Greeters, ushers, ministers, teachers, and staff all share responsibility for the safety and security of the congregation. You are not expected to do it all yourself or act as a police officer or security guard, but you are expected to continuously observe people and the environment, assess the situation to see if there is danger, and respond appropriately. For some of our volunteers on Sunday morning, their challenge is to fulfill the dual roles of greeter and guardian.

These two approaches (greeter and guardian) must be balanced between the need to provide a feeling of welcome and openness with being watchful and appropriately wary. Some ushers are so unconcerned or busy talking to their friends that they are rarely aware of what is happening around them. Meanwhile, others are so concerned that they are tense and on edge all the time.

You must be realistic about your congregational environment. When people gather for worship, things are rarely as organized as they might be in some other meetings:

• People arrive early and late and in groups and alone.
• Members and guests may roam around the lobby or wander down halls.
  The lobby, or greeting area (if you have one), may be packed with people of all ages.
• If there is more than one service, some people will arrive as others are leaving.
• An usher’s post may be in the sanctuary and focused on seating people, or it may be at the front door or in the lobby, busy with greeting, conversing, and handing out materials. In either case, ushers may not be able to contact every guest.

The task for greeters and ushers is to keep these realities in mind as they look for even small ways to plan and prepare for an emergency. Our ushers and greeters must be knowledgeable. They need to know what to look for and what to do if they see something of concern. They do not need extensive training to be reasonably effective. Life experiences and some review and discussion will provide them with most of the knowledge they need.

Preparedness Scenarios for Ushers and Greeters

In many ways your ushers and greeters may have to act like flight attendants—being hospitable and friendly and, in the case of emergency, directing people to exits and remaining calm. Ushers and greeters must be willing and able to fulfill their security responsibilities. Their role is too important to treat it as a joke or as optional. On the other hand, they can’t react to people in a hostile, humiliating, or excessively fearful way. Being balanced, knowledgeable, and proactive is the goal (Source: Tina Lewis Rowe.)

• If someone in your congregation was experiencing a heart attack or medical emergency, would your ushers/greeters be able to assist, or would they know who to alert? Is anyone trained in first aid and CPR? Do they know the congregation’s address (for a 911 call)?
• If someone was experiencing an urgent mental health concern, would your ushers/greeters be able to assist, or would they know who could? Has anyone been trained in mental health first aid?
• Are ushers/greeters trained on your active-shooter response?
• Do ushers/greeters know the plan for evacuation or shelter in place?
• Do ushers/greeters know how to deal with protesters? Does it matter if the protesters are members, friends, or visitors?

Additional Resources

• Ramp Up Protection with Security Teams Church Mutual

The Power of HelloAssessing Potential Threats Among Visitors

All support personnel at houses of worship can contribute greatly to enhancing security by understanding how to identify suspicious behavioral indicators and taking precautionary actions to safely mitigate the impacts of a potential attack.

Simply saying “Hello” can prompt a casual conversation with an unknown person, providing an opportunity to observe, establish a connection, and evaluate suspicious behaviors when necessary.

The Power Of Hello (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency)