Usher Team Orientation

·      Respond to Planning Center Emails. Planning Center is where we schedule all our volunteers. It is important that you accept or decline when you receive your email so your leader can know to expect you on your scheduled day. If you decline and leave a reason, your leader will receive that. You can also block out dates in advance that you know you will be unable to serve due to being out of town, on vacation, etc.

·      Park in back parking lot.  On the Sundays that you serve, we ask you to park in the parking lot behind the auditorium. The entrance is located off 441. This frees up more spaces in front of the auditorium for our guest.

·      Be on time and check-in with your team leader.  Your leader will instruct you on what tasks need to be completed. The Alachua Campus arrival time is 8:45am and the University Campus arrival time is _____.

·      Complete Pre-Huddle set-up. This includes the Nursery set-up and the Crowd Controllers in the auditorium.

·      Attend the Huddle. If you are serving at the Alachua Campus, the Huddle is at 9:45am. If you are serving at the University Campus, the Huddle is at 8:20am. As soon as the Huddle is over, assume your serving position 30 minutes prior to service (Alachua 10am // University 8:30am).

·      Select your personal seat on the back few rows. Because you will be coming into service after service has started, please sit in the back as to not distract our guests. You will also need to have an easy way to exit when the speaker is doing their final prayer to get in position to say good-bye to our guests and assist them with anything they may need.

·      Prepare in prayer.  Before arriving, pray for God’s heart for people each and every time you serve. Ask God how you can put someone else at ease, for the Lord to use you today, and how you can most authentically demonstrate His love.

·      Dress in a manner that would honor Christ.  What we wear can sometimes speak louder than what we say.  Be mindful to not dress in a manner that would DISTRACT others or cause them to stumble.  Although we are a casual church we ask that you do not wear shorts, halter-tops, spaghetti straps, tank tops, or short skirts. Use discretion. If you think your attire is questionable, that it could potentially distract someone, then simply do not wear it.  We will supply you with a shirt.

·      Make sure you wear your nametag. Our nametags identify us as someone our guests can go to if they have a need or question.

·      Greet the guests and assist them with seating. The auditorium is darker than the lobby so it can take a few minutes for our guests eyes to adjust and it can be difficult for them to see seats that are open due to everyone standing. Help them in locating their seat. 

·      Limit lengthy personal conversations. A great way to do this is to ask your family member, friend, life group member, etc. if you can get with them after service.

·      Take your place to receive the offering during the Fellowship Time. Your leader will instruct you where to sit and which aisle you will be working.

·      Exit during the final prayer to reassume our posts to say good-bye to everyone and then pitch in to clean up and tear down Guest Services area.

·      Put Crowd Controllers back once most guests have exited the building.

·      Help with tearing down the Nursery.

·      Safety Team.  We do have a Safety Team on campus so if you see a disturbance that needs attention, get with your leader who has a hand radio and they can contact our Safety Team.