...Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ...
- Rule of St. Benedict. Chapter 53
God asks the Church to be a fellowship of people sharing a common purpose and continually growing in faith. Paul describes the Church as Christ’s “body” (Ephesians. 1:22). People experience the presence of Jesus Christ in the world through the ministry of the Church. When our Church serves the needs of people, members and non-members, it is an expression of the love of Jesus. The Church is a servant body, created for service.
As an usher, you are a minister of hospitality and caring in the Church. Every Christian believer is called to ministry, gifted by the Holy Spirit, and in baptism ordained for ministry. When people come to church they are sometimes burdened, sad or discouraged. Each person, member or newcomer, comes with the hope that the Sabbath will be an experience of uplift and inspiration, a time of renewal and celebration. The skillful usher helps to make this a reality for those in attendance. In Jesus, you have received God’s unconditional love, and, in Jesus, you are called to extend that same unconditional love to others.
The ministry of ushering is one of the most crucial because it is one of the most visible in the Church. People will remember how they have been greeted.