What Are the Duties of Ushers and Greeters in Church?

The modern church is more focused on the physical needs and general comfort of church members and visitors than ever before. Two traditional church positions, those of church usher and greeter, are being used in the church more today to promote this emphasis. The duties and job responsibilities of these two positions in many ways undergird the church's membership growth efforts by making attenders feel "at home."

Often ushers are the first to arrive at the church and, therefore, unlock the exterior and interior doors. An usher's primary job role, however, is to help seat church attenders. If the attender arrives late, the usher – who has usually been standing at the back of the church by the exit doors since members began to arrive – knows where to seat them. Ushers make accommodation, when necessary, for parishioners with special needs or handicaps.

Other usher responsibilities, depending on the local church body, include stocking bulletins, helping visitors sign welcome/registration cards, providing on-site security and assisting with loud babies. They also see that noise distractions from the halls and other rooms do not interfere with the worship service. Ushers need to be flexible during the service to attend to anything that happens.

A church greeter is often the first person a visitor to a church will meet. Just like in the building of all relationships, the first impression a greeter makes has an impact on the perception of a church. Church greeters, like ushers, assist church attenders. Often when a family with young children arrives for the first time, a greeter can show them the nursery, explain the service, assist in transitioning the children to their rooms if there is resistance and generally provide a hand of friendship and love to the visitor. Greeters show adults to their Sunday school class if they have not attended it before, and introduce the person to the other students.

Greeters sometimes helps document visitors to the church by requesting they sign a visitor card. Greeters will often assist elderly members entering the building from their vehicle. On rainy days, some particularly hospitable churches provide a parade of greeters to umbrella attenders as they walk from their cars.

An usher or a greeter needs to be a church member with the spiritual gift of hospitality or administration. The Epistle of 1st John makes it clear that all church members should exhibit love, especially to members of their Christian church family.