The Ministry of Church Ushers – Complete Guide

The ministry of church ushers plays a vital role in the hospitality and welcome ministry of the local church.

Together with church greeters, parking lot volunteers, welcome center volunteers, and hospitality hosts, church ushers help the church member, visitor (guest) experience a wonderful worship service.

Church ushers are a significant part of church hospitality system and fulfill specific duties to accomplish that role.

I’ve made an attempt at a ministry guide for church ushers.

Feel free to pin, share, tweet, and spread this around.  Add your comments way down below to help improve this guide.

1. What is the role of church ushers?

A role is a part that one plays in the system.

For example, an actor or actress has a role in the play or film.  That role contributes to the entire story line of that play or that film.

In my professional life, I have the role of pastor, father, missionary, writer, trainer, business owner. 

These are in no particular order, but show that I play many different roles in my life.

With this understanding of the word role, what is the role of a church usher? 

Here is my best attempt:

The role of a church usher is to help your first time guests, repeat visitors, and members experience the sacredness and joy of a worship service.

The church usher role is one of many different roles in the system of church hospitality.  They help create a great hospitality experience that your first time church visitor or long term member will have on a given day.

Church greeters play a role.

Children’s ministry leaders play a role.

The worship band, preaching pastor, and other volunteers and staff all play different roles in helping your members and first time guests experience a church worship service.

Within this role, the various areas of responsibility will differ, depending on the level of formality and different duties that your ushers will have.

Areas of responsibility for the role of church ushers

Generally, the ministry of church ushers focuses on the following areas of responsibilities (if they occur in your church):

• Assist in the seating members and visitors
• Provide care for the needs of the pastor during the service.
• Attend to the needs of the visiting speaker or guests of honor.
• Maintain the decorum of the service, according to the church’s tradition.
• Watch for the safety of the congregation and acting as the line of first response to medical emergencies.
• Collect and perhaps counting the offering.
• Attend to altar ministry or response ministry as people respond to the sermon’s invitation.

The specific duties of the ministry of church ushers will vary.

For some churches, the role of church usher will also include the role of security.  They can be trained to be watchful and vigilant in when there is something of concern or emergencies.

You may choose to develop a more formal security team apart from the role of church ushers.

2.  What is the difference between a church usher and a church greeter?

Your church may or may not distinguish between the roles of church ushers and church greeters, but most churches will make a distinction in role and function.

I like to think of the ministry of church ushers as responsible for inside the sanctuary or auditorium, starting from the interior entry doors.

Church greeters focus their attention in the lobby areas or exterior entry doors.

Other than serving location, the difference between a church usher and church greeter is one of scope of roles.

Church greeters focus on guests and members in the lobby and can engage in meaningful small talk with guests and members.

Church greeters welcome, inform, and serve guests in the parking lot, sidewalks and at the entrance to our building.

The role of church ushers is more mechanical:

• such as maintaining order and decorum during the service,
• attending to pastor or visiting speakers,
• plus the traditional roles of helping with seating and collecting the offering.

While church ushers should practice all the same hospitality practices of church greeters, the roles and duties are different in how they contribute to the overall experience at the worship service.

3.   Are church ushers in the bible?

We do not see a specific example of the ministry of church ushers in the Scriptures.  After all, the church did not get established until the Day of Pentecost, and the descriptions of the assemblies that we find in Acts don’t mention the word usher in particular.

However, In the Scriptures, the term ‘door keeper’ is used for one who would

• open the door to permit people to enter, or
• keep the door closed to keep people out.

We find in the Psalms where one writer talks about being a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord.

Psalm 84:10 says

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (NIV)

Levites were doorkeepers to the ark (1 Chronicles 15:23-24 – NIV).

Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark.

Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God.

Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.

We see more stories of doorkeepers in 2 Kings 7:10-11, where they communicated the news.

So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them,

“We went into the Aramean camp and no one was there—not a sound of anyone—

only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.”

The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace.

In 2 Kings 11:4-9, we see door keepers who’s duties were to guard the city gates, temple, and large buildings. They were in charge of admitting or rejecting visitors.

In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king’s son.

He commanded them, saying, “This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath—a third of you guarding the royal palace,  a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple— and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king.

Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand.  Anyone who approaches your ranks is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered.

Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest.

Though we don’t see the term “church usher” used in scripture, nor the practice of ushering as it is currently done in modern times, the idea of doorkeeper is a good biblical parallel to the work of the church usher: to control entry and exit, and to control the decorum of the sanctuary.

Derek Rishmawy writes:

In many churches, ushers still capture the Levitical priests’ sense of solemn glory. As we enter our churches, many of us are greeted by their gracious, restrained smiles, inviting us in to enjoy the hospitality of the Lord’s house.

Even when people rush in late, filled with haste, anxiety, and (possibly) anger over the Sunday morning rush, a good usher will assure, with an air of self-effacing competence, that they will not be without a seat for long.

Much as our welcoming Lord makes space within his family for the broken, the hasty, and the sinful, a good usher will make space in the pews for all.  (Source)

4. The Duties of the Modern Church Usher

If the role of a church usher to help your first time guests, repeat visitors, and members experience the sacredness and joy of a worship service, the specific duties of church ushers will vary church by church.

What duties your will give to your church ushers will depend on your practices.   Some churches may have their church ushers do all of these things, or some of these activities.

Here is a quick but non-exhaustive list of church usher duties:

• collecting tithes and offerings
• keeping order at the entrance.
• cleaning the seating area and entrance areas.
• preparing the auditorium or sanctuary for the worship
• distributing bulletins or programs
• helping people to seat
• caring for the needs of the pastor and/or visiting speakers.
• attendance counting
• preparing the table and elements for Mass, Communion, or the Lord’s supper.
• preparing the baptismal font for baptisms.

The specific action steps for each of these duties will be different depending on the customs, practices, and physical layout of your sanctuary or worship space.  You should review your action steps with your church ushers as part of your church usher training.

Example of church usher duties at our current church

For example, in the church where our family visits right now, there is the main sanctuary and two sections of overflow seating.

Ushers guide us to the currently open seating area with a smile and open posture as they point to where seating is open.

Each section has a section host to help our family quickly find open seats.  During the worship service, I see this section host doing an attendance head count for that section.

When it is time for the offering, these church ushers pass the buckets down the rows of chairs.  It is an informal and unsynchronized process.  In some churches, the offering collection is much more formal, leaning towards synchronized precision similar to military formalities.

When the service is over, I see the section hosts, plus additional church usher volunteers reset the space for the next service.

They straighten the chairs, pickup any trash, and then put connection cards and pens and any other publicity back on each and every seat.

Example duties of church ushers I have experienced

• Placing of tissue boxes at every seating row.
• Catching people chewing gum and asking them politely to get rid of it.
• Politely asking for the removal of hats on the men and boys.
• Placing blankets on women who “rest in the Spirit.”
• Keeping those dancing “under the power of the Spirit” safe from stumbling into chairs or other worshippers.
• Opening and closing of the sanctuary doors during times of permitted seating.

Ralph Wheeler writes:

Each Sunday, ushers are usually some of the first servants to arrive at the church house. They make sure things are in order and get into their positions to greet members and visitors. During the worship service, ushers safeguard the entrances, aisles, exits and financial offerings of the church. (Source)

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5.  How should church ushers dress for the role?

How church ushers should dress is determined by the practice of your church.

The practice varies according to your church’s level of formality and tone of the service.

In the first church I served, there was no required uniform.  Ushers were dressed in ordinary street clothes like the rest of the congregation.  It was our practice to not have formal uniforms for ushers or greeters.

Other churches I have visited have chosen to be more formal: men and women would dress to a high level of professionalism.   For example, men would be in coats and ties.

Other churches have simple rules towards uniformity so that guests can easily recognize them:  Beige pants with a red shirt, as one example.  In the church we attend at this moment, church ushers where a the same shirt that makes them a little more obvious in the crowd (we attend a church of 3000+ on a weekend).

In some traditions, the ushers are much more formal, as pictured here.  I once did a conference at a church who’s ushers followed these practices of dress and formality.  There was a level of beauty in it versus the casualness of my first church.

6.  How to prepare yourself to serve as a church usher

In some churches, the duty of a church usher has been reduced to taking on offering – it’s a mechanical task.

But in churches where church ushering has risen to a level of formality, there is a role of personal preparation.

a.  Start your work as a church usher by preparing yourself for your sacred role, by prayer.

You can pray similar things that a church greeter could pray

• Prayer for a Positive Attitude as a church usher
• A church usher prayer for personal holiness
• A general prayer for starting as a church usher

Prepare to serve in your role as a church usher with prayer.

b. As you dress for your role, keep your personal hygiene in mind.

You might chuckle at the idea, but it is a real problem for people.  Read:  “Your Church Greeter Stinks“

We all have a off day where we forgot some basic principle of hygiene.  We might forget to use deodorant.  I’m not talking about that accidental oversight.  But we are addressing all sorts of smells that habitually follow a person:

• Too much cologne.
• Too much perfume.
• Smoke.
• Hand creams and lotions.
• Bad Breath.

All strong smells are a hindrance to your guests and members when serving as a church usher. Many people cannot tolerate strong odors due to allergic reactions.  Colognes and perfumes will make my eyes itch.

Here is what I share when I speak of cologne, perfumes and hand creams:

• if I can smell you from 10 feet – that’s too much.
• If your smell stays with me after a hug – that’s too much.
• If I still smell you after you have left the room, that’s too much.

We had a gentleman visiting our church who wears too much cologne.   It lingers on me after I shake his hand.  If I gave him a hug of greeting, the smell transferred to my clothes.  I have to change seats if he is within 5 feet of me because my eyes begin to water and my throat begins to itch.

Granted, he is a visitor and not a volunteer.  But imagine your visitor being repelled by an overly smelly greeter.

One cannot successfully fill the role of church usher when when church visitors and members are bothered by smells that are unnecessary. Surrender personal habits for the sake of not accidentally driving visitors away.

c. Welcome guests and members as you help them be seated.

A church usher is part of the hospitality system at your church.    A church usher is one of the faces of the experience.  As such, a church usher can adapt these same church hospitality tips that I’ve written for church greeters.   Remember, the duties of a church usher are more than a handshake and seating help.

1. Smile.
2. Fresh breath.
3. Make eye contact
4. Take initiative and greet.
5. Don’t ask “Are you new?”
6. Don’t ask “Is this your first time?”
7. Offer a bulletin if your church uses them.
8. Personal warmth — look like you enjoy welcoming people.
9. Say “I don’t think I’ve met you yet, I’m {insert your name here}”
10. If they are new, offer to show them where the restrooms are and offer information about childcare if necessary.

Check out the video version of these ten tips.

e. Be a team player – helpful servant

The role of a church usher is to help your first time guests, repeat visitors, and members experience the sacredness and joy of a worship service.  A church usher is part of the larger team that serves in church hospitality experience.

As a team player, you can keep these 6 hospitality goals in mind.  The ushers and greeter ministry, all work together in the system of creating a wonderful welcome experience for your church visitors, members, and guests.

7.  Provide training for church ushers

From my personal experience in visiting churches, church ushering ministries that have thought through their procedures and trained their church users in “how we do things” leave a tremendously positive first impression on their guests.

The appearance of competent organization helps your visitors feel less anxious about how to “go with the flow” because the friendly church usher is there to guide.

Your church should provide regular training for your church usher teams.

Training  gives your church the opportunity for preparing church ushers to serve at the highest level: with confidence and competence. (Learn 13 more ways to cast that welcome vision)

I recommend a regular series of vision casting meetings with your hospitality team, church ushers included.

I suggest a schedule of at least 3 times a year.

In such meetings, you’ll have

• an easy on-ramp for new volunteers,
• a place to provide practical tips for all volunteers,
• a place to refresh the vision for an awesome welcome, and
• a place to layout your expectations of the work that you expect your volunteers to give.

Since church ushers are generally responsible for collecting the offering, maintaining decorum, and managing crowds, the specific procedures they will follow will be somewhat unique to the physical layout of your auditorium or church sanctuary.

The mechanics of how your church does things “decently and in order” will be different depending on the level of formality and tradition.

Here is an example of a level of formality that requires training so that every church usher knows what is expected of them:

You may want to consider some of these ideas as you prepare for training of church ushers:

• What are the physical action steps required to collect the offering?
• Will the church ushers march in unison to established sections to pass the bucket?
• How will the ushers deliver the communion elements to the people in pews?
• Or How will the ushers guide people from pew to the table to receive community?
• What will you say to church latecomers who want to be seated?

Simple action plans like this require attention and training.

Not all new volunteers will know your church’s protocols on how the offering is collected or the different ways of communion serving.   Not all of your church usher volunteers will know how to detect first time church visitors.

Besides the mechanics of task completion that are unique to the church, here are some possible themes for a church usher training.  Pick one or more:

• What it means to part of the usher team
• Greeting and seating people
• Serving Communion
• Collecting the Offering
• Altar Call or Sermon response procedures
• Catching people who fall or start dancing “in the Spirit.”
• Hospitality Receptions after the service
• Serving guest speakers.
• Procedures in medical emergencies
• Three Body language tips to detect first time visitors
• What not to do , how to make a bad impression, and what not to say.
• Go over ideas of what to say  and ways to show respect.
• Hand signals for church ushers (see this pinned New York Times infographic from the National United Church Ushers Association of America)

Examples of church usher training

Check out these three videos specific to two churches for their usher training.

These might spark ideas for you to implement or do.

1. Reach Out Church Usher Training 101 with Pastor Vic Torres of http://www.reachoutchurch.com/ in Hyde Park, NY

2.  Blessed Usherance!

For a real blast from the past on a related topic, check out Blessed Usherance!

This is how-to video from the early 90’s is a resource for greeters and ushers. Though dated, it still makes some good points and done with a dash of humor!

3. Life Church

Do you lead your Church Usher ministry?

Here are a few EvangelismCoach.org resources

• You can get the 2 DVD Combo Set of Greeter Training DVDs from the store, or
• Download them in one transaction here
• See this tutorial on fixing your greeter ministry.

Even though this resource is aimed a church greeters, many of the tips and principles can be used for training church ushers to be part of the hospitality team and help your church usher fulfill their role in your church hospitality system.

Additional Resources:

• National United Church Ushers Association of America
• Pastor: do’s and dont’s on ushering: (archive from 1951)
• Church Usher: Servant of God: Proven Methods for Effective Ushering
• Ushering 101 by Buddy Bell
• Serving as a church usher, by Les Parrott

Chuck Knows Church