Sunday, February 7, 2010

What Difference do Ushers Make?

We can't remember how many years we've been ushering at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church. Suffice it to say, it's more far more than a decade.  I sometimes wonder what would happen if no ushers appeared.  I've decided that the service would progress with little interruption.  Worshippers could grab a service bulletin on the way in. Parishioners would sort themselves out for communion.  The offering could be collected by a priest at the end of the service. 

Ushers:
  • provide a friendly greeting to new and returning worshippers 
  • give the priests a break in organizing parishioners for worship, offering and communion
  • answer questions
  • leave the church clean and orderly for the next worshippers
  • recycle the service bulletins
  • expand the church community
Though the worship service would progress according to protocol - without ushers, it would be a little less welcoming, a bit more intimidating to visitors, a tad more disorderly, and an iota less engaging.

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