Ushering

Kris Nordstrom
Weekly Post #2
01-30-07

This week I served as an usher for the Sunday morning service. In actuality, I am the head usher, and had to fill in for an usher that was home ill. Anyhow, My responsibilities included ensuring the acolytes were present, prepared, and robed. I also was charged with making a head count during collection of the offering. (We Methodists are funny about keeping track of all sort of stats!)

Other usher duties include greeting people and passing out bulletins, as well as helping some people to their seats. That might also include letting the pastor know if someone will not be able to come to the rail for Communion.

Some things that most people don't think about while in church are also the usher's reality. For instance, who does what if there is a fire of tornado? Who calls 911 in case of an emergency? (heart attack, stroke, fall, etc.) Are there any qualified health care professionals in the congregation and who arethey? Where are the first aid supplies and fire extinguishers? (and how do they work, and are they full?)

What is the evacuation plan in case of emergency, and is there an alternate plan in case the primary is for some reason not plausible?

Getting the idea?

Worship Committee Meeting

Kris Nordstrom
Weekly post #1
1-25-07

On Monday evening I met with the Worship Committe that serves First United Methodist Church, in Marion Indiana. This was the groups first meeting this year and there were a number of items on the agenda.

Those items that took the majority of the time were related to the upcomming season of Lent, and Holy Week. After some debate, it was decided to have an Ash Wednesday evening service with the imposition of ashes and Holy Communion. The main arguments against this service were that in the past few years, such services had not been well attended. It was decided however, that it was probably important to those who have attended in the past, so it should continue. To Lenten Luncheons were also scheduled for the season. Holy Week was much easier to naol down. Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Easter Sunday will have services, with a possible Good Friday service if there are no community services.

Other items that were discussed, which I guess I had not considered as being related to this committee were: Acolyte training and supervision, greeters, Communion Stewards, and ushers and their responsibiliyies.

All in all I learned through this practicum setting that a great deal of planning, even beyond that which one might normally assume, goes into the mechanics of weekly worship. I am looking forward to seeing how music, scripture, and the other elements of worship are chosen each week.

New Semester, New Practicum!

Hello! Welcome to my practicum blog site. Feel free to post as you see fit as long as it remains on topic. Have fun, and God bless!