I first joined usher in June 2006. I joined usher then because my leader asked me what ministry i wanted to join and I did not know, so she suggested usher. At first I was quite reluctant but agreed in the end. I remembered the first the usher training i attended which was held by Jian Ming, I was really scared and was quite lost. I still remembered there was one part of the training where everyone had to be a glass door usher and say "hi, welcome to Heart of God Church!" Everyone being the first time in an usher training was quite shy and scared and we all said it quite softly. Jian Ming even told us like not to raise our hands to high or unnaturally if not it would be quite weird. He also told us not to stand like posing too. It was indeed quite funny. For me, joining usher really made me feel uncertain about many things because I was afraid that I was not able to cope as I knew as an usher, I will need to talk to people I did not know. But as time passed and as I grew in usher ministry, I learnt to be more bold and confident. Right now, going up to someone whom I have never seen before and picking up a conversation with him or her is no problem at all. This also helped me in my people work as I find it easier to talk to the new friends which come everyweek.
The last incident which I really remembered was not while on duty but while I was off duty. A member of our church actually came up to me and told me that my ushering was very good and that I really helped them alot by helping them get seats and all that. I really felt that I have done my job well and felt quite happy having to receive such a compliment. But me being me, I just said," Thanks."
After ushering for more than 1 yr, my passion for ushering really grew. At first, I quite dreaded doing usher because it meant I needed to talk to people whom I did not know but as time passed, I grew in confidence and boldness and I begin to like to usher more and more. I remembered during Create 2006, the ushers even got the chance to let off poppers and throw big balls around. The poppers were quite big and when we let them off, it actually had a bit of a recoil. Shan Yong and Jeremy had the honors of letting off the mega big one. Being in usher for more than 1yr, I really made more new relationships with my fellow brothers and sister in Christ. I would not have gotten to know people like Jacky and Gang Yuan and Ah Cai and many many others if I did not join usher. I feel that the main reason why I stayed on at first was because of the strong relationships formed, but as I continued ushering, I developed a love for usher. Seeing people being ushered into their seats and seeing no empty seats in the congregation gave me a sense of satisfaction.
At the end of 2008, I would probably be hairless or have very very very short hair. Yup, thats right. I am going to army. But despite this, I believe I am still able to serve in usher to the best of my abilities. Whenever I get to book out every weekend and if my team is on duty, I would want to be on usher. I want to see myself rising up to the level of being not just a good SL but a great SL and if possible, become a chief usher. Over the past year and more of being an usher, I can say that usher ministry has defined me.
Last but not least, I just wanna say is that has usher ministry defined you?
The 1st incident which really left an impact on me was my 1st few times doing usher. At that time, my chief usher was Cherie. During the duty, I was a few minutes late for duty because I left the previous place late. It was during that duty where I received my first discipleship in ministry. It was during that discipleship where I realised that behind all the fun and ushering, discipline is also very important and that being late is a no-no because it wastes other people's time and the importance of being on time. After that discipleship, I made it a point to be at least 15 mins early for duty.
The 2nd incident which I really remembered clearly was the first duty which I did since coming back from being taken down due to AE. It was the first time I was ushering in Singpost with the new and current system in place. I felt quite lost and uncertain as I was not sure of what the new systems would be. I was assigned to do offering for B1 that day and during offering, I stood up and went forward to give offering. Thinking I did everything right and ok, I gave out the offering envelopes. When I went to the other side to collect, I realised that I had actually forgotten to give an offering envelope to the 1st row. In my state of panic, I collected the rest of the offering envelopes and went to the back of the audi. During worship, Charleston went to the back of the audi and asked why the offering envelope was given out to the first row and after clarification, everything was settled. After usher debrief that day, I was discipled and I felt quite bad for not clarifying my doubts with my chief ushers and sls for the things I was not sure of. During the next duty, to make sure I remember to give out offering to the 1st row, i wrote in pen on my palm "1st row offering". It was actually quite a funny sight.
The 2nd incident which I really remembered clearly was the first duty which I did since coming back from being taken down due to AE. It was the first time I was ushering in Singpost with the new and current system in place. I felt quite lost and uncertain as I was not sure of what the new systems would be. I was assigned to do offering for B1 that day and during offering, I stood up and went forward to give offering. Thinking I did everything right and ok, I gave out the offering envelopes. When I went to the other side to collect, I realised that I had actually forgotten to give an offering envelope to the 1st row. In my state of panic, I collected the rest of the offering envelopes and went to the back of the audi. During worship, Charleston went to the back of the audi and asked why the offering envelope was given out to the first row and after clarification, everything was settled. After usher debrief that day, I was discipled and I felt quite bad for not clarifying my doubts with my chief ushers and sls for the things I was not sure of. During the next duty, to make sure I remember to give out offering to the 1st row, i wrote in pen on my palm "1st row offering". It was actually quite a funny sight.
The last incident which I really remembered was not while on duty but while I was off duty. A member of our church actually came up to me and told me that my ushering was very good and that I really helped them alot by helping them get seats and all that. I really felt that I have done my job well and felt quite happy having to receive such a compliment. But me being me, I just said," Thanks."
After ushering for more than 1 yr, my passion for ushering really grew. At first, I quite dreaded doing usher because it meant I needed to talk to people whom I did not know but as time passed, I grew in confidence and boldness and I begin to like to usher more and more. I remembered during Create 2006, the ushers even got the chance to let off poppers and throw big balls around. The poppers were quite big and when we let them off, it actually had a bit of a recoil. Shan Yong and Jeremy had the honors of letting off the mega big one. Being in usher for more than 1yr, I really made more new relationships with my fellow brothers and sister in Christ. I would not have gotten to know people like Jacky and Gang Yuan and Ah Cai and many many others if I did not join usher. I feel that the main reason why I stayed on at first was because of the strong relationships formed, but as I continued ushering, I developed a love for usher. Seeing people being ushered into their seats and seeing no empty seats in the congregation gave me a sense of satisfaction.
At the end of 2008, I would probably be hairless or have very very very short hair. Yup, thats right. I am going to army. But despite this, I believe I am still able to serve in usher to the best of my abilities. Whenever I get to book out every weekend and if my team is on duty, I would want to be on usher. I want to see myself rising up to the level of being not just a good SL but a great SL and if possible, become a chief usher. Over the past year and more of being an usher, I can say that usher ministry has defined me.
Last but not least, I just wanna say is that has usher ministry defined you?
No comments:
Post a Comment