visible in the church.
Duties of the Usher
The ministry to which a person is called when he or she becomes a church usher can best be
described in the following ways:
1. Greet worshippers, making every attempt to help them feel welcome and at ease.
2. Escort members and guests to their seats.
3. Distribute materials related to the service/meeting such as bulletins, hymnals, handouts, etc.
4. Receive certain offerings, delivering them promptly to the treasury department of the
church.
5. Maintain an alertness for any emergency that may arise, relieving the need or
contacting the person(s) needed to provide the proper assistance.
6. Direct individuals out of the service/meeting in an orderly fashion (in most instances
row by row), leaving the auditorium or room ready for the next service or meeting.