What do they want from you ? Interactive software for mega churches crowd control ? Blackbaud is a company on Daniel Island Charleston S Carolina that sells ticketing seating alumni software fundraising acquisitions accounting for universities non-profits municipal auditoriums arenae stadiums lecture halls. ...go to their website and see if your school is a client of Blackbaud. ...O-Matic is another company spun off from Blackbaud. ...know your industry and marketplace to steer clear of the enemies of knowledge infiltrating academia

Who defines the objectives and credentials of these ushers ? If religion in any way impacts upon foot traffic seating patterns or
restricting unwelcome attendees. ..THEN NO you should object to such an assignment especially if you're required to make a field trip to an actual sanctuary with a dead body nailed to pieces of wood shoved into your face

You can, but I'd just do it.. I mean, we're talking ushering, not saving souls ?

I am a former college instructor and almost all instructors in college are not only very flexible in allowing a student to take specific topics for papers in a different direction but they love it. Perhaps suggest one for a docent in a museum or for a guide for a nature trail. Instructors love it when students want to bring their own interests into a project or a paper and will frequently let you get pretty far from the original topic. It is, of course, advisable to get approval from the instructor in advance. Was it a poor idea to take a project into the religious world, yes but it is not a likely point of conflict if you have an alternative to offer. If the instructor insists that this exercise MUST include a religious institution then you have a problem worthy of taking to the next level but I really doubt that will be necessary.

Can you more narrowly focus, on perhaps ushers at a wedding or funeral? (That Might take place anywhere, not just a church). I think their duties there are much more elaborate...for example, seating the "dignitaries" properly, so it might be a more interesting read.

Yes. But be nice about how you ask and don't trash the church.

You are not unreasonable. If do not have experience with a church, you are at a disadvantage from the majority who do. Can you discuss it with the chair of the department? Then perhaps the provost?

Why not do the project? After all, there is little religious significance in writing up instructions for church ushers. Their duties include nothing more than seating people and maintaining proper decorum and security during services. If they were asking you to put together a sermon about ushering, that would be another matter.

Be reasonable on the job.
A client is a client, probably they are paying for the university or it is a "help the local community" thing and agree you or not, a church is a part of the community, what you can do to test is, send a requisition for a software of the satanic church of your town and see if they accept.
Anyway it is above your level to decide this, the job is in your hands, deal with it.

Afraid I have to go with the wedding cake for a gay couple analogy here. Just concentrate on the content instead of the context.

I think on the job you won't have often have a choice of the job you are assigned. So how would you handle the situation if it was a paid gig?

Yes, you are being unreasonable. Imagine you work for a firm and are assigned random jobs by management. You do the job to the best of your ability as it is your job. Your personal belief system shouldn't even become involved at that point. You are acting like those religious whack-jobs that won't bake a cake for a gay couple, or issue a marriage certificate. Just do the assignment, do your job, and go home and then do your own life. It's not as if you are being asked to convert, or spread the gospel, you are asking to design instruction for new ushers of a community based organization that happens to be a church. Suck it up.

I have a few different thoughts on it, if you can hang with me. 1. I agree with others that you can just buckle down and do the assignment. A musliim might be part of the design team for a mega-church...and it's just professional to go ahead and do the job (which is somewhat like baking a cake for an LGBTQ wedding if it were against your religion). 2. You might be able to discuss with the professor, and advocate for designing something similar, like ushers at a black-tie gala or some other nonsense. 3. You could do the project, knock it out of the park, then let the prof and upper admins know your opinion (best option in my book). 4. Let upper admins know, and possibly get stonewalled into doing the project anyway just so you can pass. School assiignmeentts are just bullsh*t ways of getting you to think through problems and jump through artificial and theoretical hoops. The prof is trying to connect it to real life, but unfortunately, he's being rather short sighted.

What's the class?

Sounds very reasonable to me. I'd certainly ask for alternate topics to choose from.

...How is this assignment even germane to what you're studying? Looks like some church just wants something for free, drafting random students like this.

no idea are requests generally granted? if so go for it at the very least put in a written complaint if its not up for discussion.You say they are not religiously affiliated so how will the course work be judged and marked

If you treat it as an assignment it is not a big deal. Do the research and write the paper. He isn't asking you to join a church. What if you had to write on say, an usher at a broadway play, or a waiter at a restaurant?

If you treat it as an assignment it is not a big deal. Do the research and write the paper. He isn't asking you to join a church. What if you had to write on say, an usher at a broadway play, or a waiter at a restaurant?