CHURCH USHERS BASIC EQUIPPING (CUBE)

The word “usher” by the way is from the Old French “Ussier” which is based on the Latin
“ustiarius,” both meaning “doorkeeper.” They are literally the first person you see as you enter an
establishment or in this case, the church. But church ushers nowadays do more than just welcome
people—its role in the church has fully incorporated in the call to service:

1 Peter 4:11
“…If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God
may be praised through Jesus Christ…”

Specifically, a service to God’s people that requires hospitality:

Hebrews 13:2
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers…”

1 Peter 4:9-10
“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift
you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

So, yes, the first requirement for being a church usher (other than being a believer-disciple of Jesus
Christ), is the conviction to serve and the heart to be hospitable.

Here is another passage that serves foundational for serving leaders:

Romans 12:9-13
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in
love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual
fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share
with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

This passage is commanded to the church in general—but wouldn’t you agree that such are needed
to be effective church ushers? Which mentioned attributes do you think needs to be seen more in
the church through the ushering ministry?

The Church Usher Objectives:

• PREPARATION - spiritually and practically
• ANTICIPATE - attentive to what’s going on and willing to meet needs as they arise.
• PROBLEM-SOLVE - A church usher should resolve distractions in a calm but firm manner
understanding that disruptions hinder everyone.
• SERVANT LEADERSHIP – continuously learning from and supportive of fellow serving
ministers.
The Duties and Goals Checklist:
• Arrive 25 minutes before service begins and report to the Lead Usher.
• Assure the auditorium is in order. Preparing the room can include:
- Filling the pockets with offering envelopes, visitor cards, and other specified resources
- Straighten rows/aisles and ensure the chairs are straight and secure
- Remove any trash from previous services
• Placement of Program-Bulletin, Offering Envelopes, Visitors Card, or other hand-outs.
Personally hand-out these items. Make sure to have read the bulletin yourself.
• Check sanctuary temperature and air-conditioning.
• Pray as a team before the service begins.
• Help people find a seat, filling the front first before the back.
• In the case of a guest speaker, assign an usher-on-duty to assist on his/her needs.
• Anticipate needs: Drinking water ready at request; tissue for both weeping, wiping and for the
toilet. Wheelchairs for the disabled, First-Aid Kit, etc.
• Strategically Collect the Offering.
- At least three unrelated ushers must always be present when collecting and transporting
the offering.
- An usher should never be alone with any amount of the offering. In the case of collecting
an offering with bags/buckets, when an usher completes the offering collection from their
section, they will join the ushers in the adjacent area to exit together. After leaving the
sanctuary, the ushers will join each other at a designated location.
- Ushers collecting/transporting the offering will be on a rotating schedule.
• During altar calls, assist with the traffic flow. Observe and gently motivate an attendee if
he/she seems to respond yet hesitant to it. Pray along with the minister; don’t simply stare.
• When the service is about to end (closing prayer or song), begin to open sanctuary doors.
• As people leave, some ushers should be divided into these tasks: giving farewells at the door,
assisting in the parking area, watching over items left (to return to its owner immediately or
submit to a pre-agreed lost-and-found area), arranging chairs and picking up trash.
• When concern is beyond your capacity, ask the assistance of fellow ushers or escalate to the
Lead Usher, who will in either take action with ascribed authority or relay to the senior pastor.
Practical Essentials:
• Always wear a smile.
• Learn people’s names!
• Maintain proper appearance.
• Practice eye-contact when talking to someone.
• Be health responsible.
• Be respectful of everyone, regardless of their age, race, gender, or disability.
• Introduce yourself to a visitor or guest. After leading to their seat, assure them that they can
ask for you if they need any help or clarification.
• Remain in the sanctuary in the duration of your ushering duty, ready and alert (dili tulog).
• Attend Usher Team Meetings.
• Plan scheduled duties with the team—there will be Sundays that you will simply be an
attendee and grace opportunities to usher for others.
• Inform the Usher Leader in advance if you can’t commit on the assigned Sunday so that a
substitute will be asked in your behalf.
• You don’t need to know the answers—just know where to find them!

Leveling Up:
• Develop confidence and initiating small-talks. Asking conversational questions is key.
• Practice Basic Gospel Presentation
• Skill to naturally connect between members and visitors
• Basic First Aid (or at least have saved emergency numbers with load).
• Ministering prayers: reconnect with the guest you’ve met earlier right after the service. For
courtesy, use their first names with Sir/Ma’am (unless they’re years younger than you).
Thank them for joining the service and ask if you can offer a short prayer for them before
they go. You may also ask for some urgent prayer request. Have another usher with you if
the guest is of the opposite gender.

Ephesians 6:7