national united church ushers association

National united church ushers association how to#
National united church ushers association professional#
National united church ushers association series#

For practice, Wicker also ushers at several other churches that follow the national formula in Sunday services.

'I didn't know there was that much to learn in ushering,' said District resident Tawana Wicker, a graduate who found the 'formal procedures' slightly different from the style of ushering prevalent at her church, Metropolitan AME.

Churches throughout the country use the same techniques. The ICUA chapter school is affiliated with the United Church Ushers Association of America, a Denver-based national organization.

National united church ushers association series#

'Juniors,' aged 8 to 13, pay $7 for the series of lectures, films, demonstrations and drills the charge for adults is $12.

National united church ushers association how to#

Last week's graduates learned that code as well as the signals for getting additional fans or programs, how to stand and how to extend courtesies and other services, during eight months of classes held once every week from last October through June at River Terrace Elementary School in Northeast Washington. And the signal? 'Bringing both hands back across your head' as if 'brushing your hair back.' This informed church officials and other ushers, without alarming the congregation, and the fire was put out without incident, Martin said. 'We had to use the distress signal' when a heater set a curtain in the choir loft on fire, she recalled. Martin still remembers, more than a quarter of a century later, a crisis at her church, Rock Creek Baptist in Northwest Washington. will come in direct contact with the ushers first,' making a proper welcome essential.Īccording to Nettie Martin, the association's president and herself an usher since 1936, the post requires friendliness, tact, and alertness to the possibility of emergencies. As one page of the program read: 'It is certain that almost everyone that comes to church. The theme sounded throughout the evening stressed the importance of the ushers' role within the church. Clinton Washington, pastor of the Jerusalem Baptist Church in Northwest Washington, and the crowd roared its agreement during last week's ceremonies. 'God was the first usher, Abraham was the second usher, and Moses was the third,' boomed the Rev. If the technique on display for more than 500 guests at the First Baptist Church of Highland Park in Landover had an almost military flair, the ceremony itself was more of a revival, complete with preaching and gospel singing. They had mastered the 'universal' style of ushering taught by the school since 1948: an elaborate system of silent codes and precise maneuvers.

The graduates, ranging in age from 10 to 72, were dressed in official uniformity: the men and boys in formal dark suits, the women in crisp white, the girls in navy and white.

National united church ushers association professional#

The graduating class came from 78 local black churches, mostly Baptist, and its members would leave that night ready to return to their congregations, said valedictorian Joyce Hall, 'equipped with a professional touch of class.' She and 177 others were about to receive diplomas from the School of Ushering, in a ceremony sponsored by the Interdenominational Church Ushers Association of D.C. One young woman ducked her head bashfully, then grinned up at her friend: 'I'm graduating tonight.' Voices rose in nervous excitement in the rush to exchange greetings and last-minute instructions. Their exuberant elders, just as nattily attired, filled the church foyer, pumping hands and slapping backs, pinning corsages and smoothing white gloves. There were small boys in stiff blue suits and young girls with freshly curled hair. It was Friday night, but they wore their Sunday best.