sidesman n : (Church of England) an assistant to the churchwarden; collects offerings of money in the church

English

Noun

1. an assistant to a churchwarden, one of whose duties is to collect offerings during a service

A sidesperson, correctly known as a sidesman or usher, in the Anglican Church is responsible for greeting members of the congregation, overseeing seating arrangements in church, and for taking the collection. In England they are usually appointed by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting and receive guidance in their duties from the churchwardens.

The name is a corruption of the term "synod's man", a title referring to prominent members of the congregation who represented the parish to the Diocesan Synod.

Source

• Percy Dearmer, The Parson's Handbook