A Tribute to the Ushers of St. John Baptist Church by Sis. Diane Johnson August 12, 2018   
 
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”  Colossians 3:23-24 
Whenever people gather in churches, there is a need for dignity and quiet that is conducive to worship. That is where the church usher comes in. Their duties can be summed up in a few words:  making people feel welcome, assisting with people management, seating, collecting special offerings and maintaining a good worship environment. St. John’s ushers are well trained by their leader, Sister Gladys Amis, to accomplish this task.  While the Pastor Key has the most important role, the ushers help him by creating the atmosphere I just mentioned.   
 
When most people think about what ushers do, they think of meeters and greeters and someone to hand out bulletins. While those things are important, there is so much more to being a good usher.  Ushers provide assistance to anyone who enters the sanctuary and they don’t only serve on Sunday morning, they can be depended upon to be at funerals, revivals and other church services.  They give the first impression of the church and they can either make people feel welcome, or wish they’d gone someplace else.  Humility is vital to being a good usher.   
 
Not everyone is suitable for the usher ministry.  It takes special people like we have here at St. John—women, men and youth ushers who make guests feel welcome.  They don’t judge or criticize anyone because of their appearance or physical or mental handicaps. 
 
I believe the ministry of ushering is a crucial part of worship because it is one of the most visible ones in the church.  In Christ, you have received God’s unconditional love and we are called to extend that same unconditional love to others.  Our ushers perform a major role in ensuring that people see and experience that love. 
 
Even though our ushers have experienced heartache and physical challenges in their lives, through it all, they are dedicated to their task and can be counted on to be back at their post to serve God and St. John Baptist Church as soon as possible.  As I conclude this tribute, I’d like to read the words of a song our honorary usher, Sis. Rosetta Peterson asked me to include.  She loves and appreciates our wonderful, dedicated ushers as I do.    

 “My Task”   By E.L. Ashford 
 
To love someone more dearly every day.   To help a wandering child to find his way. To ponder over a noble thought and pray, And smile when evening falls.   This is my task. 
 
To follow truth as blind men long for light, To do my best from dawn of day till night,  To keep my heart fit for His holy sight, And answer when He calls. This is my task. ____________