The specific responsibilities of an usher vary with the church, but his duties usually include greeting people as they arrive for the service, assisting people with special needs, and collecting the offering.

Casual conversations by usher can be heard throughout the church and are distracting for those who are attempting to prepare themselves for the liturgy.A church usher is a person who helps ensure a smoothly running church service and who ministers to people in a variety of practical ways. There should be no conversations in the back of the church prior to Mass, least of all among the ushers. Do not merely point to a seat, but lead people there personally.

When you lead people up the aisle, walk slowly or you will lost them. If an usher cannot serve at a scheduled service, it is the usher’s responsibility to fins a substitute, or at least let you captain know that you won’t be there Have a nonjudgmental attitude for those who may arrive late.

The role of the usher is one of offering a friendly, welcoming presence to those coming to worship, of providing leadership during emergencies and performing such tasks as taking up the collection, assisting parishioners during Communion, disseminating the church bulletin and participating in cleaning the church after completion of the Mass.Ĭultivate a sense of humor in the face of difficulty. While today’s ushers doesn’t ring the bells, their primary duties and responsibilities include greeting and welcoming parishioners as they enter the church, helping them to find seats, ensuring the consumption of the Eucharist, taking up the collection and wishing to everyone a good day at the conclusion of the Eucharistic Celebration. In 1972 Pope Paul VI abolished the order of porter and this important task was given over to the laity. The porters’ duties were so important that they came to be included in the rite of ordination, where they were to ring the bells, open the church, and to open the book for the pastor. During those time, it was the duty of the porter, or users, to guard the door of the church against any intruders who might disturb the service. By the time of Christ, these gatekeepers had become known as the “Temple Guard.” They were ordered to arrest Jesus, but according to John 7 they instead became in Jesus’ message.īy the third century A.D., a clerical order known as “porters” (overseers of the doors) was instituted. In the Old Testament ushers were called “gatekeepers.” There ministry was so important that they were given living quarters in the temple.Īccording to 1 Chronicles 9, their duties included opening the temple every morning, providing care and protection for all the precious vessels, preparing certain food items used in ritual sacrifices, and guarding the temple. The ministry of usher is the oldest lay ministry in the Catholic Church.

Church usher service certificate