Dispatch from Forbearance Presbyterian Church: How Hard Can It Be? by Charlotte Johnstone

Carl Joyner, Forbearance’s longest-serving usher—“Head Usher” had come to be his unofficial title—couldn’t remember when he had sat through a more exasperating meeting. All he had wanted to do was to gather his group for a quick confab after a recent Sunday service to allocate ushering dates and review a few simple procedures for several members new to the ushering business. After all, it wasn’t exactly rocket science, so how come the whole thing had managed to last nearly two hours? “Get ’em in, get ’em out” was his mantra, so how in the world did his ushers find so much to talk about?

How have the church sound system, the offering plate, and pork rinds turned the simple job of ushering into a complex task? To find out, read the full text of this article in the November/ December 2007 issue of Horizons.

Call 800/524-2612 or subscribe to Horizons or order the November/December 2007 issue (HZN-07-260; $4 plus shipping).

Charlotte Johnstone is a member of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She (and the cast of Forbearance Presbyterian Church) welcomes comments. Write to her at Horizons, 100 Witherspoon St., Louisville, KY 40202-1396, or email wjohns4949@aol.com. Some of Charlotte’s most beloved tales from Forbearance are now available in the book, Annie, the Kitchen Queen and Other Dispatches from Forbearance Presbyterian Church. Order through Presbyterian Distribution Service (PDS), 800/524-2612 or www.pcusa.org/ marketplace; item HZN-06-304; $10 plus shipping and handling.

Illustration by Catherine Latson

Other Articles Online This Issue

Raising Children, Growing Ourselves
There's Something About Mary
A Miracle in Progress
When We Recognize Our Sisters
Together in Congo
Project Homecoming
Beyond the Kitchen Counter
Continuing the Journey
Keeping the Link [A WEB EXCLUSIVE]
Dispatch from Forbearance Presbyterian Church
Working for Justice and Peace
Faithful Parenting
Strengthening the PC(USA)


How have the church sound system, the offering plate, and pork rinds turned the simple job of ushering into a complex task? To find out, read the full text of this article in the November/ December 2007 issue of Horizons. Call 800/524-2612 or subscribe to Horizons or order the November/ December 2007 issue (HZN-07-260; $4 plus shipping).	How Hard Can It Be? by Charlotte Johnstone Carl Joyner, Forbearance’s longest-serving usher—“Head Usher” had come to be his unofficial title—couldn’t remember when he had sat through a more exasperating meeting. All he had wanted to do was to gather his group for a quick confab after a recent Sunday service to allocate ushering dates and review a few simple procedures for several members new to the ushering business. After all, it wasn’t exactly rocket science, so how come the whole thing had managed to last nearly two hours? “Get ’em in, get ’em out” was his mantra, so how in the world did his ushers find so much to talk about? How have the church sound system, the offering plate, and pork rinds turned the simple job of ushering into a complex task? To find out, read the full text of this article in the November/ December 2007 issue of Horizons. Call 800/524-2612 or subscribe to Horizons or order the November/December 2007 issue (HZN-07-260; $4 plus shipping). Charlotte Johnstone is a member of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She (and the cast of Forbearance Presbyterian Church) welcomes comments. Write to her at Horizons, 100 Witherspoon St., Louisville, KY 40202-1396, or email wjohns4949@aol.com. Some of Charlotte’s most beloved tales from Forbearance are now available in the book, Annie, the Kitchen Queen and Other Dispatches from Forbearance Presbyterian Church. Order through Presbyterian Distribution Service (PDS), 800/524-2612 or www.pcusa.org/ marketplace; item HZN-06-304; $10 plus shipping and handling. Illustration by Catherine Latson Other Articles Online This Issue Raising Children, Growing Ourselves There's Something About Mary A Miracle in Progress When We Recognize Our Sisters Together in Congo Project Homecoming Beyond the Kitchen Counter Continuing the Journey Keeping the Link [A WEB EXCLUSIVE] Dispatch from Forbearance Presbyterian Church Working for Justice and Peace Faithful Parenting Strengthening the PC(USA)	Current Issue NOV/DEC 2007 About This Issue Contents FREE Resource How to Use In Our Next Issue Items underlined can be seen in this Web site, all others appear in the November/December 2007 (HZN-07-260) issue of Horizons magazine. to Horizons, call 800/524-2612 or this issue ($4 plus shipping/handling)

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