The Ushers Ministry: Welcoming Others with Loving Hearts and Smiles

Thanks to our parish ushers, when you walk into our church building, you feel like you are coming into the loving arms of Christ.

“I really enjoy taking care of the people who come to our parish, and making them feel very welcome,” says Joyce Crabtree, who serves as the leader of the Usher Ministry. “I love developing a rapport with people I normally see and getting to know them better, especially since we have such a large parish. I feel responsible for them. I also appreciate the opportunity to meet new people and look out for guests. I like to treat them well, so that they may consider joining our parish at some point.”

The Ushers Ministry is a “front-line” hospitality ministry that is open to any interested adult or teen parishioner. Ushers assist the congregation during the celebration of Holy Mass; seat and/ or physically assist attendees as necessary; assist with offertory collections; count attendance, and direct traffic flow as guests proceed to Holy Communion. The ushers consist of a dedicated team which is coordinated by Jenny Funk.

Each usher has his or her story as to why they felt drawn to give their time and talent to this ministry. Joyce and her husband, Rick, who have been ushers for about 10 years, believe that they were inspired to start doing so by their parents.

“My parents were both ushers, and they really enjoyed doing it,” Joyce says. “They set an example for me, so I felt I should try being one too. I think Rick’s dad was an usher as well. And I have to say I love this ministry — it is great!”

Over the years, Rick and Joyce have discovered that doing this ministry together has helped them grow closer to Christ as well as to one another.

“It is something we can share together as a couple,” Joyce says. “It has helped us learn to work together. If a problem comes up, we talk about it and give each other ideas. We can solve problems that way. If I forget to do something, he will probably do it for me and vice versa.”

Importantly, this ministry is a powerful reflection of the stewardship vision because it embodies the Stewardship Pillar of Hospitality. By being a parish that embraces hospitality, we not only reflect the infinite love of Christ, but also the beauty of stewardship.

“I see this ministry as part of my commitment to stewardship,” Joyce says. “I have always felt that we need to serve the Church in as many ways as we can. I believe I should do something within the Church that is of service to the Church — that is my way of giving and growing within that giving. I believe in giving back to God and my parish community.”

More ushers are needed to make our parish family a warm, caring, and accepting place for others to come.

“We really do appreciate anyone willing to help out with this ministry,” Joyce says. “It is not a hard ministry at all, and no usher should feel they are alone. We work as a team, along with the Safety Committee. We all work together, and that brings a greater understanding of how different ministries unite together for the same goal.”

If you would like to share a smile and spirit of hospitality with others by helping with this simple, yet beautiful ministry, please contact Joyce Crabtree at 803-547-3277 or Jenny Funk at 803-548-7282, ext. 229.

Coordinating with office desk volunteers

Ushers preparing to gather collections