Duties and Responsibilities - An Usher Team Captain shall:

1. Be faithful in worship and communion attendance, and at Bible Study.
2. Be trained for this important ministry function.
3. Be stationed and ready to serve no later than 7:40 AM (Joyful Praise Service at 8:005 AM), 9:10 AM (Heritage of Praise Service at 9:30 AM) and/or 10:45 AM (Praise and Celebration Service at 11:00 AM).
4. Check with the Pastor for any special instruction concerning the worship service.
5. Make certain that instructions and requests on the Usher Check List are followed.
6. See that all necessary duties as described in the Ushering Ministry Task Description are carried out
7. See that the Liturgical Date is posted on the Hymn Boards, along with any necessary hymn numbers (8:15 AM Ushering Team)
8. Change the candle in the Chancel Eternal Candle (8:15 AM Ushering Team)
9. Verify that all Sanctuary, Worship Entrance Area (Narthex), Hallway and Cross lights are turned on – verify that all Worship Entrance doors are unlocked.
10. Warmly greets all worshipers, offering them a smile, a handshake/hug, and a bulletin – in particular: greets warmly any and all Worship Guests, and ushers them to their preferred seating before offering them a bulletin.
11. Assist worshipers in seating if the service is “full” by locating empty seating spaces and ushering them to these spaces.
12. Assist Late-comers (those arriving after the Pastoral greetings / Opening Hymn or Liturgy) by ushering them to a seat to avoid distractions – those arriving late should never be seated during the Confession and Forgiveness, any prayers, or the Reading of the Lessons).
13. Complete the Usher Report Form midway through the worship service
14. “Walk the building” at least twice during the worship service, especially checking the Sunday School area – during the first “walk through,” gets a Nursery Count to add to the Usher Report Form.
15. Bring the Prayer Request Book forward during the Sermon Hymn (or post Sermon Hymn) and place it opened on the Altar.
16. Gather the offering at the time designated by the Bulletin (Worship Folder) and/or a Pastoral announcement – after receiving the Offerings, bring thems forward and present them to the acolyte or the Pastor.
17. For the 8:15 AM and the 9:45 AM Usher Teams: immediately following The Dismissal (which concludes the worship service), two ushers process down to dismiss the congregation pew-by-pew.
18. Distribute any materials designated for worshipers who are leaving the worship area.
19. Pull out the first page of the Friendship Pad from each pew (including the Transept Area and the Balcony), and attach these sheets to the Usher Report Form
20. Pick up and throws out any loose items on the pews and the floor; returns the Friendship Pads/Hymnals/ Bibles to the pew racks; straighten up the pew racks, removing any loose paper, etc.; puts up what needs to be put up – throws out what needs to be thrown away!
21. Return the Prayer Request Book from the Chancel Credenza to the stand in the Worship Lobby area.
22. Straighten up the Usher Table – recycles old bulletins and inserts by putting them into the proper containers.
23. Place the completed Usher Report Form and the attached Friendship Pad sheets in the Parish Administrator’s Office Door Pocket.
24. Be responible for Lights and Heat/AC
    1. 8:45 / 9:45 AM Services: Leave the lights and the heat/AC turned on.
    2. 11:15 AM Service: Turn off all Sanctuary lights, the Cross lights, and the Narthex and Balcony lights; the heat should be turned down to 55 degrees – the AC should be up to 85 degrees.

For Holy Communion Distribution:

25. Be responsible for ensuring that he has a full team for his assigned service. In his absence, he should have an alternate who can act as Team Captain. If four ushers are not available from the regular team members, the Team Captain should contact a substitute from the list shown on the schedule. If the substitute list is exhausted without success, then contact the Head Usher.
26. Be at church (or have a designated substitute) 30 minutes prior to the service. The other team members should report no later than 15 minutes prior to the service to greet and present bulletins to people as they arrive. If an unusual or new order of worship is scheduled the Team Captain shall discuss this with the Pastor prior to the service so that an orderly worship may be conducted.

Note: It is the responsibility of any usher unable to attend a scheduled service to notify his Team Captain as early in the week as possible so that a substitute may be designated.