Rivermont Evangelical Presbyterian Church

REPC Deacon Responsibilities

Please keep in mind that the major mission of the the work the deacons do on Sundays above all is to bring honor and glory to God by ministering to worshippers as they arrive at church, participate in the worship services, and leave. You should never underestimate the benefit that a kind word, a smile, or a well-organized worship experience may have in lives of those who attend worship services at Rivermont Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

If you must change the ushering schedule:

Every six months, when the usher committee makes up a new ushering schedule, you have an opportunity beforehand to specify the Sundays on which you know you will be unable to serve.
Should circumstances change and there is a Sunday on which you are scheduled to usher and you cannot, you are accountable to find someone with whom to swap.
Use the form on the usher section of the church website to communicate to the schedulers and the church staff the fact that you have switched.

The week before you are scheduled to usher:

Early in the week (Monday or Tuesday), contact the other deacon with whom you are scheduled to serve. Decide which of you will call which usher guild members to remind them of their upcoming ushering duties.
The schedule on the usher section of the church website is the "schedule of record". Any changes are always reflected there. Use it and not your paper copy to determine who is serving.
On Wednesday or Thursday, call your guild members to remind them of their schedule. Make sure you communicate to them that they are accountable to find someone else should they be unable to serve, and that you need to know who they switch with in order to be effectively prepared. Attempt to get "positive confirmation" from each guild member - i.e. if you have to leave them a telephone message, ask them to call you back to confirm that they will be serving.
Keep current with your email. Occasionally, the church staff communicates unusual things regarding Sunday services via email to the deacons.

Before you arrive:

Plan ahead so you arrive at 7:45am. Please be prompt. Occasionally, there are unexpected things you need to deal with prior to the service, and getting there with plenty of time to spare is a wise practice.
Please dress appropriately - wear your "Sunday best".
Bring clothing and/or an umbrella as appropriate so you will be prepared to do the "outside" tasks.

As soon as you arrive:

Find the person who's opened up the church in the morning and check to see if there is anything unusual going on.
Find the traffic cones and position them appropriately in the parking lot so people don't park at the wrong places in the parking lot. The cones are stored behind one of the bushes at the left front of the sanctuary
Walk quickly through the sanctuary, the rear hall, the Cheatham Reception Room, and back to the narthex to check that all lights are on and doors unlocked as appropriate.
As you walk by the front of the sanctuary, take note of the setup for the stage area - in particular, make sure you note that the table upon which the offering plates will be placed is there. Very occasionally, it is removed in conjunction with a special musical presentation. If it isn't there, you should ask the pastor what to do with the offering plates when you meet with him later.
Get your nametag and nametags for the usher guild members out of the boxes in the narthex closet and place them on one of the narthex tables.
Review the bulletin and the order of service carefully to make sure you understand the order of service, when you can seat peope and when you can't, the flow of things during the offering, and any unusual things requiring usher participation.
If there is an offertory prayer, take four bulletins and fold them up so the prayer is readable, to be used by the offering collectors later.
Find the pastor who is preaching and check with him regarding the order of service. Be sure to ask specifically if there are any unusual things you need to accommodate at either service.
If there is anything going on that requires pews to be reserved, place the reserved signs on the appropriate pews. The signs are located in the cabinet in the rear hall directly across from pastor Mabray's office.
If there is a baptism scheduled, you should prepare the baptismal font area if it has not already been prepared. To do this, remove the top of the font and place it in the sacistry room to the left of the choir loft. Then, fill the silver bowl in the font with warm water from the sink in the sacistry.
Get the nursery pager out of the drawer in the narthex and turn it on.
Make sure you have children's bulletins. If they are not already in the narthex, check in the copy room and pick them up. Place them on the right side narthex table.
Make sure the "balcony closed" signs (at 8:30 and evening services) and the "please enter quietly" sign (all services) are positioned appropriately.
Discuss with your deacon partner who will be the children's church escort.

When your ushers arrive:

Have a quick prayer together as a team.
Make assignments to the ushers:
...Front door.
...Rear door.
...Inside the sanctuary "aisle walker". Generally, the two deacons and one other usher will have this accountability, so you only need to assign one usher guild member for this. Keep in mind that not everyone will be comfortable with helping seat latecomers - always ask the ushers if they're comfortable with doing it before making that assignment.
...Children's church escort.
...Balcony usher if appropriate.
Make sure and ask all your ushers if they understand what they're supposed to do. Don't assume they know - better to ask and they know than to not ask and they don't know.
Also, make sure that the ushers at the doors know when to return to the narthex - you'll need them there during latecomer seating.

As the sanctuary fills:

Keep an eye out for doctors and/or other healthcare professionals who are entering the sanctuary and note where they sit - you never know when you might need to find one of them.
If for some reason you are short an usher and the balcony is in use, you'll need to find someone else to help take up the collection in the balcony. Go up there and find someone you know who's either a deacon or in the usher's guild and ask them to help. You can take the offering plate to them and just leave it with them.
Approximately 10 minutes before the start of the service (sooner if the sanctuary is getting crowded), get your "aisle walkers" to enter the sanctuary to help with seating.
Walk people who need help finding a seat to an appropriate pew where there is enough room for them.
Walk up the aisle frequently during this time to "scout" for available pew space so you know where you can fit larger groups of worshippers if necessary.
At times, it may be necessary, particularly in the center aisle, to simply stay "out in the sanctuary" and let worshippers come to you.
Make sure that no one inadvertently sits in the reserved pews.
Communicate with the other aisle walkers as things fill up if you have "no more space" on your aisle, or if you have room for a large party, etc.
At the 8:30 service, the head deacon will need to "make a call" as to whether or not to open the balcony. Don't panic and make this call too soon - but be attentive and if things are getting very crowded and there's alot of folks still coming in the door, you can open the balcony.
Even if you don't decide to open the balcony, there may be situations requiring someone to sit up there - for example, a large family that arrives at the last minute, or someone who's "extremely late", arriving after the sermon has started.

As the prelude ends and the announcements start:

Make sure you know when the first "no seating" time is. Just before it, make your way back to the rear of the sanctuary and quickly close all three doors. You may want to enlist the help of the ushers in the narthex on this.
Aisle walkers should position themselves right in front of the doors when they close. You should be close enough to the door that your backside physically prevents the door from opening.
When the "no seating" time has ended, open the center door and quickly help latecomers that have accumulated in the narthex find a seat.
Do this process each time a "no seating" time occurs.

During the interlude just prior to the sermon:

One deacon should remain in the sanctuary to seat remaining latecomers.
Help children get to children's church:
...Make sure your usher "helper" is ready.
...All the children need to end up in the rear hallway, where the Children's church helpers meet them and divide them up. Ages 3 and 4 will go downstairs to room 107, and those older will go to the chapel. If for some reason the helpers are not there, you'll have to divide the kids yourself.
...One of you should walk slowly down the right aisle, making sure all children are getting to the right front exit door.
...Then, as the last child exits, go out through the door with them, shutting the door behind you.
...The other of you should "patrol the narthex", moving toward the Cheatham Reception Room with any children that have come down from the balcony or out through the rear exits. Make sure that no one takes any wrong turns, and that they end up walking down by the library into the rear hall.
As the children are being organized by the helpers, count them to get that done with.
The deacon and usher should "follow" the children's church helpers and children to room 107 and the chapel to ensure that everyone makes it to children's church.

As the sermon begins:

One deacon should stand at the rear center door at all times to keep an eye on the sanctuary.
The other deacon should go downstairs to count people in the nursery. Don't double count the children's church kids in room 107. There are three rooms to get a count from. Simply stick your head in the door and ask the nursery helper how many total warm bodies are in the room.
At this time, one of you can go to the copy room closet and get a bank deposit bag and the deacon keyring and bring it back to the narthex so you'll have them for later.
Get out a green attendance slip from the narthex table drawer and write down the numbers you have accumulated thus far. Count the choir members at this time.)
Make offering collection assignments for the ushers - two upstairs (if balcony is in use) and two downstairs.

Just before the offering:

Assemble your offering takers.
Ask/remind them to count people on the rows when the plate is coming toward them. Some ushers might be uncomfortable with having to count and pass the plate at the same time. Be sensitive to this and if someone is uncomfortable, just do the best you can with counting all the rows yourself.
Make sure gentlemen have their coats buttoned.
Open the center sanctuary doors as the pastor is announcing the offering.
Start up the aisle at the appropriate time. Normally, this is when the first "music" sounds from the choir or accompanying instruments. Occasionally, the choir director will communicate something different to you before the service - most usually for you to start up the aisle sooner because the choir piece is short on that day.
Collect the offering per the usher checklist.
When everyone is done and has made it back to the rear of the sanctuary, do the following:
...Quietly dump the money from the balcony offering into one of the downstairs plates.
...Hand everyone one of the "pre-folded" bulletins for them to put in their plate so they can say the offertory prayer.
When the congregation stands to sing the doxology, start the walk back up the aisle. When you get to the front, step to the side an appropriate distance so the trailing ushers can "step up" between the two deacons.
After the offertory prayer, as the introduction to the final hymn begins, turn toward your usher partner and let them place their plate on top of yours. Make your way around the communion table to the "offering table". Place the plates in the center of the table - not on the outside edge, as this space is used for communion lids. Also, never place the offering on the communion table. If for some reason the offering table is "missing" and you neglected to figure this out until you are looking for it with the plates in your hand, just put them on the floor behind the communion table.
Keep your ears open for "last minute changes" in the order of service at 8:30 if the service is running long. Occasionally, the pastor will forego the last hymn, moving directly to the benediction after the offertory prayer. If this happens, just stay put during the benediction. As the final choral "amen" sounds, you can take the plate from the usher and place it on the table. Then, just stay up there and dismiss your ushers to do their "post service" duties.

During the last hymn:

Complete the attendance sheet, getting sanctuary counts from everyone.
Remind the ushers of their post-service duties - greeting folks and cleaning up the sanctuary.
Return the nursery pager to its place in the table drawer.
Thank the ushers profusely for helping.
One deacon should put the the keys and the bank deposit bag in his pocket.
During the last verse of the hymn, deacons should make their way slowly up the outside aisles, stopping by the frontmost column, and remaining there until the postlude begins.
During the postlude, the deacons should remain at the front of the church, greeting people and keeping an eye on the offering plates.
When the postlude concludes, make sure all choir members have placed their offerings in the plates, and remove the plates to the "usher room" - up the stairs at the front left of the sanctuary.

Evening service:

During the day on Sunday, make sure you note what is scheduled for the evening service. Occasionally, a special event or program will draw a larger crowd than normal, and you may need to utilize the deacons on call or other ushers you know for help with the offering.
Evening services are somewhat more informal, and the flow of events can vary from week to week. Here are some things to keep in mind:
...Arrive at 6:00PM.
...Check the bulletin to see if the "worthy is the lamb" hymnbook will be needed. If it is, get the cart with the hymnals out of the coat closet between the narthex and the Cheatham Reception Room, and hand them out with bulletins.
...Typically, there is no need to seat people prior to this service, but if there's an unusually large crowd, do whatever is necessary.
...When you are downstairs counting nursery attendance, you should also lock the crash door in the nursery for safety purposes.
...Early during the sermon, one deacon should take a quick walk through the parking lot to make sure everything is OK outside.
...Make sure you know when the offering is in the order of service, so you're ready.
...When taking up the offering, stay in the center aisle - worshippers on the outside will pass the plates back to the next row.
...At the end of the offertory music, the pastor will indicate to you that it's time to return to the front of the church. ...Typically, there will be no offertory prayer, as the time of corporate prayer follows, so you'll go up to the front, place the plates on the table, and return to the back of the sanctuary all in one "continuous motion".

What to do with the offering:

In order to provide appropriate checks and balances, both deacons must be present at all times when the contents of collection plates are being handled.
Both deacons take the offering plates, the keyring, and a bank deposit bag to the "deacon room" at the top of the stairs just outside of the left front of the sanctuary.
Sort the contents of the plates into the following groups:
...Paper currency by denomination.
...Gifts in church-issued envelopes.
...Checks.
...Other documents, such as visitor cards, tape requests, unmarked envelopes, etc.
After each service, place the sorted offering into the lockbox in the room, unlocking/locking it with a key on the keyring.
After the 8:30 service, simply leave the contents of the offering in the lockbox.
After the 11:00 service, place the everything from the 8:30 offering and 11:00 offering into the bank deposit bag, and lock it back in the lockbox.
After the evening service, place the evening offering into a bank bag and lock it in the lockbox. We do not go to the bank after the evening service.
When you are done with securing the church buildings after the 11:00 service, and are ready to depart for the bank, return to the lockbox together and remove the bag. Deacons may travel to the bank in separate vehicles, providing one vehicle carries the deposit bag the other carries the keyring.
Unlock the night depository at the bank, place the bag in, and shut it. Unlock it a second time to make sure the bag "fell through" into the depository.

Securing the church after 11am and evening services:

After the 11am and evening services, deacons must secure the church buildings. This includes the following:
...The primary church building.
...The lower Rivermont House (where the 6th grade and up have Sunday school and youth group meetings)
...The upper Rivermont House, two doors from the church toward Randolph Macon, where the College Sunday school class meets.
...Country Gardens, where a number of elective Sunday school classes meet.
All of the keys you need to do all of this are on the deacon keyring.
For each property, you should do the following:
...Turn out all lights.
...Turn off all coffee pots or other electrical devices.
...Lock the door upon exit.
Additionally, for the main church property, you should do the following:
...Check all three levels of the building carefully - the basement, the first floor, and the second floor. Generally, one deacon can do upstairs, one the basement, and both the main level. Don't forget to turn out lights in bathrooms.
...Wander through the sanctuary after the 11am service to make sure the ushers have cleaned up effectively. After the evening service, deacons should clean up the sanctuary.
...Make sure everyone has left the sanctuary before turning out the sanctuary lights. The main switch panel for the sanctuary is behind the pulpit.
...Release the inside handle on all outside crash doors, which locks the doors.
...Lock the handicap doors using the special key that hangs on the radiator beside the doors.
...The last thing you should do is lock the inside rear glass doors and make sure the combination door is shut, and exit the building from the rear.
Finally, don't forget to return your nametag to the appropriate box and the so it's there for you next time.

When Communion is served:

Note in the order of service that the offering happens sooner than normal. Be ready. Also, you will be returning to the front of the church during the communion hymn, so you should immediately place the offering plates on the
Deacons should open the rear center sanctuary doors for the elders as they are finishing up serving the bread.
Elders will serve communion to deacons and ushers in the narthex.
There are extra communion juice plates located in the narthex. If the sanctuary is relatively full, the elders may not have enough cups to serve everyone with what they receive from the front of the church. Deacons should watch the serving elders closely. If they run out, a deacon or usher should take one of the extra plates to them.

Seating worshippers in wheelchairs:

There are three locations where wheelchairs can be located during worship services:
...beside a "short" pew midway down the left aisle.
...beside the two front pews in the center aisle.
...on the back right row of chairs in the sanctuary. The chairs can be moved/removed as necessary.

Influencing the sanctuary temperature:

The primary issue we have with sanctuary temperature is overheating on unusually warm days in the late fall or spring, and on hot days in the summer.
There are thermostats at the front and rear of the sanctuary, and these are set as appropriate throughout the week by the building superintendent. Messing with them on a Sunday morning will not make any noticeable difference in temperature.
After the 8:30 and 11:00 services, a deacon or usher should make sure that all doors into the sanctuary are closed. This will give the sanctuary the best chance possible of cooling down in preparation for the next service.
The primary thing deacons can do to help on warm days is to turn the fan override switch on, which causes air to move constantly through the sanctuary. This switch is located at the left in the rear hall immediately after you exit the sanctuary.

Medical emergencies: (See also "Rivermont EPC Medical Emergency Protocol" sheet posted in the narthex closet with the AED)

One deacon should always be standing at the door looking into the sanctuary to "keep an eye on things".
All medical supplies (defibrillator, wheelchair, emergency kit, oxygen, etc.) are in the closet in the narthex.
Should someone need medical assistance, one deacon and an usher should quickly get the wheelchair and take it into the sanctuary to assist the person out into the narthex, and then on to the family room if necessary.
The second deacon should quickly locate a doctor or other medical professional and take them to the ailing person.
An usher should get the emergency kit if necessary and take it to the doctor.
One deacon and one usher should remain with the ailing person and the doctor to provide any assistance possible - getting water, damp rags, additional medical supplies from the closet - whatever the doctor needs.
If the situation warrants, use the narthex telephone or the telephone in the lobby down the hall from the pastor's office to dial 911. Be sure to mention the name of the church and the address (posted by the phone) to the dispatcher.

Unexpected "visitors" during worship:

Occasionally, needy individuals may come in off of Rivermont Avenue during a worship service looking for food, money, or some other kind of aid.
If it is obvious that the person is not there specifically to attend the worship service, you should gently tell the person that we cannot immediately help them with food, money, etc.
We are in the process of preparing a card that will be located in the tract rack in the narthex listing a number of faith-based outreach and relief agencies in Lynchburg, with contact information. You should share the information with the person, give them a card, and politely escort them out of the building.

Funerals:

Occasionally, Deacons will be needed to provide assistance at funerals and visitations at the church. The Deacons on Call for the month should see to it that these events get handled.
Contact the pastor doing the funeral to ascertain what expected crowd size may be and discuss how best to staff it.
The needs, activities, and number of deacons required may vary depending on the expected crowd, and can include the following:
...Getting a pitcher of water and classes for the family to use during the visitation.
...Helping organize the flow of visitors for large visitations.
...Helping visitors unfamiliar with our church find the Cheatham Reception Room.
...Handing out bulletins at the funeral.
...Helping people find seats if there is a large crowd.
...Assisting the family and/or the funeral home people with whatever they need.

Additional Notes:

Please keep a list of things that don't work or need addressing as you go through your ushering day. At the end of the day, make sure your list gets communicated to the appropriate people to get things addressed - the chairman of the usher committee, the church administrator, or the building and grounds committee chairman.
In particular, make sure and communicate anything your usher guild folks tell you about scheduling them in the future so we can honor as many requests as possible.