Usher, Greeter, Ambassador, and A-V Tech Ministry Guidelines

 * Note - the web version of these guidlines do not include images of the forms for ambassadors. see the PDF version linked on the upper right for full images. 

 

 

What (is the ministry? How did it come into being?)

 

Ushers, Greeters, and Ambassadors are the first people that parishioners and visitors encounter as they enter St. Francis de Sales Church. A-V Techs work in the background, but make it possible for the people of God to see and hear the Word proclaimed. Nobody has a more significant impact on how Mass attendees (and those participating in the Mass from home) form their initial impressions of our parish - and the Church at large - than ushers, greeters,  ambassadors, and A-V techs. You are first and foremost ministers of hospitality.

 

The predecessor of today's usher can be found in the clerical order of porter,

instituted in the 3rd Century A.D. During those times, it was the duty of the porters or ushers to guard the door of the church against any intruders who might disturb the service. The porter

duties were so important that they came to be included in the rite of ordination, where they

were specified as: "to ring the bells, open the church and sacristy, to open the book for the

preacher." In 1972 Pope Paul VI abolished the order of porter and this important task was given

over to the laity.[1] Greeters, ambassadors, and A-V techs are more recent additions to our shared parish life, but are critical agents of hospitality to and for the people of God.

 

Why (is it important?)

 

St. Paul instructed the Romans to “welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you” (Rom 15:7). When we invite people into our homes, we do everything we can to help them feel comfortable, relaxed, and at home. We clean our houses, prepare meals, and offer the most comfortable seats to our guests. If we are to be active, intentional disciples who invite others into a personal, ever-deepening relationship with Jesus Christ, the least we can do is greet them at church in an engaging, cheerful, helpful, and hospitable manner. Ministers of hospitality should convey their enthusiasm for everyone’s presence at Mass, and their unbridled hope that they will return again - and soon.

 

For two excellent sources that will help you become better informed about the critical importance of the ministry of hospitality, please see:

 

_      The Ministry of Hospitality by Thomas Richstatter

_      Hospitality Ministry Training Video

 

Who (can serve and is served?)

 

Ministers of hospitality - ushers, greeters, ambassadors, and A-V techs - are people who follow a Christian life of service to others, have received the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation and are joyful and grateful witnesses who give thanks for life’s blessings and bring God’s presence to others.  Training is required so that ministers of hospitality understand and perform their responsibilities appropriately.

 

When (is the ministry to be carried out?)

 

Ministers of hospitality carry out their ministry before, during, and after Mass.

 

Where (is the ministry to be performed?)

 

Greeters and ambassadors generally welcome parishioners and visitors in the Gathering Space as they enter and depart church. Ushers generally minister to worshipers in the sanctuary of the church. A-V techs operate the soundboard and cameras that allow the Mass to be streamed via the Internet to the homebound. Ministers of hospitality - regardless of their specific role - are first and foremost intentional disciples of Jesus Christ who bring his light to others wherever they are found - on the street, in the parking lot, or on the sidewalk.

 

How (is the ministry performed?)

 

Chris Walker offers the following ten general tips for all ministers of hospitality:

 

1.     Smile.

2.     Fresh breath.

3.     Make eye contact

4.     Take initiative and greet.

5.     Don’t ask “Are you new?”

6.     Don’t ask “Is this your first time?”

7.     Offer a bulletin if your church uses them. (Note: St. Francis does, and these should be distributed by ushers as people leave at the conclusion of Mass)

8.     Personal warmth — look like you enjoy welcoming people.

9.     Say “I don’t think I’ve met you yet, I’m {insert your name here}”

10.  If they are new, offer to show them where the restrooms are and offer information about childcare if necessary.

 

In addition to the above:

 

1.     Participate in all of the prayers, hymns, and attentive listening to scripture that are part of the Mass. Remember that you too are part of the Body of Christ gathered for the Mass.

2.     Read the Scriptures daily.  Pray for enlightenment about what you’ve read.  Consider signing up for a daily email of the scriptures for each day or a daily Gospel reflection from Notre Dame (Tom Eggleston has written some of the reflections).

3.     Prayerfully prepare for your critical ministry:

 

Welcoming and gracious God, whose love and compassion are boundless, place in us a desire to greet each person we meet with the same love, compassion, and respect we would show to you. Help us to see your face in every person, and to serve your people with dignity and care. Bless us as we seek to love as you loved, and serve as you served. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen

 

Specific Guidelines for Greeters

 

1.     Please arrive and be prepared to greet people 20 minutes before Mass is scheduled to begin.  Pick up your badge in the small (work) sacristy.

2.     Be attentive to any questions regarding the location of the elevator, the Ark (nursery), rest rooms, multipurpose room, work sacristy, telephones, bulletins, drinking fountains and where to leave food, etc.

3.     You will be scheduled to be a greeter periodically depending on the Mass you normally attend and how often you wish to serve. Be sure to request a substitute online if you know you will not be present at your scheduled Mass. 

 

Specific Guidelines for Ushers

 

1.     Please arrive 20 minutes before Mass begins.  Make sure the church is ready to receive the people as they arrive:

a.     Ensure that doors are unlocked.

b.     Walk around the Gathering Space, sanctuary, and rest rooms to ensure that they are in a clean and orderly state.

c.     Ensure that the collection baskets are ready in the back of the sanctuary for the offertory.

d.     Do a quick check of the sidewalk to ensure that snow and ice have been removed.

2.     If a worship aid will be used, place them in baskets near the sanctuary doors. If you see people enter the sanctuary without a worship aid, offer one.

3.     Be prepared to answer questions as people arrive regarding the nursery, rest rooms, elevator, where to leave food, location of the water fountains or phones, etc.  In general, it is important to always be warm, welcoming and hospitable to the community as they gather for Mass.

4.     Before Mass begins, the team captain will be in charge of asking a couple or family to bring up the gifts of Bread and Wine during the offertory.  This is an important part of the liturgy. Do your best to involve as many different people as possible from one week to the next even if it means going to the far sides of the church.  Express gratitude to those you ask to fulfill this role, and encourage them by explaining to the family what to do and when to get ready. If the family seems nervous, promise to come and get them at the appropriate time. After Mass, seek them out and thank them.

5.     As the church fills up, it may be necessary to assist those who arrive late in finding a seat.  You may need to walk with them to find an available space.  It may also be necessary to ask those already seated to sit more closely together.  If Mass has already begun, do not seat people during the reading from Scripture as it is a distraction to those listening.  Please wait for the break between the readings. The Opening Prayer, Responsory Psalm, or Alleluia that precedes the Gospel reading are good times to seat latecomers.

6.     Close the sanctuary doors when the Mass begins.

7.     During the Prayers of the Faithful, get ready to assist in the collection. 

a.     Proceed immediately down your assigned aisle after the Offertory song has been announced. Bow deeply and reverently toward the altar and then pass the collection basket to the first person in the first pew, who will hand it to his/her neighbor in succession.

b.     At smaller Masses, 2 ushers utilizing 4 or 8 baskets are needed.  At larger Masses, 6 ushers utilizing 12 baskets are needed with 2 people assisting at station 2 and 4. (Station 4 situates itself approximately 1/3 of the way down the aisle depending on attendance).  (add a diagram – revisions are in progress on this paragraph)

8.     The captain should get the gift bearers that were recruited earlier ready to bring up the gifts.  Gift bearers should be instructed to go to the gift table at the back of the sanctuary. They process with the gifts of Bread and Wine as soon as the Offertory hymn begins.

9.     The collection is sealed in a bag (marked with the Mass time), and placed in the large basket. One of the ushers brings the basket and places it on the floor in front of the altar. The usher then bows deeply and reverently before the altar and returns to the rear of the sanctuary. NOTE: If the congregation is already standing, take the bag immediately to the Sacristy and place it in the safe.

10.  When the priest begins to distribute Communion to the Extraordinary Ministers of The Eucharist (Eucharistic Ministers), the ushers should begin to dismiss the people to go to Communion, beginning with the back pews and working forward. The goal is to have the people lined up by the time the Eucharistic Ministers are in place.

11.  From time to time, a second collection will be requested. This usually happens after Communion. Be prepared to assist with this. 

12.  Ushers distribute bulletins to people as they exit the sanctuary when the Mass concludes. At the end of Mass open the sanctuary doors to facilitate the exit of people.  Close the doors once the majority of the people have exited.  We want to insure that conversation in the gathering space does not carry into the sanctuary where people stay late to pray.

13.  At the end of the recessional, after the priest has reached the Baptismal Font, an usher should pick up the collection basket in front of the altar.  The collection should be taken directly to the sacristy and with the assistance of a second usher place it in the safe.

14.  Go through the sanctuary to tidy up any hymnals, bulletins or other items that may have been left behind.  One usher can check with the priest to see if you can be of any further assistance before leaving.

15.  In case of an emergency be prepared to take action.  Call 911 in case of a medical emergency or fire or to contact the police. Retrieve the automated external defibrillator (AED) from the back hallway if it is needed.

16.  In the small (Work) Sacristy, you can find a first aid kit, lost and found, baskets, ropes and bulletins.  A telephone is located in the Work Sacristy. Assistive hearing devices are available from the ambassadors.

 

Specific Guidelines for A-V Techs

 

1.     Arrive 20 minutes prior to the Mass.

2.     Turn the camera controller and soundboard on.

3.     Log in to the computer and start the vMix software.

4.     Check for notes left on the soundboard.

5.     See if portable mics need to be set up.

6.     Check the positioning of the cantor stand and ambo mics and adjust if necessary.

7.     Load default, or your custom preset on the sound board. (Default setting is loaded by hitting [Cue List] + press the black selector wheel without turning it.

8.     Ten minutes before mass starts:

a.     Make sure “External Output” is on

b.     Make sure that there is audio signal visible to the right of the small preview window with the camera image on it. If not, stop streaming, stop external output and quit vMix, and relaunch it from the desktop.

c.     Start the stream with powerpoints in place.

9.     Two minutes before Mass starts (or if there are preludes, when they start):

a.     Turn streaming audio on (click the “audio” button on the “realtec” input).

b.     Make sure audio is showing up on the VU meter between the preview and outgoing screens.

10.  After mass using Chrome, upload the video to youtube. Credentials are saved in the browser so you should not need to log in, make sure the video is set to “public”.

 

Specific Guidelines for Ambassadors

 

Like greeters and ushers, ambassadors serve in a hospitality ministry.  They stand near (but typically not behind) the information desk and wear ambassador badges found in the top side drawer of the desk.  They are able to respond to more involved questions: e.g., how to register as a parishioner; how to request a visit to a home-bound family member, etc.  Ambassadors can find information about these processes and events of the weekend and week in a lime-green binder which is on top of the safe in the sacristy or on the informatixon desk.  Assistive hearing devices are available from the ambassadors. Most ambassadors have previously served as greeters. Here are answers to frequently asked questions:

1.     New Member - If someone is interested in becoming a member of St. Francis, there is a form (green whole page double sided). They can either fill it out and give it to you, or direct them to the website when they get home – it is under “general information”.

 2.     Information update – There is a form (yellow half sheet) for updating information. Please include enough identifiable information to find their record. Sometimes just a name isn’t enough. Phone number or address is also helpful.

3.     Auto Debit & Envelope Contributions – There is a form for Auto debits.  Use this form for updating or new auto-debit contributions.

 

4.     CSA Contributions – Paying on an existing pledge, use any envelope but clearly mark it as a CSA contribution. New pledges can use the CSA Pledge card.

 

6.     New Liturgical Ministers – Trainings are provided frequently for liturgical ministers. The ministers can register by going to www.stfrancisholland.org/training  , or the ambassador can take their information on a contact card and indicate on there which session they would like to register for. Training dates are on the next pages..

 

 

 

Liturgical Minister Training Dates

January 2017-June 2018

Please register by going to www.stfrancisholland.org/training or calling the parish office.

 

Date

Event Title

Start Time

End Time

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Hospitality Minister Training

6:00 PM

7:00 PM

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Eucharistic Minister Training - English

7:00 PM

8:00 PM

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Lector Training - English

8:00 PM

9:00 PM

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Altar Server Training

6:00 PM

6:45 PM

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Eucharistic Minister Training - Spanish

6:45 PM

7:30 PM

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Ambassador Training

7:30 PM

8:15 AM

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Sacristan Training

8:15 AM

9:00 AM

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Altar Server Training

9:00 AM

9:45 AM

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Eucharistic Minister Training - English

9:45 AM

10:30 AM

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Eucharistic Minister Training - Spanish

10:30 AM

11:15 AM

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Lector Training - Spanish

11:15 AM

12:00 PM

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Hospitality Minister Training

12:00 PM

1:00 PM

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Sacristan Training

6:00 PM

6:45 PM

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Lector Training - English

6:45 PM

7:30 PM

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Eucharistic Minister Training - Spanish

7:30 PM

8:15 PM

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Ambassador Training

8:15 PM

9:00 PM

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Eucharistic Minister Training - Spanish

6:00 PM

6:45 PM

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Altar Server Training

6:45 PM

7:30 PM

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Ambassador Training

7:30 PM

8:15 PM

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Lector Training - Spanish

8:15 PM

9:00 PM

 

DATES BELOW THIS LINE ARE TENTATIVE

 

 

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Altar Server Training

6:00 PM

6:45 PM

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Eucharistic Minister Training - English

6:45 PM

7:30 PM

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Eucharistic Minister Training - Spanish

7:30 PM

8:15 PM

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Lector Training - English

8:15 PM

9:00 PM

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Hospitality Minister Training - English

6:00 PM

6:45 PM

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Ambassador Training

6:45 PM

7:30 PM

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Ambassador Training

7:30 PM

8:15 PM

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Sacristan Training

8:15 PM

9:00 PM

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Altar Server Training

9:00 AM

9:45 AM

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Eucharistic Minister Training - English

9:45 AM

10:30 AM

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Hospitality Minister Training - English

10:30 AM

11:15 AM

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Sacristan Training

11:15 AM

12:00 PM

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Eucharistic Minister Training - Spanish

12:00 PM

1:00 AM

Saturday, January 6, 2018

Eucharistic Minister Training - English

9:00 AM

9:45 AM

Saturday, January 6, 2018

Lector Training - English

9:45 AM

10:30 AM

Saturday, January 6, 2018

Hospitality Minister Training - English

10:30 AM

11:15 AM

Saturday, January 6, 2018

Altar Server Training

11:15 AM

12:00 PM

Saturday, January 6, 2018

Ambassador Training

12:00 PM

1:00 AM

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Eucharistic Minister Training - Spanish

6:00 PM

6:45 PM

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Lector Training - English

6:45 PM

7:30 PM

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Lector Training - Spanish

7:30 PM

8:15 PM

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Ambassador Training

8:15 PM

9:00 PM

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Eucharistic Minister Training - English

6:00 PM

6:45 PM

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Altar Server Training

6:45 PM

7:30 PM

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Sacristan Training

7:30 PM

8:15 PM

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Hospitality Minister Training - English

8:15 PM

9:00 PM

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Altar Server Training

6:00 PM

6:45 PM

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Lector Training - English

6:45 PM

7:30 PM

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Eucharistic Minister Training - Spanish

7:30 PM

8:15 PM

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Lector Training - Spanish

8:15 PM

9:00 PM

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Ambassador Training

6:00 PM

6:45 PM

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Hospitality Minister Training - English

6:45 PM

7:30 PM

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Altar Server Training

7:30 PM

8:15 PM

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Sacristan Training

8:15 PM

9:00 PM

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Eucharistic Minister Training - English

6:00 PM

6:45 PM

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Altar Server Training

6:45 PM

7:30 PM

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Eucharistic Minister Training - Spanish

7:30 PM

8:15 PM

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Sacristan Training

8:15 PM

9:00 PM

 

 

8.     Current Liturgical Ministers Needing a Copy of Their Schedule – The Mass coordinators can pull up their schedules on the computer near the grandfather clock, or the parish secretaries can print one by calling the parish office during office hours, or ambassadors can use the contact card to gather the ministers information and put it in the front inside pocket of the ambassadors binder.

 

9.     Baptism – Ask if they’ve been to the Covenant program (alianza). Once they’ve gone, they don’t need to go again. If they haven’t gone, hand the inquirer a pamphlet (salmon) in the appropriate language.

10.  First Communion – Parents desiring this sacrament for their child must register the child in the parish faith formation programs. Registration is in the fall, during the regular registration period, information will be in the ambassadors binder about the registration process.

 

11.  Confirmation – Parents desiring this sacrament for their child should complete the FAFF Contact Card.

 

12.  Wedding – Be the first to congratulate them!  All of the wedding information is on the website. A few copies should be in the file drawer as well.

 

13.  Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) – FAFF Contact Card

 

14.  Communion to the Homebound/Nursing Home – If someone makes you aware of a parishioner who desires Communion but is too ill to attend Mass, please ask them to complete the Pastoral Care Contact card.

 

15.  Prayer Line - The person requesting must be either a family member, or have explicit permission from a family member for us to send out a prayer request on the prayer line.  Because of confidentiality, its best either have the person call/email Tom Eggleston teggleston@stfrancisholland.org, or to walk them to the ushers room, and pick up the black phone and dial 104, and let them leave their message.

 

16.  Pastoral Care Visit -  If someone makes you aware of a parishioner or other person who desires a visit from one of the pastoral staff, please ask them to complete the Pastoral Care Contact card.

 

17.  Anointing of the Sick – If the situation is urgent (the patient is very near death), take down the information and give it to a staff member immediately.  If it would be a routine visit, use the Pastoral Care contact card.

 

18.  Parish Nurse - Support is available for parishioners who have medical needs. Please ask the inquirer to complete the Parish Nurse Contact Card, with as much detailed information as can be obtained without being intrusive.

 

19.  Food, Clothing & Furniture Assistance - Emergency food assistance is given without question during St. Vincent de Paul’s regular hours (Mondays & Wednesday 3:00-8:00, Saturdays Noon-4:00). Any additional assistance (clothing, food, cash) should be arranged through Sister Noella. Use a contact card, have them call 616-392-6700, ext 114, or send Sr. Noella an e-mail (npoinsette@stfrancisholland.org) at their convenience.