In many denominations of the
Christian Church
In ecclesiology, the Christian Church is what different Christian denominations conceive of as being the true body of Christians or the original institution established by Jesus. "Christian Church" has also been used in academia as a synonym fo ...
, a Church usher (not to be confused with church greeter) is responsible for seating guests and maintaining the order and security of services. The role of a church usher is typically a volunteer position, and in the past was often considered one of honor, particularly if a church committee selects an usher by a nomination.
History
The concept of an usher is not new. In the
Old Testament
The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...
, there were positions addressed as "Doorkeepers" or "
Gatekeeper
A gatekeeper is a person who controls access to something, for example via a city gate or bouncer, or more abstractly, controls who is granted access to a category or status. Gatekeepers assess who is "in or out", in the classic words of manage ...
s", and their roles were very similar.
(2 Kings 22:4) (1 Chronicles 9:17-27) (Psalms 84:10)
Jesus'
disciples
A disciple is a follower and student of a mentor, teacher, or other figure. It can refer to:
Religion
* Disciple (Christianity), a student of Jesus Christ
* Twelve Apostles of Jesus, sometimes called the Twelve Disciples
* Seventy disciples in t ...
could be considered ushers, in the sense that they:
*Prepared the way for Jesus
*Kept order among those listening to Christ
*Served food to the audience
*Cleaned up after a service, such as the
Feeding of the Five Thousand
In Christianity, the feeding the multitude is two separate miracles of Jesus reported in the Gospels.
The first miracle, the "Feeding of the 5,000", is the only miracle—aside from the resurrection—recorded in all four gospels (Matthew 14:13 ...
.
Organization
Churches often have a group of people that work as ushers led by a head usher. The ushers typically receive their instructions from the head usher. The head usher receives instructions directly from the pastor and is responsible for training and scheduling ushers.
Dress
Traditionally ushers wore three piece suits. In most contemporary churches, a more casual dress style has become acceptable.
Duties
The church usher has various duties. Depending on the church's denomination, size, and preferences, ushers may perform some or all of the following:
* Seat guest
* Collect the tithes and offering
* Distribute communion
* Keep order at the entrance of the sanctuary
* Distribute bulletins and service programs
* Handle disturbances
References
External links
How to Usher in a Church - wikiHowPlusline:Usher Ministry Description
Christian worship roles
Christian religious occupations
Ushers
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