St. Timothy Catholic Church
Ministers of Hospitality/Ushers at St.
Timothy Catholic Church act as hosts and hostesses to warmly welcome the
people of God to each liturgical celebration as well as perform various duties
as required of them and defined in the Minister of Hospitality/Usher
Handbook.
MINISTER
OF HOSPITALITY
(USHER)
HANDBOOK
2007
An
Usher’s Prayer
Lord, you make all kinds
of people,
even people like me.
In your love, you gather
them all into your Church.
As you gather your people
this day,
help me to serve them in a
Christ-like manner, even
as your Son served those
who gathered about him.
Make me prayerful and
patient, helpful and
understanding, and may I
radiate the joy that faith
brings as I serve their needs.
Give me your strength to
support my fellow ministers.
May all who assemble to
celebrate our common
faith in the risen Savior
be glad of heart for being
here and for having
encountered your Son in one
another, in our priest, at
the tables of the
Book and the Bread, and
through the ministry of
ushers like me.
I ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Ushering – What It Means
v
Yours is the first of Christ’s faces to
greet God’s people as they assemble in prayer.
v
Your greeting is the word that welcomes the
stranger to be at home, or the silence that makes of our assembly a foreign
land.
v
Yours is the task of discretion; knowing
how to welcome, and, when and where, to seat the latecomer.
v
Yours may be the last word that ushers the
community to its week of work in the Lord’s vineyard.
v
Yours is the Lord’s face and voice for
those who enter and depart the holy ground of prayer.
v
Come to your work and your post from your
personal prayer; be as ready as the Lord to meet his people.
v
Let your welcome and your smile be for all
who enter; remember that you have time to see your close friends later in the
week.
v
Seek out the lost and confused; do not wait
for them to come to you.
v
When appropriate, lend a hand and an arm to
the disabled, remembering your own infirmities.
v
Greet each person as the Lord, for that is
precisely whom you meet.
v
When taking up the collection, remember
that it is for the work of God’s people, especially among the poor, remember
too, that many who make an offering are themselves poor.
v
Remember that you stand at the temple
gates: some will come rejoicing and others in fear, some will come healed, and
others to seek healing.
v
Be sensitive, and welcome all as best as
you can.
v
Some will rush by and ignore you: let go of
your disappointment and pray for the Lord’s gentle touch on their heavy hurried
hearts.
v
Some may fall ill while at prayer; see to
their needs, as you would have them see to yours.
v
Be slow to judge those who leave early: be
glad that they have shared in our prayer and recall that only the Lord knows
the reasons of the heart.
v
When your brothers and sisters thank and
praise you for your work, take delight in the welcome they have found, and
rejoice in the work the Lord has accomplished through you.
v
Be faithful in the work you do, for through
it the Lord saves his people.
The
ministry of ushers is the oldest lay ministry in the Catholic Church. The ushers of today have descended from a
long line of people of God who have gone before them. During the time of Christ, the doorkeepers of the temple numbered
in the hundreds and were the forerunners of today’s ushers.
The
more immediate predecessor of today’s usher can be found in the clerical order
of porter, instituted in the third century A.D. During those times, it was the duty of the porters or ushers to
guard the door of the church against any intruders who might disturb the
service. The porter duties were so
important that they came to be included in the rite of ordination, where they
were specified as “to ring the bells, open the church and sacristy, open the
book for the preacher.” In 1972 Pope
Paul VI abolished the order of porter and this important task was given over to
the laity.
While
today’s ushers don’t ring the bells or open the church, their primary duties and
responsibilities include greeting and welcoming parishioners as they enter the
church, help them find seats, take up the collection and wish everyone a good
day at the conclusion of the Eucharistic Celebration.
The Order of
Porter
In
the Old Testament Levites were appointed to keep the gates of the tabernacle
and later of the temple; they also had charge of the sacred vessels (1 Paral.
9,26). The sacredness of the house of
God in the New Testament and of the vessels used for the celebration of the divine
mysteries calls for at least the same care and safekeeping. The ostiarii were the doorkeepers or porters
of the church. The word is derived from
the Latin ostium, the door.
The
office was of special importance during the times of persecution. Reliable men were needed to inform the
faithful of the time and place of the divine services, to open and lock the
doors, to keep out undesirables. In
later times the ringing of bells sufficed for the purpose of informing the
faithful of the time of the divine services, since there was no further need of
informing them of the place.
Opening
of the book for the preacher, mentioned as one of the duties of the porter,
must also be understood in the light of earlier times. Those ancient rolls were not as handy as a
modern book, but often heavy and of considerable size, and the place for
reading could not be found readily. The
porter, therefore, would carry the book to the ambo and open it for the
preacher. In the course of time the
care of the sacred vessels was also entrusted to porters, which gave the order
added importance.
It
seems probable that up to the fourth century porters were not ordained, but
simply appointed. Sacristans, Ushers
and Janitors perform these duties today.
The Ministry
The
Greeter/Usher - The Minister of Hospitality is a person chosen to reflect the
warmth and welcome of Christ himself.
Always conscious of Christ’s words: “I was a stranger and you welcomed
me”, Greeters/Ushers are friendly people who are attracted to all age groups and
nationalities. The Ministry of
Hospitality is open to all – women and men.
Couples and Families are encouraged to join this ministry.
The
faith of the Ushers enables them to see Christ’s presence in individuals and in
the gathered community of believers.
Ushers can handle emergency situations with courage and aplomb. They carry a dignity about themselves even
when performing menial tasks.
Whatsoever You Do to the Least of My People
Stationed at the door of
the church, Ministers of Hospitality (ushers) act as hosts to warmly welcome
the people of God to each Eucharistic celebration, assist in seating the
congregation, support the other ministers and help in the collection.
Length of Service
The length of service for all Liturgical Ministers is one year. This service can be renewed annually through planned annual training, signing of commissioning statement committing to the next year of service and a re-commissioning to be held at a Sunday Mass.
Each minister should be involved in only one
Liturgical Ministry at a time. This
limiting of ministries gives the opportunity for those who wish to participate
in the ministry.
Appropriate Attire
A neat and reverential appearance is in keeping
with the minister’s role as a visible example of welcome and hospitality. The ministers’ attire should not detract
from their role.
1. Men should wear a jacket and tie or at least a shirt and tie.
2. Women should wear an appropriate dress of acceptable length or slack suit. Please no sundress.
Scheduling
Scheduling of Ushers is done based on Mass preference and
is coordinated with the other Liturgical Ministries (Altar Server, Lector,
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion).
A total of 9 Ushers is necessary for the 9:00 and 11:00 Masses; 5 Ushers
are necessary for the 5:30 Vigil, 7:30 and 5:30 Sunday Masses.
Seating
The proper place for seating of ministers of hospitality is within the assembly. Always attentive to the needs of the faithful, they should sit in those places which would enable them to best exercise their ministerial role – i.e., near the door, throughout the church, etc.
PROCEDURES BEFORE
THE LITURGY
1.
Arrive
at the church 20-30 minutes prior to the start of Mass.
2. Proceed to the Usher Station (across from the water fountain) to pick up your badge and for any special usher instructions for this Mass. Please keep the outside doors to the church closed at all times.
3.
Keep
the doors from the Narthex to the Sanctuary closed until someone approaches and for the procession.
Greet people as they approach.
Do not congregate in the same place; spread out to all 3 sets of doors.
4.
Assist
with seating if necessary. Point out
places for wheelchairs when appropriate; wheel chairs can only be parked where
the space is designated.
5. Locate the gift bearers and give them any necessary instructions. When choosing the gift bearers, remember that they represent the whole assembly and should reflect the diversity of the assembly. The family chosen to bring up the gifts needs to be told to come to the gift table when the Ushers come back to get the collection baskets.
PROCEDURES DURING THE LITURGY
Gathering Rite
1. Once the entrance procession has completed and the Presider greets the assembly, close the doors between the Narthex and the Nave. It is appropriate that at least one usher stay in the Narthex during this time to inform people that we are waiting for the proper time for them to enter the worship space.
2. For those latecomers, have them wait in the Narthex during the Opening Prayer. Following that prayer, have them find seats prior to the beginning of the first reading.
Liturgy of the Word
1.
During
the Liturgy of the Word, to show respect for the Word of God among us, the
following are the only appropriate times to allow people to find seats:
¨
Between the 1st reading and the Psalm,
¨
Between the Psalm and the 2nd reading,
¨
Following the 2nd reading, and
¨
Following the reading of the Gospel, before the
homily begins.
Do not allow people to
enter the worship space during any of these readings.
2.
It
is important to gently ask latecomers to remain in the Narthex until the
appropriate pause so that they do not distract the assembly from their
worship.
3.
It
would be most appropriate to have one or two ushers wait at the doors of the
worship space to be able to facilitate this process.
Preparation of the Gifts
1. Once the Prayers of the Faithful have concluded, the ushers will assist with the collection of the gifts of the assembly.
2.
The ushers, with the collection baskets in hand, go to
their appropriate stations at minor
aisles.
When everyone has been seated, they walk to the front row, reverence the
altar and start the passing of the baskets on both sides of the aisle. The Altar server with the cross will
immediately come to the back to get the family with the bread and wine. They
will bring the gifts forward as the Ushers are taking up the collection. One
Usher will remain behind to send the host family forward and then resume his
position taking up the collection at his assigned aisle. Please remember
to pass the basket through the Choir area at the Choir Mass and in the
'overflow' seating areas in the ambulatory or the Narthex. Once the
ushers get to the end of their aisle, they return to the area in front of the
baptismal font via the ambulatory, taking the shortest path there.
3. After all of the collection has been consolidated into the gift basket, an Usher will bring the collection basket up and place it in front of the Altar. If the priest finishes all of the preparation of the gifts (bread and wine) and has washed his hands and the Ushers have NOT finished the collection, he will WAIT for the ushers to finish their job and for the basket to be brought forward BEFORE he has the people stand for the prayer. At this point, the Usher should plan to place the basket with the money under the front of the altar (as you have originally been instructed); they should NOT be surprised, however, if the Presider comes down the steps to accept the basket from the Usher.
Communion Procession
1. Once the fraction rite has occurred and the priest has taken communion, while the Eucharistic Ministers are taking communion, the ushers need to again take their positions at the minor aisles to help facilitate the communion procession.
2. The communion procession will occur in the minor aisles and people will return to their seats via the major aisles once they have received communion.
3. The Ushers receive communion after the congregation. If anyone in your section requires that Eucharist be brought to him/her at their seat, inform both Eucharistic Ministers (the Bread and the Wine) when you come forward to receive.
4. Once you complete your role and have received communion yourself, return via the same route that the communicants return (down the major aisle) and proceed to your seat via the ambulatory.
Second
Collection
1. Take up as soon as the celebrant sits down after communion and leave on the offertory table (near the baptismal font). Please remember to pass the basket through the Choir area at the Choir Mass and in the 'overflow' seating areas (if used) in the ambulatory or the Narthex. Be sure an Usher remains with it until the Mass is over.
Concluding Rite
1. Following the dismissal, during the closing hymn of praise, when the priest leaves the Presider’s chair, open the doors to the narthex so that the procession can easily leave the nave.
2. Take the Presider’s songbook from him and return it to the sacristy.
3. One Usher should remain in the Nave to pick up the second collection from the offertory table (near the baptismal font) and take it with him to pick up the first collection from the sanctuary. This procedure should be performed only after the choir/assembly has finished singing. He then proceeds to the Usher Station where he puts them both in separate, marked, plastic bank bags – without counting. The plastic bank bags are sealed and then inserted in the canvas bank bags and given to Fr. Paddy, Fr. Bill Wilson, Cindy Vinal, Julie Acker, and Chase White or Lynn Cassilly in that order. (In other words, if both Fr. Paddy and Cindy Vinal were at a particular Mass, the bag would be given to Fr. Paddy.) The plastic and canvas bank bags can be found at the Usher’s station.
4. Open all three sets of doors and distribute the bulletins as people leave the church.
1. Return all music books to the bookracks in the pews.
2. Collect all discarded bulletins from the pews.
Important Information That
All Ushers Should Know
1. The janitor’s closet has a first aid kit and cleaning supplies. Know where this closet is located.
2. New parishioners can register in the parish on the 4th weekend of the month, following either the 5:30 Vigil Mass or the 11:00 Mass (this alternates each month), in the parish hall. A calendar of dates is available at the Ushers station.
3. Know where the rest rooms are located.
4. Know which Masses have a nursery (currently only the 9AM Mass) and where it is located in the parish hall.
5. Know that the coffee and donuts after Mass are in the parish hall, across the courtyard. Food and drinks are not permitted in the narthex or sanctuary.
6. Know that the parish phone number(s) and other info are located on the front cover of the bulletin.
7. Be familiar with the information on the front cover and inside this page of the bulletin (Mass times, Director of Religious Ed, who to contact to have Communion brought to the sick, etc)
8. In case someone falls or is otherwise injured in the church:
First, see what, if any, injuries that person has. Please call 911 immediately if the person appears to be in serious distress (broken bones, head injury, difficulty breathing etc.). Second, see if there is a doctor or nurse available in the congregation to assist in the immediate comfort and treatment. There is a first aid kit in the janitor's closet by the music room. There are phones in the sacristy, Lynn Cassilly's office and Chase White's office (you must dial '9' first to get an outside line) . Third, please also obtain the person's name and phone number and give it to Fr. Paddy or Fr. Wilson. If the person is alone at Mass, perhaps obtain the name and phone number of a friend or family member and call them to come and assist or at least to check on them later if they have declined medical aid on site. Fourth, notify Cindy (call the office - 968-7077 - or email her - cindy.vinal@sainttims.org) with the particulars so she can follow up with them on Monday to make sure the person is ok and in case she needs to take preventative action of some sort.
Usher Check List
Arrival: 20-30 minutes before start of
Mass
Check in: pick up Usher badges
Main
Outside Doors: open as a sign of
welcoming as parishioners arrive
Main
Inside Door: keep closed except to admit people and for the procession
Housekeeping (before): turn on lights; inspect church for
cleanliness, picking up trash and lost-and-found items; re-shelve books and
restock as necessary; check with Presider to see if there is anything special
he needs, like, reserving seat signs for baptisms or special events, helping to
set up for the special event, etc.
Lookout: be aware of any
parishioners who wish to receive the Body and Blood at their pew; select people
to present the gifts
Traffic
Control: open the main inside doors
at the appropriate time,
directing late arrivals to available seating
Offertory: take up the collection
(see procedure located in this Handbook)
Eucharist:
direct parishioners to the
appropriate Eucharist
Location (see procedure
located in this Handbook)
Recession: open main inside doors and
main outside doors;
distribute bulletins
Housekeeping (after): One Usher should remain in the Nave to pick up the
second collection from the offertory table (near the baptismal font) and take
it with him to pick up the first collection from the sanctuary. This procedure should be performed only
after the choir/assembly has finished singing. He then puts them both in separate, marked plastic bank bags –
without counting.
No one is to access
the offertory monies except
to place them in the
bags and seal them. The plastic bank bags
are sealed and then inserted in the canvas bank bags and given to Fr. Paddy, Fr.
Wilson, Cindy Vinal, Julie Acker, Chase White or Lynn Cassilly in that order. (In other words, if both Fr. Paddy and Cindy
Vinal were at a particular Mass, the bag would be given to Fr. Paddy.) The plastic and canvas bank bags can be
found at the Usher’s station.
Usher Coordinator
The responsibilities of the Usher Coordinator are to schedule quarterly Head
Usher meetings and the annual Usher training, where he/she will assist the Head
Ushers. The Usher Coordinator is responsible for attending monthly
Liturgy Commission meetings, compiling the schedules from the Head Ushers for
posting on the St. Timothy website, maintaining an Usher data base,
communicating with all Ushers where pertinent information is concerned
pertaining to the Usher Ministry, actively recruiting by arranging for bulletin
blurbs and pulpit announcements, and updating the Minister of Hospitality
(Usher) Handbook as needed. He/she is also an active Usher.
Head Usher
The
responsibilities of the Head Usher include actively recruiting, having the
recruit complete an Usher application and forwarding it on to the Usher
Coordinator, distributing the Minister of Hospitality (Usher) Handbook to the
recruit, training of recruits who join prior to the annual Usher training,
and scheduling of his/her team. The schedule is then to be forwarded on
to the Usher Coordinator for posting on the St. Timothy website. The Head
Usher also assists at the annual Usher training, since he/she is the one most
familiar with the team, and keeps the Usher Coordinator apprised of any issues
that arise. He/she is also an active Usher.