Invitation & Welcoming
As we explore what it means to live in a post COVID19 world, our expectations of what each of these duties will entail will change, so stay tuned!
Greeters/Ushers/Liturgist
The Ministry of Greeting
The greeter is one of the most important people of the church. Often the greeter is the first official representative of Jesus Christ your church and our guests will have contact with. The attitude the greeter communicates to church members and friends sets the tone for everything else that happens during the worship service. It is possible that the greeter is the only individual contact a visitor has during their time at the church. A word of encouragement, reassurance or kindness may be the most significant ministry some people receive in their entire church attendance experience. The greeter is a forerunner for all the other ministries in the congregation.
Greeter job description
- The greeter is asked to arrive about 20 minutes before the service begins.
- Wear your name tag.
- Welcome arriving guests with a warm smile and friendly greeting.
- Open the door for people to enter. Prop doors open if weather permits.
- Meet people with an umbrella when it’s raining, if it is possible.
- Encourage people to get their name tag as they arrive.
- If they don’t have a name tag ask them to put their name on the list to have one made for them.
- A temporary name tag can be made for visitors. (supplies on podium in narthex)
- Offer directions to the nursery, rest rooms and coat rack as appropriate
- Encourage arrivers to enter the fellowship hall for coffee and visiting or to enter the sanctuary in preparation for worship.
- Watch for people who appear to be looking for something. Smile, greet them and ask, “May I help you find something or answer a question?”
A greeter should be:
Proud to be given this task
Optimistic about our church
Pleasant and positive
Non-judgmental
Attentive
Usher Guidelines
Thank you for volunteering to perform this critical part of the worship service. The following guidelines are for the two “center aisle” ushers.
- Arrive 20 minutes prior to the service
- Check the pew racks for an adequate supply of prayer request cards, offering envelopes and pencils. A box with these items is available on a shelf under the curtain on the podium in the narthex.
- Put on your name tag…and your best smile!
- Greet people as they enter the sanctuary with either a “good morning” or a “hello” while handing them a bulletin.
- Remain near the entrance until after the first hymn.
- Greet any late comers and make sure they find a seat.
- You may be asked to get children from the nursery for the children’s message.
- Collect any blue prayer cards from the congregation and deliver them to the Pastor during the first hymn.
- Place attendance pads on the outside of each occupied pew during the first hymn.
- For the offering, collect the offering plates from the Liturgist. If there are only a few people in a pew, accept their offering, and then pass it to the next row.
- Proceed to the front after the congregation stands for the Doxology. Remain at the front while the Doxology is sung.
- Collect attendance pads on your way back up the aisle.
- On Communion Sundays
- When the communion elements are ready to be given, start inviting people to line up, controlling the flow of people up to the altar from front to back.
- The ushers will step in line after the last row from the congregation to receive communion.
- An attendance count should be taken at each service. Count all those present, including Pastor, music leaders, nursery attendants and children. Record on one of the attendance sheets.
- Watch for people who appear “lost”. Politely ask them if there is something you can help them with.
- After the service is concluded, the ushers should go through the pews and pick up all bulletins, papers and any other items left behind.
Guidelines for Liturgist
- Prior to beginning the service check the microphone for placement. I should be just a few inches from your mouth and slightly lower. You can get help from Unity Crew people if needed.
- At 10:28 proceed to the front of the sanctuary, leading the acolyte(s).
- At 10:30 welcome people to the worship service and read the welcome on the sheet provided. It is important that this be read at the beginning of each worship service as it defines our congregation and mission. Then you could say “Let’s worship” or other words to that effect.
- At offering time:
- While still at the podium using the microphone, ask a blessing for the offering about to be given. (This is in place of giving thanks for the offering after it is collected.)
- Take the offering plates from the table and hand them to the ushers who will be at the stair waiting to receive them.
- Receive the offering plates from the ushers after it is collected and place them on the table.
- Offer a Prayer of Illumination. The purpose of this prayer is to ask that all who hear the scripture and sermon understand and assimilate the message. (Samples of prayers you may use are attached.)
- Read the scripture.
- If it is not Communion Sunday your duties are complete. You may remain at the front of the church or take a seat in the pew.
- On Communion Sunday you are expected to assist with giving communion.
- The Pastor will ask you to hold one of the cups of juice for the congregants to dip their bread.
- After the congregation has been served Communion will be offered to musicians, then to the servers and then to the Pastor.
- The Pastor may ask the Liturgist to perform other tasks during the service but this is usually all that is required.
