Our Lady of Grace Parish

Guidelines for Greeters and Ushers

 

Updated December 3, 2008

 

Greeters and ushers are the first contact each worshipper has with the assembly. They affect how we gather and the tone of the celebration. Those chosen as greeters and ushers should be persons of good Christian witness, attentive to the needs of others and should have a welcoming personality. Men, women, children and families are encouraged to participate in these ministries.

 

As common prayer and ecclesial experience, liturgy flourishes in a climate of hospitality; a situation in which people are comfortable with one another, either knowing or being introduced to one another; a space in which people are seated together in view of one another as well as focal points of the rite, involved as participants instead of spectators (EACW #11).

 

Therefore, although hospitality should permeate all aspects of parish life, ushers and greeters should focus on our worshipping assembly. 

 

1.     Greeters and ushers should be attentive to the sacred action of the liturgy, knowledgeable of the liturgical year and familiar with seasonal rituals.

2.     Besides being attentive to the needs of the assembly, ushers and greeters must also be especially aware of the needs of visitors, elderly and persons with disabilities. They should be capable of handling emergency situations. In any situation requiring medical attention, 911 should be immediately dialed by someone who could give pertinent information to the emergency responders. Greeters and ushers should also know where medical supplies, wheelchairs and first aid kits are stored, as well as the location of restrooms, exits, phones, fire extinguishers and all other medical supplies. 

 

Greeters

 

Greeters need to arrive twenty minutes prior to the beginning of Mass. They welcome worshippers at the entrance of the church, offer assistance and direction and distribute worship aids as needed. Greeters should stand near the entrances of the church and be available to help with the doors, greet people with a smile, and be able to give directions to restrooms and the main body of the church and answer any other questions. They should be seated five minutes prior to Mass. 

 

Ushers

 

1.     Ushers also need to arrive twenty minutes prior to the Mass. They are responsible for preparing the collection baskets, recruiting gift bearers and organizing hymnals, worship aids or other liturgical books in the pews prior to and after the Mass. 

 

2.     Please make every effort to use as many different gift bearers as possible throughout the year checking of course, for family members, if there is a specific intention for a loved one. 

 

3.     Ushers should be aware of any special needs of the assembly, including the existence of a second collection, Baptism, First Eucharist, Confirmation, wedding anniversary or any other special activity that will occur during the liturgy.

4.     Prior to the Mass, ushers should locate themselves in the body of the church and help to seat people. Be attentive to any last minute unforeseen needs. Ushers should continue to help seat people up until the first reading. 

 

5.     The center doors of the main body of the church should remain open prior to Mass unless instructed differently by the presider. The people entering the gathering space should be encouraged to enter church and pray. Conversations immediately outside the main body of the church should be kept to a minimum.

 

6.     Ushers are expected to participate fully in the liturgy when not specifically performing their assigned duties.

 

7.     Ushers are responsible for preparing the collection to go to the office. They are to use the special non-resealable bank bags to hold the money. Use as many bags as are needed.  These bags will be located in the sacristy. After filling these bags, and sealing them, place all of these plastic bags into the cloth bag and place the cloth bag into the sacred vessel closet. 

 

8.     For the 4:00 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. Masses, the priest will take the collection to the church office. During the 10:30 a.m. Mass, the money counters will come to the church and take the collection to the office themselves. 

 

9.     At the 10:30 a.m. Mass, only a few envelopes (NO CASH) should be placed in the large offertory basket that is brought down in the procession. Be sure to fill in the Collection Transmittal Form with the numbers of all the bags used as well as the signatures of at least two ushers.

 

10.  Immediately after the Sign of Peace one of the ushers should open the door to the Eucharistic Chapel so that the Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion may carry the Eucharist into the church for the distribution of Holy Communion. 

 

11.  Immediately following the distribution of Holy Communion one of the ushers should make sure that the door is also held open so that the Extraordinary Minister can proceed back into the Eucharistic Chapel with the Blessed Sacrament for reposition.

 

12.  Following Communion, the doors between the gathering space and the main body of the church should NOT be opened until the beginning of the final hymn.

 

13.  The doors going directly outside should not be opened prior to the conclusion of the last hymn.

 

14.  Please wait until the end of the Mass to distribute bulletins and other information unless directed differently by the presider.

 

15.  Following Mass, close all but the center doors entering into the church (including the doors opening to the outside, and make sure that the ushers’ room is in order.

 

16.  Greeters and ushers should work collaboratively as their ministries overlap.

 

17.  Greeters and ushers should dress appropriately so as to reflect the dignity of their ministries and the solemn nature of the liturgy.