MOUNT LEBANON BAPTIST CHURCH
USHER MINISTRIES
HANDBOOK
Revised April 6, 2013
Page 1
Welcome To the Ministry
What a wonderful privilege it is for me to welcome you to our
Usher ministry. It is our desire to help you in every way possible to make your ministry
with us rewarding, fulfilling and of great spiritual benefit, not only to you but also to
those to whom you are ministering.
I want to encourage you to make the most of the talents and gifting the Lord has given
to you and to be open to new and awesome ways the Lord wants to use you. It has
always been amazing to see how the Lord uses ordinary people like you and me to meet
the needs of the body as we simply open ourselves up to being used.
I pray that your time serving on our Usher Ministry Team, serving God, and serving the
Body of Christ will be a blessing to you and those you minister to. If there is anything,
we can do for you please let us know.
Prospective New Team Members
If you have a desire to serve in our Usher Ministries, please read this handbook very
carefully, sign the following Acknowledgement of Receipt, fill out a Ministry Service
Application, and turn both into the Church office.
May God richly bless you and reward you according to His riches in mercy.
Revised April 6, 2013
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What Mount Lebanon Baptist Church Expects of You
“For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also
is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,” (2 Cor. 9:12)
Our purpose is to bring glory to god in all that we do. Therefore, as you serve Him at
Mount Lebanon Baptist Church we would expect that you do all as unto the Lord that
you do your task willfully and joyfully, manifesting the greatest of gifts and that is love.
We expect you to treat others, as you would want them to treat you. This means being
courteous and helpful, extending the right hand of fellowship when appropriate, but
being sensitive to the task you have been asked to perform.
You are a representative of MOUNT LEBANON BAPTIST CHURCH but, even more, a
representative of Jesus. We want your time in service, to the Lord and at Mount
Lebanon Baptist Church, to be a most pleasant experience, if you have a problem or any
questions, please feel free to ask the Head Ushers or call for a meeting with the
Administrative Pastor.
Dress
We would request that you be neat in appearance, clean and presentable. Remember,
we are representing Jesus Christ and our church.
Each usher should wear his or her Mount Lebanon Baptist Church Usher badge.
Ladies will wear white uniforms with white stockings and white gloves and white shoes.
Men will wear a white shirt, black suit, black tie and white gloves and black shoes.
Young men/boys will wear a white shirt and black tie, black slacks and black shoes
Young ladies/girls will wear a conservative black skirts, white blouse, white
stockings/tights and black shoes
For Bible Studies and other activities other than regular church services, your dress can
be more casual, but still should be neat and presentable.
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Attendance
In order to achieve consistency in ministry, we feel it is necessary to have a set
procedure in the event that you are absent from the task you have been assigned to do.
In a perfect world we could say, “Be here every week,” and you would be here, but we
know this is not always the case. Strive to be committed. We count on you being here
and being here on time. The whole team suffers if one player is gone.
In the even of an absence, we would ask you to arrange for a substitute. If you have
tried and exhausted all possibilities, then please call your Head Usher.
In the event of an emergency illness or a family or personal emergency, please try to
notify your Head Usher. If she/he cannot be contacted, leave a message on the church
answering machine. Please leave the following information: The specific ministry you
are involved in, the time and the date.
Again, let us emphasize, strive to be committed and whatever you do, do it as unto the
Lord.
Rotation and Scheduling
Each month there will be a schedule of the ushers. If you desire a schedule, you may
obtain one from the Head Ushers.
We do not use ushers at our Wednesday evening study, so it is important that the
ushers recognize new people coming in and make sure their needs are being met.
Positions and duties for Ushers
“If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of god. If anyone ministers, let him do it
as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through
Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
(1 Peter 4:11)
Ushers should be positioned at each entrance door to the Sanctuary and at each side
entrance door to the Sanctuary building. It is your job to welcome people, and to
provide them with bulletins and handouts. If they appear to be new to the church, give
them a “Welcome to Mount Lebanon Baptist Church” brochure and ask them to fill it
out and place it in the offering box or give it to an usher.
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You are not to engage in long conversations at the door, for obvious reasons, but you
are to make sure people are welcomed and directed into the seating area.
If you recognize a problem of any kind, alert an Usher Captain or Head Usher but remain
in your position. Greeting is an important ministry that you should take seriously.
Remember you are an ambassador of Jesus Christ and a representative of Mount
Lebanon Baptist Church.
Some other duties of the Ushers include:
1. Providing direction to the rest rooms
2. Assist, assist, and assist!
Ushers should be in place at least 20 minutes prior to the services to which they are
assigned.
What is a Good Usher?
“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never
be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. Be glad for all God is planning
for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.” (Romans 12:10-12)
A good usher is someone who is interested in helping others, whether it be directing
someone to a seat or being sensitive to a need that they may have. People will look to
you as someone that knows what is going on around the church so it is important to
know the church layout and the current bulletin. They may also look to you as an
advisor or counselor. Most importantly, they will look to you as someone who cares
and is interested in them. Remember, you are the mediator between the people and
the pastors. Be sensitive and allow the Holy Spirit to use you to the glory of God. Your
conduct is the forerunner to the ministry that is to be experienced inside the building.
Ushering is a vital part of the Church and should be taken very seriously. Diligence and
dependability are a necessity! Remember, we are here to serve others! As an usher you
will encounter more people on a one-to-one basis than anyone else, so be aware that
you are the first representative of Jesus Christ that the people will see when they enter
the doors.
The temple ushers were uniformed guards. In the book of Acts, they were used to make
arrests and handle the crowds. Jesus’ disciples were used to prepare the way for Him.
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They directed people where to sit in order to hear him, so we as ushers need to be as
sheep dogs, surrounding the flock and protecting them from any disturbances or
danger. Sheep will not lie down unless all is safe.
This is the time to watch and listen, not to mill around or gather in back and talk. We
need your help in working to hinder the enemy. With any disturbances, such as children
talking (or even adults) we must issue firm but loving warnings. However, if the first
warning does not work, we must work to separate that situation form the rest of the
flock. In these situations, please contact the Head Usher for assistance.
What is the Function of an Usher?
One function we have as ushers is to greet people with a smile and welcome them to
church. Introduce yourself to new people you do not know and make them feel at
home. Offer any required assistance regarding our Sunday school locations, as well as
restroom locations, etc. Provide everyone with a bulletin and see if they have any
special needs. This is not a time for usher to be visiting each other. Remember: we are
here to serve.
After each service begins, seat all latecomers personally wherever there are open seats,
with as little disruption as possible. In addition, ask all latecomers to wait while the
congregation is in prayer and seat them when the prayer is finished. Do not be afraid to
be bold, but do everything in love.
After the services, ushers should be attentive to what is happening around the church
(i.e. children playing with the instruments or sound equipment). This is a time when
many parents visit and sometimes do not see their children and we want to keep them
and everyone else safe. We also need to pick up loose bulletins, handouts, and debris
after the service and set up for the next service. This is also a good time to minister to
someone in need. Stay sensitive! When communion is being served, ushers may be
asked to participate by the Head Usher. When you are asked, it also may be expected
that you help prepare and serve communion and clean up afterwards.
Seating
This is one of the most critical functions of ushering, yet one that is often times not
regarded as important. As people are being seated, pay close attention to the seats that
are not being used. If there are spaces in the middle, politely ask them to please move
Revised April 6, 2013
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over and fill them in. This will allow late comers to take their seats from the outside
isles. It is important to minimize the distractions of new arrivals being seated.
Directions
Ushers should have a good handle on the whereabouts of everything in the church and
be able to assist in giving directions when needed. Additionally, ushers should be ready
to offer Bibles to those who arrive without them. Check before the service stars to be
sure you have extra Bibles near the door. Also, make sure that there are tithe
envelopes, prayer cards and pencils at the back of each seat.
Children and Communion
We do ask their parents to take charge over their children that are participating in
communion.
Usher’s Guide
“Then the twelve summoned the multitude of disciples and said, “It is not desirable that
we should leave the Word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from
among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we
may appoint over this business; that we will give ourselves continually to prayer and the
ministry of the Word.” (Acts 6:2-4)
A. Goals of Ushering
1. To serve the body
2. To guard the body against wolves
3. To provide order
4. To provide direction
5. To represent the church
B. Duties of Ushers
1. Greet people and welcome them
2. Ensure that the sanctuary is neat, clean and properly supplied with Bibles,
tithe envelopes, prayer cards and pencils
3. Give directions to the all
4. Receive the tithes and offerings
5. Quench any disturbance before, during, or after service
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6. Protect the pastor and the flock
Note: We live in a time when you never know what is going to happen, so we believe
in being cautious. Watch, listen, and observe! It is better to be safe than sorry.
C. Guidelines for being an usher
1. Have a concern for the sheep
2. Be ultra sensitive to the needs of others
3. Arrive at church at least a half-hour before service begins and stay at least
15 minutes after.
4. Dress nicely and remember that you represent the Lord and the Church.
5. Please be conscious of your breath
6. Be aware of what is going on in the parking lot
7. Offer to assist in seating people.
8. Pass out “Welcome Brochures” and encourage people to fill them out (this
is easily accomplished if you hand them a pencil with the card).
9. Once the service begins (after announcements), close the sanctuary doors
and remain available to direct and seat the late comers.
10. After the Sunday morning service, walk through the Sanctuary and pick up
all bulletins, handouts, and debris.
Tithes and Offerings
People can put their tithes and offerings directly into the Agape Boxes during the tithe
and offering time.
Disruptions during the Service
These come in many different forms, but usually from babies or small children.
There are a couple of ways to approach this:
1. When you are seating a potential disruption, offer them a seat by the backdoor.
Then advise them politely that if the child becomes fussy, they can bring them
down to the Puryear Hall. Make sure they know about our Children’s Ministry
classes.
2. If the child is disruptive, then politely address them during the service. Consider
having a female usher approach the mother.
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If the disruption is an adult, desiring to create a distraction, they will need to be
removed. First, politely warn them. If the first warning does not work, we must work to
separate the situation from the rest of the flock. You might need to ask them to talk
outside. Seek the help of a Head Usher or assistant Pastor in these situations, if
possible.
All Ushers, whether on duty or not, should watch the pastor for cues of disturbances. In
the event you are not on duty and you observe something that needs attention, quietly
get up and alert those ushers who are on duty.
Watch, Listen, Observe
Please be aware of what is going on in the parking lot, surrounding area and inside
the church at all times during our services. Be ready for ANYTHING! If there is an
emergency, contact our Security team or an Assistant Pastor. It is better to be safe
than sorry!
Welcome to Mount Lebanon Baptist Church Brochures
This is the only way we know when someone has visited our church. If you see
someone for the first time, approach him or her with a brochure, ask him or her if
they have filled out the info card, and turn it in to the office. This information is
important to us.
Children’s Class designation
When new people arrive with children, let them know (according to age) when and
where their children will for Sunday school class. People often want their children to
stay with them during an initial visit. This is understandable and we want to make
visitors comfortable. Try to sit them in the rear of the sanctuary and at the end of
the row so disturbances are minimized if they have to leave.
Additional Items
It is very important for ushers to be on time…at least 30 minutes before each service
begins. We need to have time to pray and get organized.
Each usher will be given names and phone numbers of all ushers. If for any reason,
you are going to be late or cannot be at a service you were scheduled to serve, get a
replacement and notify you Head Usher as early as possible. I cannot stress to you
how important it is for everyone to follow through with his or her responsibilities as
a servant of God. We all work together as one body in Christ.
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First Aid Policy
In the event of an emergency or medical situation, we need you to remain calm and
pray. Ask another adult to contact the Security Team. They are always available
during regular service hours. The Security Team will respond to your location.
Contact 911 if the situation warrants it. DO NOT LEAVE the injured person. Stay
with the person and only offer verbal support and encouragement.
If first aid is needed, we have kits located in the William West Room. If there is
bleeding involved, latex gloves are supplied in each kit and must be worn. Do not try
to move an injured person unless you have been trained in the appropriated medical
procedures.
If there are no Security Team personnel available and you are not sure as to the
extent of the injuries (for instance in the case of a fall) CALL 911. If you are untrained
on how to administer first aid, please do not attempt it. Wait until someone trained
in first aid arrives so that proper care can be given.
Security
If you notice someone acting strangely during the service, please contact the
Administrative Pastor, or the Head Usher. If you cannot locate the Administrative
Pastor or any usher personnel, have the Security Team paged. We would rather be
safe than sorry later. Please pay special attention to unattended backpacks. Never
take matters into your own hands. Seek the appropriate security assistance.
Schedule
First Sunday
Second Sunday
Third Sunday
Fourth Sunday
Fifth Sunday
-
Senior Ushers
Senior Ushers
Senior Ushers
Junior Ushers
Senior Ushers
Meetings
Second Saturday of each month at 10:00 AM
Junior Usher Advisors
Yvette Houston
Christine Oglesby-Gonzalez
Diane Steed
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Acknowledgement of Receipt of
The Mount Lebanon Baptist Church
Usher Ministries Handbook
I acknowledge that I have received this handbook and understand that the handbook
contains practices and policies concerning my service on the Usher Ministry teams at
Mount Lebanon Baptist Church. I further understand that MOUNT LEBANON BAPTIST
CHURCH may, at its sole discretion, modify, add to or delete from any of the policies of
practices in the handbook and that I will be notified in writing of any such changes.
I understand that my signature below indicates that I have received and read the
MOUNT LEBANON BAPTIST CHURCH Usher Ministries Handbook and the above
statement.
Signature_____________________________________________Date:_______________
I understand that my signature below indicates that I have received and read the
MOUNT LEBANON BAPTIST CHURCH Usher Ministries Handbook and the above
statement with my child.
Signature_____________________________________________Date:_______________
(Children under 18 years of age Parent/Guardian signature required)
After signing and dating this acknowledgement, please give to your
Head Usher.
Thank You!
Revised April 6, 2013
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Usher Contact Information
Name:__________________________________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________________________________
Home Phone Number_____________________ Cell Phone Number________________
Email Address____________________________________________________________
Birthday_______________________________________
Parent or Guardian Name__________________________________________________
Parent or Guardian Number_________________________________________________
Allergies_________________________________________________________________
Emergency Contact________________________________________________________
Emergency Contact Number________________________________________________
Other:__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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