Hospitality
Become involved with a project that has caught your passion: whether it’s Green Sanctuary, Gift-Based Ministry, as a worship associate, leading a covenant group, or something entirely different, your congregation needs your involvement in order to benefit from your unique talents and gifts!
Become a religious educator. Whether you are working with children, youth, young adults, or adults, this work can be deeply fulfilling and fun!
Offer to become a lay leader in your congregation. Talk to your nominating committee. If your congregation’s in search for new professional leadership, think about whether you might contribute in new and exciting ways to that venture.
Witness your faith in the company of others, on behalf of your congregation. Seek out connections with other religious groups who share similar values. Help carry the message — beyond your congregation — that makes clear Unitarian Universalism’s values and voice in this challenging world.
Become a delegate to your UUA District’s meetings. You’ll learn new skills, develop a sense of Unitarian Universalism that extends beyond your own congregation, and help nurture the vitality of our faith in your district.
Don’t wait to be asked: contact your congregation’s Nominating Committee and tell them you’re willing to serve. They’ll be glad to hear from you!
– from the UUA
Hospitality Mission, Organization, and Task Descriptions
Mission and Strengths: The mission of the Hospitality Teams is to support Sunday services while enhancing community. In this volunteer model the teams enhance social interactions and create a sense of belonging to and responsibility for our spiritual community. Nearly all friends and members are assigned to a team, and thus have the opportunity to integrate into congregational life through service.
Organizational Model: Teams are organized on a rotating monthly basis. An overall co-ordinator with team coordinators and back-ups coordinators evaluate participation and re-balance the teams, so that members have the chance to work with different volunteers each year. Some members enjoy particular tasks in which they excel, so we honor those preferences. June, July, and August are done on a serve as you are able basis, without coordinators. Some members and friends who cannot attend regularly prefer not to be assigned to a team; those folks contribute as they are able.
Functions: Team members accomplish the following tasks:
- Ushering
- Ringing the bell
- Providing food to share
- Food set-up for coffee hour and potlucks
- Offertory Collection
- Hosting and clean-up of coffee hour
Coordinators: Team coordinators will email their team members in a timely fashion before the month of service. Some coordinators will use Sign-up genius or a similar program if they want to organize in that fashion. Please tell your coordinator when you do NOT plan to attend services. This allows coordinators to call on extra help, if needed for a thin week in team functioning. Please let them know the jobs you prefer to do and which weeks you can commit. This is a TEAM, which means each one steps in, to help as needs are seen.
Team Instructions/ Job Descriptions:
Ushers:
Thank you for serving as a greeter/usher! This role involves welcoming all comers to our door and attending to tasks – before, during and after the service – that allow everyone to enter into a sacred time and space and to worship safely and freely. Here are some guidelines to help us perform consistently.
Before the Service…
- Know the current COVID precautions, which are in the newsletter and in the vestibule.
- Practice using the lift if you are unfamiliar with it. A wheelchair is available under the stairs. If someone uses a walker, they could be asked whether they would like assistance to be seated inthe sanctuary. Observe where the walker is placed and offer an alternative placement if it is blocking a pathway.
- Arrive at 10:30 and look over the sanctuary for any conditions that might need attention, such as an empty water bottle or loose crayons. Check that hymnals, brochures, contact cards, pens, and tissues are available in each pew. [A small supply of these things could be kept in the closet behind the piano.]
- Check that the collection plates are in the vestibule or at the back of the sanctuary; if not, look on the shelf of the corner plant stand outside Desi’s office.
- Check that the Orders of Service are in place.
- Check with Rev. McKinley or worship leader about the time or cue to ring the bell.
- Wear your name tag. Greet people on arrival. If they are new and seem amenable, ask if they would like a name tag and whether they would complete a contact card that they can place in the collection plate or return to an usher.
- Let new parents know that all children are welcome in the service; there is nursery care; and that school-age children will be invited to attend Religious Exploration with Elizabeth Ann, partway through the service. When she is expecting a family, she is often present to greet them at the door. Offer a coloring book to use in the pew.
During…
- At least one person should remain near the front door until 11:20 a.m. Within the sanctuary, monitor the door for newcomers and offer Orders of Service. Latecomers might need to bedirected to open seating.
- The collection is a spiritual element of a worship service that allows people to make an offering, real and symbolic, toward a greater good. A formal ritual helps to dignify that act and expresses an appreciation of what is offered, not just “passing a hat.” Two people walk down the center aisle on cue from the worship leader, with time for people to prepare their offering, and then extend the plate down the pews on each side. The ushers should progress up the aisle in tandem, waiting for each before moving to the next pew. From the back of the sanctuary, one usher can give the plate to the worship leader on cue.
- Count the number of people in attendance to record afterward.
- Observe whether anyone in the sanctuary needs assistance and respond.
After…
- Direct newcomers to coffee hour and amenities as needed.
- Facilitate any mobility needs related to a walker or wheelchair. Provide assistance with the lift.
- Check condition of sanctuary and restore supplies. Collect remaining Orders of Service for recycling. Report any conditions that require further attention to your team coordinator.
- Greeter/Ushers are responsible for counting and reporting the plate collection, which is done at the table in the Duo Room in Hale Hall. There is a very short form and an envelope for the money, which goes to Mike Foy. Note the number of attendees. Thank you!
Hospitality:
Food…
- Volunteer coffee makers and friends usually have coffee ready by 10:00. Otherwise, other team members must do coffee and hot drink set-up.
- Team set-up volunteers should be on task by about 10:20. Singers can assist after rehearsal at 10:30. Two or three are needed each week.
- Team set-up volunteers prepare food for presentation, put out silverware and plates, napkins, trivets, etc., whatever is needed.
- Potluck Sunday: Use the “good china” and “silverware”, not paper plates and plasticware. Set out plates, trivets and serving pieces. Put food in warming and hot ovens.
Hosting and Clean-up…
- As coffee hour ends, begin to clear the table and store any food that can be saved for next week. Give away the rest or take it home yourself.
- Wash, dry and put away all dishes and serving utensils. On Potluck Sunday, use the dishwasher for the china and “silverware”. Ask for help as needed. Many know how to use it. The short cycle takes 10 minutes. Dry the dishes and do another cycle as needed.
- Unclaimed food containers are cleaned and left behind the dish drainer for a few weeks.
- Tear down the drink set up. Unplug the heating tray, so it will be cool when stored on the shelf below.
- Someone should can take tea towels home to launder and bring back next week.
- Coffee and tea carafes are never washed with soap. Rinse with hot water only and place back in the drawers.
- Clean table cloths as needed. When dry, fold carefully and store in drawers.
- Put away tables and chairs (six per stack). Ask people to assist as needed.
- Each team will have 2 or 3 volunteers to assist with clean-up. However it works best when all team members lend a hand, if they are able to stay.