What is an Usher?
An Usher is an official whose business is to introduce strangers, or to walk before person of rank, a forerunner and a doorkeeper. A church usher is an officer of the church he or she serves. He/She introduces visitors to the church by having them sign a visitor’s card. The church usher helps the Pastor to make the service a success by putting the congregation in the right frame of mind to receive the message. The usher meets the people with a pleasant smile, a warm welcome, and directs them to comfortable seats. He/She also sees to it that perfect order is kept in and around the church at all times during the services. Ushers are forerunners, for they prepare the church for the guests by being the first to arrive at the church; they receive the order of the day from the Pastor; they see that the church is in proper condition to receive the guest; they see that hymnals, fans, church literature, collection envelopes, and any other items that are to be distributed to the congregation are
An usher is someone who acts as an escort. Ushers have a number of roles, depending on the context in which they work. When ushers are mentioned, many people think specifically of the theatre usher, who guides people to their seats and assists them with problems during the show as they arise, but there are other types of ushers as well. The word is derived from the Latin ostium, which means “door.” As this root word would imply, ushers are concerned with hospitality. They work to ensure that things run smoothly and comfortably at events. In addition to working in theatres, ushers can also be found at weddings, sports events, concerts, and churches, ensuring that guests find their seats and that their needs are met. It is not uncommon for large buildings such as stadiums and operahouses to maintain their own staff of ushers. The ushers are intimately familiar with the building, and they typically are acquainted with the evacuation plan for the building along with basic first aid in case
The first question is, ‘What on Earth is an usher?.’ This is a good place to begin. Essentially an usher is there to help the groom, which is why in America they are known as ‘groom’s men.’ They are not necessarily required to repeatedly say ‘Ush!’, but can if they wish. An usher is essentially the groom’s equivalent of the bride’s bridesmaids. Just as the bride can choose several of her friends to be bridesmaids, as well as having a chief bridesmaid, or matron of Honour1, there can be several ushers as well as one best man. The good news about being an usher is it’s a lot less hard work than being lumbered with the best man’s job. Ushers don’t have to organise the stag do, merely turn up to it. And on the wedding day itself your tasks are not nearly so onerous, as the main benefit is they do not have to give a speech at the reception, although they may well be asked to help with ideas for the best man. Being an usher is a nice thing to be asked to do and is more than just a token gest
