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Ushers & Greeters
Ministry Schedules & Training
If you are interested in being trained as an Usher / Greeter,
or to view the most recent schedules, please visit the
Liturgical Ministry Schedules & Training page.
Usher / Greeter Guide Sheet
Thank you for making this commitment to serve as a minister at St. Vincent's. The following information is meant to assist you in preparing for this ministry.
- The Usher / Greeter schedule comes out approximately every 6 -8 weeks.
If you cannot serve when you are scheduled,
it is very important that you call to find a substitute.
A list of phone numbers is provided on your schedule.
If there are any changes to your availability for scheduling,
please contact Amy O’Rourke at (773) 988-2574.
- Please dress with respect for the ministry and the Mass. (No shorts, torn jeans, etc.)
- When you are scheduled as an Usher / Greeter,
arrive at least 15 minutes before Mass begins.
Go to the Sacristy and sign your name in the Minister Binder on the big table.
This allows us to keep track of attendance and commitment to the ministry.
Obtain your nametag from the box on the table.
Please let the other Usher / Greeters know you are there.
- Remember that an Usher / Greeter is often the first person
that worshipers meet when they arrive at Church.
The greeter thus has the opportunity and the responsibility
to represent the rest of the assembly in offering hospitality.
A warm smile and word of welcome that reflects God's love for them can help all worshipers
enter more easily and more fully into the celebration of the liturgy.
- The basic responsibility of an Usher / Greeter is the same as for all participating in the Mass - to join in the act of worship as fully as possible. Join in singing the hymns, listening attentively, and responding to prayers. This will encourage others around you to participate as well.
- Before Mass, go to the Sacristy and bring the collection basket, bread,
water and wine to the offertory table.
- As worshipers enter the Church, greet them warmly.
Hand them a bulletin. You should stay at your entrance no
later than the beginning of the First Reading to welcome worshipers.
You may go to your seat as early as the opening hymn, if you prefer.
- Before Mass, ask two or three people if they are
interested in taking up the offertory gifts.
Please explain clearly to them the responsibility they will have.
Ask gift presenters to come to the back of the Church at the start of
the collection so they are ready for the procession when the offerings have been gathered.
Please instruct them to walk slowly and prayerfully up the center aisle,
around the right side of the altar and place the gifts on the altar.
An Usher / Greeter will follow behind them with the collection basket.
The collection basket should be placed on the side of the altar.
After the gifts have been placed on the altar,
the Presider will most often shake the hands of
the gift presenters and the Usher / Greeter.
Then, the gift presenters and the Usher / Greeter should return to their seats,
not bowing or genuflecting in front of the altar.
The Usher should be the last one to walk up to the altar and
the last one to walk back from the altar.
- Before Mass, coordinate six people to take up the collection.
You may ask the other scheduled Usher / Greeters first,
and then ask other worshipers if needed.
Explain that they should come to the back of the Church during
the Prayers of the Faithful, gather their collection basket,
and wait at the back of their assigned aisle.
After the Prayers of the Faithful, when the assembly sits down and the music begins,
all Ushers should walk to the front of the pews together.
The center aisle ushers lead the procession by nodding to the other ushers to begin.
Ushers should not kneel or bow when reaching the front of the pews.
After gathering the monetary contributions from their assigned aisle,
Ushers should deposit their collection into the main collection
basket near the offertory table.
Please be sure to collect monetary contributions from worshipers standing
in the back of Church and in the vestibule.
After all monetary contributions have been collected,
you or someone you ask should take the collection basket
to the altar with the gifts of bread and wine.
After the gifts have been taken to the altar,
move the offertory table out of the center aisle
to the space behind the last pew, next to the bulletin carts.
- If there is a second collection, wait until all Ushers have finished their
assigned aisles from the first collection to begin again.
All Ushers should again process up their assigned aisles together.
The second collection should be deposited in the smaller basket.
The second collection basket can be carried to
the altar inside of the larger collection basket.
- Collecting the monetary gifts of the worshipers is
part of the act of worship and should be done prayerfully.
These offerings serve as a symbol of the worshipers' willingness to
follow Christ and to give of themselves as He did.
- Please go to the back of the Church before the closing hymn to offer
bulletins to people who may not have received them earlier.
- After Mass, tidy up the Church by putting up kneelers and returning any bulletins left in the pew racks or pews to the carts by the doors. Please tidy up the pew racks and return any misplaced hymnals and Missalettes.
- As worshipers enter the Church, greet them warmly.
Hand them a bulletin.
You should stay at your entrance no later than the beginning of the
First Reading to welcome worshipers.
You may go to your seat as early as the opening hymn, if you prefer.
- If you are interested in serving as an Usher to gather the monetary collection, please let W1 know so that you can be counted as one of the six Ushers. See above instructions (under W1) for gathering the monetary collection.
- Please go to the back of the Church before the closing hymn to offer
bulletins to people who may not have received them earlier.
- After Mass, tidy up the Church by putting up kneelers and returning any bulletins left in the pew racks or pews to the carts by the doors. Please tidy up the pew racks and return any misplaced hymnals and reading books.
- As worshipers enter the Church, greet them warmly.
Hand them a bulletin.
You should stay at your entrance no later than the beginning of the
First Reading to welcome worshipers.
You may go to your seat as early as the opening hymn, if you prefer.
- If you are interested in serving as an Usher to gather the monetary collection,
please let W1 know so that you can be counted as one of the six Ushers.
See above instructions (under W1) for gathering the monetary collection.
- Please go to the back of the Church before the closing hymn to offer
bulletins to people who may not have received them earlier.
- After Mass, tidy up the Church by putting up kneelers and returning any bulletins left in the pew racks or pews to the carts by the doors. Please tidy up the pew racks and return any misplaced hymnals and reading books.
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