Christ Church usher duties
Determine usher configuration
Preferably, the configuration is planned in advance. Can be performed with 4 or 2 ushers. (Refer to recommended configurations.) Other configurations are possible, but are not documented here.
- Identify the usher positions. If 2 ushers, then only positions A and B are used.
- Identify lead usher.
| North - Altar | |||
| West - Left | A | B | East - Right |
| C | D | ||
| South - Narthex (main entrance) | |||
Greet attendees
Before service
Starting at least 15 minutes before the service starts.
- Bring Greeters’ table out.
- Get bulletins if not already out in narthex.
- Get offering plates if not already out in narthex. There should be one plate per usher.
- Greet attendees and pass out bulletins.
During service
- Bring Greeters’ table back in.
- At least 1 usher stay in narthex to greet late-comers, deal with whatever comes up (except while performing below duties).
Count attendees during sermon
- Count number of attendees and number of zoom windows and record on a paper form.
- Place form in rector's inbox in church office.
| Sanctuary+ (clergy, audio/video operator, ...) |
|||
| Far left pews |
Left pews |
Right pews |
Choir |
| Narthex+ (ushers, childcare, ...) |
|||
| Zoom windows (not including the church) |
|||
Offertory
- Starting together in the Narthex,
walk up the center aisle carrying offering plates on cue:
Offertory Sentence “Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.”
| North - Altar | |||||
| West | Left pews | Center Aisle |
Right pews | East | |
| ↑ | ↑ | ||||
| A | B | ||||
| C | D | ||||
| South - Narthex (main entrance) | |||||
Collection with 4 ushers
- A and B walk around first pews to side aisles.
- Collect from front to back (north to south).
- A and C collect from left pews.
- B and D collect from right pews.
- Pass plates down every-other pew.
| North - Altar | |||||||||
| West | Far left pews | Left pews | Center Aisle |
Right pews | Choir | East | |||
| A | C | D | B | ||||||
| ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ||||||
| South - Narthex (main entrance) | |||||||||
Collection with 2 ushers
- A and B collect from the center aisle from front to back (north to south).
- A collect from left pews.
- B collect from right pews.
- Pass plate or just collect directly as appropriate.
- If helpful, may walk around to side aisle as appropriate.
Offertory Response
- Starting together in the Narthex,
walk up the center aisle carrying offering plates on cue:
Offertory Response music starts (“Praise God from whom all blessings flow...” or other)
| North - Altar | |||||
| West | Left pews | Center Aisle |
Right pews | East | |
| ↑ | ↑ | ||||
| A | B | ||||
| C | D | ||||
| South - Narthex (main entrance) | |||||
- Proceed through the opening in the altar rail.
- If 4 ushers, A and B move away from each other enough to allow C and D to fit in between.
- Form one row facing the altar with toes below first step.
| Steps to altar | |||||
| A | C | D | B | ||
| Left altar rail | Right altar rail | ||||
- Hand offering plates to the deacon.
- After all plates are collected, all ushers bow toward altar together.
- If 4 ushers, C and D turn and lead toward back.
- A and B turn and follow.
| North - Altar | |||||
| West | Left pews | Center Aisle |
Right pews | East | |
| A | B | ||||
| C | D | ||||
| ↓ | ↓ | ||||
| South - Narthex (main entrance) | |||||
Communion
- Starting together in the Narthex,
walk up the center aisle on cue:
The Invitation (“This is God’s table and all are welcome here.”)
Communion with 4 ushers
| North - Altar | |||||
| West | Left pews | Center Aisle |
Right pews | East | |
| ↑ | ↑ | ||||
| A | B | ||||
| C | D | ||||
| South - Narthex (main entrance) | |||||
- A and B take positions at the altar rail to “direct traffic”.
- C and D take positions by first pew in center aisle to regulate flow of communicants.
- C and D wait for choir, then:
- C release communicants from left side pews.
- D release communicants from right side pews.
- A direct communicants from left side pews to fill left side altar rail from right to left.
- B direct communicants from right side pews to fill right side altar rail from right to left.
- If needed, direct communicants to other side to balance out.
| North - Altar | |||||
| Left altar rail | Right altar rail | ||||
| A | B | ||||
| West | Left pews | Center Aisle |
Right pews | East | |
| D | |||||
| C | ↓ | ||||
| ↓ | |||||
| South - Narthex (main entrance) | |||||
- Side-by-side C and D follow a few paces behind last communicants.
- C and D join in between A and B forming a row (A, C, D, B).
- After everyone else, ushers will take communion together. Lead usher motions team and all 4 go together.
- After taking communion, all 4 ushers will go to middle and bow toward altar together in a row.
| North - Altar | |||||
| West | Left altar rail | Right altar rail | East | ||
| A | C | D | B | ||
| Left pews | Center Aisle |
Right pews | |||
| South - Narthex (main entrance) | |||||
- C and D turn and lead toward back.
- A and B turn and follow.
| North - Altar | |||||
| West | Left pews | Center Aisle |
Right pews | East | |
| A | B | ||||
| C | D | ||||
| ↓ | ↓ | ||||
| South - Narthex (main entrance) | |||||
Communion with 2 ushers
- Wait for choir, then:
- A release communicants from left side pews.
- B release communicants from right side pews.
- If needed, direct communicants to other side to balance out.
- Side-by-side follow a few paces behind last communicants.
- After everyone else, ushers will take communion together.
- After taking communion, ushers go to middle and bow toward altar together.
Usher planning
Recommended minimum usher configurations for planning:
2 ushers:
- “normal” Sundays - 10:15am
- Ash Wednesday - 7pm
- Maundy Thursday - 7pm
- Good Friday - 12pm
- Easter Vigil - 7:30pm
- other special services, such as memorials
4 ushers:
- Easter - 10:15am
- Christmas eve - 4pm
- Christmas eve - 9pm