USHERS’ MEETING - October 30, 2012

TOPICS OF DISCUSSION

FULL, CONSCIENCE AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE LITURGY

Every lay liturgical minister plays a part in and has a responsibility to support this participation at every Mass.

  • Our Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscience and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is our right and duty, by reason of our baptism.
  • As an Usher, it is your responsibility to conduct yourself as a ‘person of faith’ and you are encouraged to set a good example by –
  1. Welcoming to all people before and after the service (even those you may not know)
  2. Join in the singing and pay full attention to the proclamation of the scriptures. We want everyone to participate.

BUILDING COMMUNITY

Your role as an usher has changed because the role of the people has changed. You are –

  • In partnership with the Greeters, you are hosts who put a face onto the parish by welcoming all who come through the church doors and begin the process of forming them as a worshiping body.
  • All who enter should feel the sense of Christian welcome. Your role goes beyond greeting your friends, but your ministry is to the entire community. If you greet only your friends, you do not build up the entire body of Christ.
  • When you greet those you do not know, you show the concern of Christ for each member of the flock.
  • When you learn the names of those who come to church, you strengthen the bond among the faithful.
  • Help people meet other people.
  • Help people with their needs: be ready to receive their food donations, push a wheelchair, or direct people to the restrooms. All of these actions form community.
  • Show people to their seats ‘without distraction to other’, not just point in a direction. Literally, lead them to a vacant seat/pew.
  • Endeavor to fill the pews beginning from the front to the back and from the back to the front
  • If you hold people at the door for any reason, be sure to treat them charitably.
  • During the homily, what do you do with the latecomers?
  • The way you act should be consistent with the message of the scriptures: Love one another, as God has loved you.

EVANGELIZATION

When you greet and ‘usher’ people coming to church, you evangelize. This is not something that other Christians do, it is something we all do by bringing Christians to others. Many are coming to St. Luke for the first time because the Spirit has moved their hearts. So please remember that you are the face of Christ and your genuine ‘welcome’ is part of evangelization.

HELPING PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN MASS

  • The more you understand how the parts of the Mass fit together, the better you will pray at church and the better you will serve those who meet you there.
  • From the moment people arrive at church they are to “come together as one,” “establish communion,” and “dispose themselves to listen” to the readings.
  • When you greet people with a friendly face, you are already helping establish the communion that is so essential for the first part of the Mass.

THE COLLECTION

  • The collection takes place at the start of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
  • It is not an intermission, but rather connects with the other sections of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
  • Not only does the collection help the parish pay bills, but it also has spiritual significance. In offering their gifts, people are offering themselves.
  • Remember the new practice, every second collection follows immediately at the Offertory; back to back with what we call “the brown bag”

THE TRANSITION FROM WORSHIP TO SERVICE

  • As people leave the church, ushers help again. You open doors, pass out bulletins or other items of information.
  • You bid people goodbye.
  • When worshipers are leaving, it is important that you send them forth renewed in Christ.