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Preparing for an Ordination at Your Church

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Preparing for an Ordination at Your Church Preparing for an Ordination at your Church Receive approval by the Standing Committee. The Standing Committee will notify the Diocesan office of their approval. 1. Contact the Diocesan office (Michelle McCarragher) to set a date, place, and time with the Bishop’s Calendar. Make sure that you have discussed the time with the church where you will be ordained. 2. Invitations: The Diocesan office (Michelle McCarragher) will prepare an invitation for your review. Invitations are emailed to the clergy approximately 6 weeks before the ordination will occur. See example below. Please make sure that you give the following information: a. Priest or Deacon d. Color for Clergy Stoles – Red or White b. Date & Time e. Email Address c. Location f. Mailing Address If you choose to mail copies, the office will provide you with a sample for printing. The congregational version of the invitation may be inserted in the church bulletin 2 Sundays prior to your ordination. 3. Vestments & Clerical Clothing: During the ordination, the Ordinand is expected to wear an alb or other vestment (e.g. cassock) customary to the church. In addition, following the ordination, the Ordinand will wear clerical clothing on Sundays and other occasions. These items are to be purchased by the Ordinand. The Deacons stole, required for Sunday worship, may be provided by the church. Please check with your parish’s Altar Guild to see what vestments and stoles will be provided. Visiting clergy provide their own vestments for the service. When the alb and cincture arrive, be sure to try them on for fit – including the shoes you will wear and any clerical clothing worn under the alb. 4. Flowers and Furniture: Contact your Altar Guild to determine the arrangement and cost of flowers for your ordination, especially if your service is not held on a Sunday. If you need items for your service – registration book table, Bishop’s chair, predieux - please communicate this information with the Alar Guild in plenty of time so that arrangements can be made. A diagram of the altar set up is very helpful. 5. Reception: Contact the Senior Warden or Hospitality Committee of your parish to see if they plan to host a reception. Be prepared to discuss food and beverage, as well as cost. 6. Ordination Bulletin: Please make sure that you send a copy of the bulletin to the Bishop two weeks prior to your ordination for his approval. a. Read the service for your ordination in the Book of Common Prayer. i. For Diaconate, pages 536 – 547; ii. Priest, pages 424 – 535 iii. Additional Directions , pages 552 – 555 iv. Litany for Ordinations, pages 548 – 551 v. The liturgy described on the relevant pages will be the core of your bulletin. You may include a brief description about the meaning and history of ordination services (“Preface to an Ordination” Book of Common Prayer page 510) vi. Remember to include a page listing the participants. vii. Often the cover has a colored or black and white icon of the feast day on or close to the ordination, if appropriate. viii. The Bishop has historically allowed the renewal of Baptismal Covenantto replace the Creed. b. It is a nice touch to make a large print version of your bulletin in a three ring binder for the Bishop to use as a “Presider Book.” c. Select the readings and music for the service. i. For Diaconate, page 540 ii. Priest, page 528 iii. Alternative readings are available if the ordination is on or near a Major or Lessor Feast. iv. If your service is on a Sunday, the Bishop may select Readings from the Proper of the Day. v. Please submit the readings, hymns, and anthems to the Bishop at least three (3) weeks prior to your service. vi. Help for selecting appropriate hymns and anthems 1. Hatchett, A Guide to the Practice of Church Music pages 93- 94 2. Hymnal, Service Music Accompaniment Edition – lists hymns related to particular Scripture reading, Ordinations, and the Liturgical and Subject Index. 3. Wonder, Love and Praise and Lift Every Voice and Sing may also be a source of hymn and service music. Hymns should relate to the Church, the Ministry, or the Holy Spirit, they should not relate to personal renewal. vii. Music should include the following: 1. Prelude 2. Opening Hymn 3. Psalm – may be read, sung by cantor / congregation, or sung 4. Sequence Hymn – related to the previous Epistle or Gospel 5. Offertory – Hymn or anthem 6. Closing Hymn Service music sung may include “Sanctus,” Kyrie” or other parts of the service as directed by the Book of Common Prayer. “Veni, Sancte Spiritus” or Veni Creator Spiritus” should be sung during the consecration. 7. Participants for the Ordination Service a. Presenters – Lay and clergy; persons who have had a significant role in the development of your ministry, such as members of your discernment team, friends, clergy. b. Homilist c. Litanist who prays or sings the Ordination Litany – the can be a lay person d. Old Testament Lector – Lay Person e. Epistoler – Lay Person f. Gospeller – Deacon g. Deacon to prepare the altar h. Deacon to assist the Bishop i. Verger – Someone with experience in ordinations j. Ushers & Greeters – Two to Four individuals that will hand out bulletins, take up the collection, and act as ushers during the communion. k. Crucifer, Torchbearers, Acolytes as needed l. Thurifer – if using incense during ordination of a priest m. Organist and other musicians n. Obligation Bearers (often a family member) 8. Rehearsal: Discuss with the Bishop or his office a time for the rehearsal. The rehearsal generally takes place either the day before or a few hours before the service. a. Make sure to notify all participants in the service of the rehearsal time. However, the altar party may rehearse earlier. b. Decide on vesting areas for visiting clergy and communicate this information with your ushers, the clergy members, and the parish office. c. Prepare an “Order of Procession” list to distribute to participants. Lectors, Family, and Vesters do not process. d. Order of the participants in the procession (those in parenthesis only if desired) i. Crucifer (Torch Bearers) ii. (Choir) iii. Virger iv. Presenters (may be grouped into lay and clergy; sit on right, leaving space for Ordinand at the end of the pew on the center aisle v. Visiting Clergy – seats reserved on the right vi. Resident Clergy vii. Preacher viii. Gospeller (Deacon) ix. Ordinand x. Other Deacons xi. Bishop 9. Day of the Ordination a. Bring your alb and other vestments to the church. DO NOT VEST until after the rehearsal. b. If you are being ordained as a Deacon, be sure to talk with the Deacon assisting the Bishop c. Verger and Bishop will lead the rehearsal d. The Registration Book and a gift Bible will be provided by the Bishop e. Don’t sweat the details – remember what you are here for. Be present to all that is being said and done. .
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