Things to remember when head Ushering

1. Communicate:   If you are not attending church on the Sunday you are ushering, please call one of the other ushers to stand in for you. Please call at least 24 hours in advance.

2. Arrive before service starts to make sure that the alter candles and the Christ candle are lit.

3. Make sure that you get your offering volunteers (5 -- 1 for the balcony depending on attendance and 4 downstairs) to help with the offering, and ask that they gather in the rear of the Church during announcements. On Communion Sunday (1^st Sunday of the month), you will need to get 2 additional volunteers for the special offering. Just ask two of the volunteers for the regular offering to participate.

4. The acting head usher on Sundays is the one to hand out the welcoming brochures.

5. When service has started and the main doors are closed, make sure entrances and exits are from the side doors only, and that the doors are kept closed otherwise. This applies to the sermon also to avoid interruption.

6. By all means participate in the Passing of the Peace.

7. During the sermons (children and congregational) is the best time to do your head count. Be discrete and make sure that you count as accurate as possible. By being accurate as possible (don’t guess) it helps with the number of bulletins to print for Sunday services. Write down the head count on the back of a blue visitor card (which can be found in the pews) with the date, add it to the top of the blue cards collected during the offering and place them all in one of the offering trays.

8. The head usher must move back and forth between the sanctuary and the Narthex to keep a watch on any uncertainty that may arise during service. If they want to hear the sermon, I ask that they position themselves in the back of the church or the Narthex, by this time the majority of the worshipers are there and you have a few latecomers entering the church and you can count them as they arrive.

9. First Sunday is Communion Sunday. Make sure that the Cross, the Bible and all flags are stationed in the rear of the Church ready for Procession. Always ask for help if they are not already in place when you arrive.

10. The order of the procession is:

                 1. The Bible

                 2. The Cross

                 3. The American Flag

                 4. The State Flag

                 5. The Republic Flag

                 6. The Gay Flag

11. Follow the person in front of you when the procession has started. The American and State flag go to the left of the altar and the Republic and Gay flag go to the right of the altar. The American and Republic flag go closest to the wall on either side.

12. The head usher rules apply to Communion Sunday also. (See #3). The only thing different is that you choose another usher to walk the aisle side by side offering members and visitors communion.

13. All ushers and volunteers during the offertory hymn can take communion before the choir members and go to their assigned duties. All other volunteers can go back to their seats. The two aisle ushers take communion last as they walk down the aisle of the sanctuary after every member and visitor have taken communion.

14. Any other Sunday with exception of Communion Sunday the offering volunteers or ushers get the communion table and place it in the center of the sanctuary which can be found at the end of the very first pew next to the piano.

15. Open all doors of the Sanctuary both center and isle when both pastors are reading the benediction and remove the chairs and signage and put in their respective places.

16. Meet and greet as our worshipers leave the sanctuary.