Worship Procedures and Server Guidelines

St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church 18 Victor-Mendon Road Mendon, New York 14506 585-624-1766

Brian K. Smith, Pastor May 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acolyte Guidelines Page 5

Altar Care Guidelines Page 7

Communion Assistant Guidelines Page 11

Elder On-Duty Guidelines Page 13

Greeter Guidelines Page 16

Lector Guidelines Page 17

Lift (Elevator) Operation Instructions Page 20

Usher Guidelines Page 21

Appendices: Server Listing (names and phone numbers)

As we serve together in worship, bring your best efforts to the Lord:

”Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…” Col. 3:23

ACOLYTE GUIDELINES

St. Mark Acolytes assist in Connecting Our Community to Christ by carrying out sacred ceremonial duties that direct our thoughts toward the presence of God in our worship.

 SCHEDULE: The schedule of Acolyte assignments, along with the other serving positions, is posted quarterly in the Fellowship Hall above the mailboxes, monthly in the Crossroads newsletter, and weekly in the Sunday bulletin one week ahead and the day-of service. You are responsible to know when you are serving. In the event of an absence, you are responsible to find a replacement and inform the church secretary of the change by noon on Wednesday.

 ARRIVAL: Arrive at least 10 minutes before the service begins. Make sure you have a bulletin and hymnal. Robes are located in the closet in the Fellowship Hall. Please dress appropriately: no shorts, dress shoes preferred.

 LIGHTING THE CANDLES: Light the candles during the first sung verse of the entrance hymn; the Elder on Duty will assist you in the Narthex. If there is a processional hymn, you will follow the Crucifer. Follow the order as shown in the illustration below. Please note the additional instructions on the next page.

 LIGHTING THE CANDLES (continued):

1. Use the lighter in the Sacristy cabinet. If it is not working, use a match, but leave the match on the counter. Do not put matches in the garbage can — this is a fire hazard. When there is a processional, use the lighter kept in the usher’s podium in the Narthex. 2. If the candle lighter does not light, inform Pastor or the Elder-on-duty. Do not move the wick or refill the oil on your own. 3. If there is to be no communion, you will only light the candelabras. Do not light the two (pillar) candles on the right or left sides of the altar.

 SEATING: Sit in the first pew on the choir/Sacristy side. You are serving in the Lord’s House in front of the congregation—please set a good example by your participation in worship. Leave your cell phone at home or in the car— it is a distraction to worship.

 OFFERING: After the sermon or prayers (refer to the bulletin tab), proceed to the altar, get the offering plates, and give them to the ushers when they come forward. Wait there for the ushers to return, receive the plates and then give the plates to Pastor or place them on the altar. Then return to your seat.

 EXTINGUISHING THE CANDLES: Extinguish the candles at the end of the service, before the end of the last hymn. Follow the order as shown in the illustration on the previous page. After extinguishing the candles, return to the Sacristy (no need to recess).

Questions?Contact the Elder on Duty that Week as listed in the newsletter and weekly bulletin.

ALTAR CARE GUIDELINES

St. Mark Altar Care volunteers assist in Connecting Our Community to Christ by adorning the Sanctuary in color and symbol to communicate the Word of God and by preparing the sacred vessels and elements for the distribution of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Definitions & Location of Items

 Chalice (Common Cup): the cup for the wine In the upper left side cabinet in the Sacristy in red cloth  Flagon: the pitcher bags on the bottom shelf  Ciborium: the cup for the wafers/host  Super Frontal and Pulpit Fall/Frontal: the cloths that hang over the front of the altar and pulpit. They are located in the large storage cabinet at the Sunday School end of the Fellowship Hall.  Altar paraments are kept in two different locations. The Purificators and Veil are kept in the left hand drawer of the lower cabinet in the Sacristy. The Fair Linen and the Corporals are kept in the large storage cabinet in the Fellowship Hall.  Paraments include: 1. The Fair Linen: the largest linen (like a table cloth with 5 embroidered crosses) covers the main surface (mensa) of the altar. 2. The Corporal: placed over the Fair Linen on the far right end of the altar, which is where the sacred Communion vessels stand. 3. The Purificator: a small cloth napkin used to cleanse the rim of the Chalice. 4. The Veil: covers all the sacred vessels.  Wine & Grape juice: Wine is located with the communion ware in the left side of the upper cabinet in the Sacristy. Open bottles of grape juice are kept in the silver refrigerator in the kitchen. Wine does not require refrigeration after being opened. Previously consecrated wine is kept in a wine bottle so designated. Additional bottles of wine are kept in the bottom right side of the Sacristy cabinet.

Altar Guild Responsibilities

1. Candles to be filled with liquid wax weekly. (Kay) 2. Liquid wax to be ordered when needed. (request is made to Church Office Secretary)

3. Candles need to be cleaned and polished. (Kay)

4. Candles wicks to be replaced and/or adjusted, when needed. (Kay) 5. Advent candles need to be prepared for Advent (including fresh pines). They are kept with the wooden holder and

Christ Candle in the bottom of the large cabinet in the Fellowship Hall. 6. Order candles and Bobeches (protective covers to catch melted wax) for candlelight services. They are kept in the bottom right side of the cabinet in the Sacristy. 7. Polish the Chalice, Flagon, and Ciborium (by Head of Altar Guild) 8. Order palms for Palm Sunday (by Head of Altar Guild) 9. Order and pick up wine (by Head of Altar Guild) 10. Order wafers, communion cups, and oil (by Head of Altar Guild) 11. Purchase napkins and small garbage bags at local store, as necessary 12. The super frontal and the pulpit fall should be clean and changed according to the church calendar.  The church calendar, with seasonal colors is posted in the Sacristy; a black & white copy may be found on Pages “x” and “xi” in the front of the LSB Hymnal. 13. Wash and iron the Fair Linen by hand (not to be washed with any other clothing, as assigned). 14. Check the flowers on altar - never to have dead ones nor anything disrespectful. Flowers should not be taller than the communion candles. 15. Make the communion helpers’ schedule for the next quarter/year. Please note that there will be no communion on weekends where there is a 5th Sunday.

Set up The Table is prepared on Saturday, before the day of service. To show reverence, a prayer is said, and then the counter is washed and sanitized in preparation of communion set up. 1. 3 trays are to be used for communion. Cups are placed in the holes around the outside rim of each tray (20). Fill with wine 2/3rd full using the squeeze bottle. First use any previously consecrated wine, then any other wine in an open bottle before opening a new bottle. Fill the four cups placed in the center of the tray with grape juice. These are for those who choose not to consume alcohol. The solid wooden cover is to be placed on top of all 3 stacked trays. Note: Please handle the trays by the edges, since the cups are sus- pended in the holes. 2. The Flagon should be filled about 1/2 full with wine and placed to the left of the trays. The handle should be to the left. 3. Place at least one pack of wafers in the Ciborium or fill to within 1 inch of the rim. First use those previously consecrated wafers (in small plastic bag). (One pack contains 100 wafers). Place the Ciborium in front of the Flagon. 4. The empty Chalice is placed in front of the Ciborium. 5. All are placed on the Corporal, plus one Purificator. Correct placement is shown in the illustration and on a pink sheet in the drawer in the Sacristy. 6. Cover the communion vessels with the Veil, positioning the embroidered cross at the front. The front corners of the Veil should just touch the front edge of the altar and completely cover all vessels. 7. Also place a plastic garbage bag in the wicker basket and a paper napkin over the bag. Place the basket on the small stand in the Sanctuary near the Sacristy door. An Usher will place it near the chancel rail during the service.

Clean up Wafers:  Put the wafers in a plastic bag marked “consecrated” in the white box (left upper cupboard, top shelf).  Empty contents of the little basket into waste basket.  Place a new napkin on a plastic garbage bag in the wicker basket, to be ready for next Sunday’s set up.

Wine & Grape Juice:  Any wine left in the individual cups and Flagon, must be returned to the wine bottle marked “consecrated,” using the funnel and the cups thrown away. In the summer, wine left in the cups may be poured on the ground instead of returning it to the bottle.  Any wine left in the Chalice is to be poured outside into the soil.  Drink the extra cups of grape juice or discard them outside into the soil.

Communion Ware:  The Flagon, Chalice, and squeeze bottle should be washed in hot soapy water separate from other dishes, dried, then placed in their covers in the cabinet.  The communion trays are to be damp-wiped down, not immersed, dried and placed in the cabinet with the other stacked trays (all covered with the cotton cloth).  The Flagon cannot be immersed in water, due to its construction.  The Ciborium gets wiped with a clean, dry cloth, and returned to its cover in the cabinet. Linens: The Fair Linen, Corporal, Veil, and Purificator should be taken home and soaked in cold water with some Ivory Liquid Soap. Wash and rinse by hand or on the delicate cycle of your washing machine: but not to be included with home laundry. Dry and iron. When fully ironed and completely dry, the linens are placed in clean zip lock bags. The Veil and Purificators are kept in the left drawer of the communion cabinet in the Sacristy. The Fair Linen, Corporals, and extra Purificators are stored flat in the bottom drawer of the large parament storage cabinet at the Sunday School end of the Fellowship Hall. Candles: Candles are filled with liquid wax. The gold piece on the top of each candle is called the Follower. The Followers have air holes which need to be vented each week with an opened paper clip. Unscrew the Follower with one hand and hold it right next to the top of the candle, as the wick needs to remain inside the candle. Fill the candle with liquid wax by using the squeeze bottle. Wax should fill to the bottom of the threads on the candle. Make sure not to overfill as the wax will drip along the outside of the candle. After the Follower is replaced, all should be polished. Also, once a month, a drop of oil is placed in the candle lighter.

For reference: Materials to be ordered  Wafers – CPH customer # 10004128 Phone # 1-800-325-3040, or Living Grace (see below) 1 3/8 “ wafer - 1000 per box # 882728  Liquid Wax - C M ALMY (they bought Kerry Candle) customer # 7778 A 12 bottles per case # KL21012 Phone # 1-800-225-2569

 Disposable Communion Cups - Living Grace customer # 25833 1000 cups per box - 4 boxes per case # KD100 Phone # 1-800-572-5258  Communion Wine - Mogen David Concord Grape (750 ml) by the case

 Communion Basket - Vanity Fair napkins, small garbage bags, and white grape juice (small bottles purchased at Wegmans).

Questions? Contact Margaret Heiss for general questions: 624-5488 or [email protected]. Contact Kay Killenbec regarding the filling and care of the candles: 624-2556 or [email protected]

COMMUNION ASSISTANT GUIDELINES

St. Mark Communion Assistants help Connect Our Community to Christ in worship by distributing the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 When do I get ready? “Gown-up” during the offering; there will be plenty of time to get ready. Pay attention to where you are in the service as you are ready in the Sacristy. You and the Elder on Duty proceed together.

 What do I say? There is no “set” script. Some possibilities are: “The blood of Christ, shed for you,” “Take and drink, the blood of Christ,” “Take and drink, the blood of Christ, shed for you.” Some of the elders may mention the person’s name, but that is not necessary.

 Do I hold the tray in any special way? You have to hold the ends of the tray so as not to “bump” the individual cups which extend through the bottom of the tray. Try not to hold the tray too close to the communicant, as it is much easier if the communicant has to reach a little bit.

 What do I do with an empty tray? There should be space next to the others where you can set the empty tray. The cups inside the taped area of the tray are grape juice for those who prefer non-alcoholic.

 How do I know if someone wants the common cup and not the individual glass? They will usually reach for the cups when you are in front of them if they want the individual cups from your tray. If they want the common cup (chalice), they will usually look away or down when you are in front of them or sometimes they will just wave you on.

 How do I know if a youth has been confirmed and can take communion? You will learn in short order to know who they are, but until then, it is a good idea to keep one eye on Pastor to see if he has offered him/her the bread. You can also quietly ask the person if you aren’t sure.

 Special situations? On occasion, Pastor will ask you to follow him to someone in the congregation who is unable to come to the altar.

 How is distributing the common cup handled? The Elder offering the common cup will typically follow the Assis- tant who offers the individual cup tray. The Elder and Assistant work together closely to ensure everyone is properly served.

If the Assistant is called upon to provide the Chalice, the process is to carefully hand the Chalice to the person and then carefully take it back. You will also have a cloth napkin (Purificator) which is used to wipe the area from which they drank. (Just wipe the edge of the cup so it doesn’t get into the wine). As you move to the next person, slightly rotate the cup so the next person will be drinking from a new spot.

When the amount of wine in the Chalice gets low, refill it to the “halfway” point or maybe a little more. Toward the end of communion, strive to work down the amount so there is not much left. That way, Pastor doesn’t have to much to finish when he is communed.

 What are the “dismissal words” and who gives them? The Elder who finishes with the common cup is the last one through the line and gives a dismissal similar to the following: “Now may the true body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, strengthen and preserve you in the one true faith to life everlasting. Depart in His peace. The Lord God is with you.” These don’t have to be the exact words, but something like it should be said. Pastor may have other suggestions..

Questions?Contact the Elder who is on duty.

ELDER ON-DUTY GUIDELINES

St. Mark Elders assist in Connecting Our Community to Christ by tending to the spiritual welfare of the congregation in supervising all aspects of public worship.

Saturday Worship Duties—Before Worship

□ Call Servers by Tuesday of each week to remind them of their assignment; if there is a conflict, remind them they are responsible to find a substitute and inform the church office of the change no later than Wednesday. A list of server names & phone numbers is in the “Sunday Procedures and Server Guidelines” that was distributed.

□ Arrive no later than 4:40pm, unlock doors, turn on Sanctuary lights.

□ Bulletins:Please see that bulletins are available at the entrance to the Sanctuary and are made known to guests.

□ Lectern Stand: Ensure the set-up is complete; stand is in the middle of the aisle, the lesson sheet is on the Lec- tern, and the microphone is working.

□ Welcome Guests: Personally introduce yourself and share a “Welcome” Card for contact information. (“Our pastor would like to say Thank You and ask for your comments”). Let them know what they might expect in worship and point out the location of the rest-rooms.

□ Attendance:Complete the attendance sheet located on the choir platform; if you do not recognize a member, please ask and check spelling.

□ PowerPoint: Lower the screen and turn on the projector (remote is kept in the pulpit - “comp 1” for laptop connection in the pulpit). If necessary, Pastor may ask you to advance the slides during worship using the black thumb-sized remote; right click to advance, left click to back-up.

□ Collect the offering (after the sermon) & return the plate(s) to the altar.

□ Communion Distribution: Assist Pastor as necessary. Take note of attendance; if there are more than 12 receiv- ing communion, you will need to divide the group in two.

Saturday Worship Duties—After Worship

□ Communion basket: dispose of individual cups and replace tissue from bottom right cabinet shelf.

□ Used Communion tray: should be placed on the bottom of the stack on the altar; if empty, please move the tray into the Sacristy.

□ Collection: All offerings to be placed in the marked envelope in the left-side Sacristy drawer.

□ Turn off all Sanctuary lights: 3 slider switches (“click”), 6 lantern/spots, wall sconces.

□ Remove the Saturday service sign from the front lawn: store it outside by the side exit door at the stair land- ing between Sacristy and Fellowship Hall.

□ Lock main entrance doors and push to ensure they are closed.

Sunday Worship Duties—Before Worship

□ Call Servers by Tuesday of each week to remind them of their assignment. If there is a conflict, remind them they are responsible to find a substitute and inform the church office of the change no later than Wednesday. A separate Server Listing shows server names and phone numbers.

□ Arrive no later than 8:30am, unlock doors, turn on Sanctuary lights.

□ Bulletins:check to see they are on the usher podium in the Narthex. There should also be one bulletin for the pastor, placed on the chair next to the Altar, and two bulletins placed on the first pew for the Acolyte and Cru- cifer. Remind Acolytes to follow-along and participate in the service: they are to set a good example as one who is serving in God’s house.

□ Lectern: Ensure the Lectern is properly set-up with the lesson introduction sheet on the Lectern, the microphone turned on, and that the Lectionary is turned to the correct date.

□ Servers: Double-check to make sure all servers are present. If there is an absence, you are responsible to fill that role. (Greeters should have a supply of “Welcome” Cards - please ask if they need anything). Ask servers if they have any questions about their responsibilities. Since the Elders are responsible for all aspects of public worship, you should be familiar with all server guidelines.

□ Welcome Guests: Personally introduce yourself and check to see if they received a “Welcome” Card.

□ Watch! Be aware of and prepared and try to respond to any needs of other servers or specific issues that might arise before/during/after worship: lift operation, sound equipment, fire alarm, and general welfare of wor- shipers.

□ Communion Distribution: During the offering, proceed to the Fellowship Hall and locate a burgundy-colored robe to wear for assisting with communion. Wait in the Sacristy until the Agnus Dei is sung and enter the Chan- cel area after Ushers have moved the Lectern. Pastor distributes the bread, followed by an Assistant with the individual cups, and then and Elder with the common cup. The Elder with the Chalice of common cup dismisses

each table with, “May the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ, strengthen and keep you in the One true Faith until life everlasting. Depart in peace.” The same Elder will commune the pastor and organ- ist last. After communion, disrobe, hang robe in closet, and return to the Narthex, or to pew.

Sunday Worship Duties—After Worship

□ Collection: If the Financial Secretary is not present to take the offering and gifts, place all offerings in the marked envelope in the left-side Sacristy drawer.

□ Turn off all Sanctuary lights: 3 slider switches (“click”), 6 lantern/spots, wall sconces.

□ Lock main entrance doors and push to ensure they are closed (after Christian Education, Sept.-June). If members are still inside when you leave, try to identify who may be the last to leave and ask them to be sure the doors are locked when they depart.

GREETER GUIDELINES

St. Mark Greeters assist in Connecting Our Community to Christ by extending a warm welcome to our guests and equipping them with information about the facilities and ministries of our congregation.

 Arrive at least 20 minutes prior to the service. (The server schedule is posted in the Fellowship Hall above the mailboxes, in the Crossroads newsletter and listed one week ahead in the bulletin).  Make sure the table has a supply of brochures and current editions of Crossroads. If none, please inform the pastor or elder-on-duty to alert the church secretary.  Inform the ushers and elder-on-duty that you are the greeter. After worship has begun, please point out guests to them and ask the usher and elder on duty if they introduced themselves.  First Impressions are important! On their first visit, guests will decide in the first 3 minutes whether or not they will return to the church.  Extend a warm welcome; greet everyone, but focus on our guests. Introduce yourself by first name and tell them you’re glad they’re here. (Do NOT ask if it is their 1st time at St. Mark).  Equip them with information about the church: Point out restrooms, coat racks, and bulletins (let them know the order of service is printed on the tab). Invite them for refreshments after worship, and accompany them to Fellow- ship Hall, directing them to snack table.  Encourage guests to sign the guest book or fill out a Register and Welcome Card (“Our pastor likes to follow up with our guests to say ‘Thank You’ for worshipping with us, and we would appreciate your 1st impressions to help us improve what we do”).  Follow-up. Occasionally, a guest will not fill out a Welcome Card or sign the register. If you learned his/her name, please share it with the Elder-on-duty, the ushers and the pastor. The majority of our new members begin as guests in worship, but we cannot follow up if we do not make a connection.  After worship, please be sure to stay and greet guests who may have come in late or who may not have received a Welcome Card, and take a moment to introduce them to others, and ask them to sign the Register.  The pastor follows up with guests typically within 2 days. If you would like to follow up by phone (“It was nice to meet you today. If there’s anything we can do to be helpful, please let me know.”), please inform pastor or the church office. (624-1766)

Questions?See the Server Listing for the person in charge of this function.

LECTOR GUIDELINES

St. Mark Lectors assist in Connecting Our Community to Christ by clearly communicating the Word of God in worship through the public reading of Holy Scripture.

 Introductions for the readings will be distributed to the Lector approximately 5 days prior to the worship service by one of the Elders. These are reviewed and approved by the Pastor. Only Pastor-approved introductions should be read prior to the readings.

 Arrive 20 minutes prior to worship to prepare for reading.

 Ask an usher to turn on the sound system so you may check the microphone. 1. Wireless microphone: Push and hold the button on the left side until the green light is lit. 2. Regular mic with a cable: it is already ‘live’ – nothing to turn on.

 The Three-Year Lectionary (Series A, B, or C – check the calendar) will be found either on or in the usher podium in the Narthex; if not, check the Sacristy cabinet. 1. Read from the Lectionary, NOT your bulletin– this is a visible reminder that we are reading Holy Scripture. Otherwise, it looks as though you are going to read Sunday announce- ments. 2. If the Lectionary readings match the bulletin, book-mark the page. If the Lectionary reading does not match your bulletin: a. Check the color-coded “Church Year Calendar” on the wall of the Sacristy. The color-coding marks the church season as well as any Festival Sundays (e.g. All Saints’ Day). The church calendar is also in the appendices of this guide.

b. A Festival may be chosen in place of the regular readings (“Propers” noted along with the date as “Prop. #___) for the day. You will find the Festival Readings in the Table of Contents of the Lection- ary. If all else fails, check with the Pastor before worship.

 Tap the microphone to determine if it is on or speak a few words, such as “test;” if you cannot hear your voice, then the congregation will not hear you. Ask the usher to “increase the gain” on the mic until you can hear your voice through the speakers. [As a last resort ask the Elder-on-Duty or Pastor for assistance.] Speak slowly and clearly, remembering that we tend to talk faster in conversation than in public address.

 Readings will generally follow the Collect (Prayer) of the Day, unless otherwise noted in the bulletin.

 Approach the altar, bow at the chancel rail and step up to the Lectern. Check the microphone, and then read the introductions if they are prepared and available on the Lectern.

 If lesson introductions are provided in advance. Please review them along with the lessons.

 Make sure to begin each reading with the announcement, “The Old Testament/Epistle for today comes from ______.” After each reading, conclude with “This is the Word of the Lord.” (unless otherwise indicated in the liturgy, e.g. Matins, Morning Prayer).

 If you lose your place, pause, take a breath and find your spot. [Use a finger while reading to keep your place in the lesson].

 Extended lessons: In some cases, the lesson text in the Lectionary may be longer than the text printed in the bulletin. This extended text is surrounded by thin red brackets. Consult with Pastor as to whether he wants the extended text to be read or not.

Read both lessons – When you conclude, return to the chancel rail, bow and take your seat. The choir anthem will follow. In preparing to read, consider the following:

 PRAY – You are serving as the mouthpiece of God! Seek to understand what you read, not just the ability to pronounce the words.

 PREPARE – It is obvious and uncomfortable for the lector and congregation when a lesson is not prepared in advance. The Lectionary has a phonetic key to help you pronounce any unusual words, and the Pastor and Elders’ job is to equip you for service.

 QUESTION what you do not understand, for instance, the pronunciation of a word or a point made by the writer. Public reading is, first and foremost, the opportunity for you to study the scriptures! Often, reading the context of a given lesson (e.g. the section or chapter) will help you better understand the intent of the reading.

 SEEK ANSWERS to your questions in a Bible dictionary, concordance, or through conversation with an Elder, fellow- member, or the Pastor. Print resources are available from the church office.

 FAMILIARIZE yourself with the context of the lesson. The lesson introduction is intended to place the reading into context. As a photo album does not capture the entire essence of what occurred that day, so also a brief reading will not communicate as much apart from its context. You might wish to read the section or chapter before and after the lesson to get a better understanding of the context. A great Internet resource is www.biblegateway.org. Remember that St. Mark Lutheran Church uses the English Standard Version (ESV) for the Lectionary.

 READ WITH FEELING! – To be sure, public reading is not about you; however, we can get in the way of God’s Word when we read a thundering proclamation of the Good News as if it were an item on the business meeting agenda. Remember, the Epistles were written so they could be read aloud to churches, so try to capture the essence of what the writer feels for the people who would be listening. Being a lector is not simply about your ability to read, it is about your ability to be an effective public speaker. (If you are not sure how to read a certain text, Pastor or an Elder will gladly meet with you to discuss the intent of the lesson and how your voice can better communicate that intent through inflection or other means).

 PRAY AGAIN before worship, reminding yourself, ‘this is about God.’ Thank your Father in heaven for the opportunity to serve in worship. Thank him also that it is the message, not the messenger, which is most important.

The lessons for each successive Sunday are printed in the monthly Crossroads calendar and on the server schedule posted in the Fellowship Hall above the mailboxes. If you would like to plan ahead, please use the following link to the LCMS website. It contains an MS-Word download for the readings in the 3-year Lectionary.

http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=921

We have a 3-year Lectionary to cover as much Scripture as possible in a cycle. The series is based on two “seasons."

 Festival season (Advent through Pentecost) - lessons focus on the person and work of Jesus.

 Non-festival Season (Sundays after Pentecost) - lessons focus on the teachings of Jesus.

No Lectionary is a complete reading of Scripture. Many passages are not publicly read (e.g. violent narratives), but remember...Scripture must be taken as a whole; so, if the only time you are fed God's Word is in church on Sunday, then you have an unbalanced diet, especially as one who is entrusted with sharing that word by reading.

Questions?Contact the Elder on Duty noted in the bulletin.

LIFT OPERATION

1. To call the lift, turn the key to the right, press and hold the black black rocker switch. You will hear the hydraulics if the lift is below you. If the lift is a floor above, it will move silent- ly.

Key is in the right position

Black rocker switch

2. The key in the lift itself must be in the “on” position, and the rider must hold the button for the desired floor until it has arrived, or else the lift will stop. HOLD the button for the desired floor

On position

3. All 3 doors must be fully closed for the lift to operate. The Narthex and Fellowship Hall doors open and close auto- matically (30 second delay). The lift door in the Entrance Foyer is manual open/close. DO NOT manually force open or push to close the lift doors. Doing so will deactivate the automatic mechanism and cause a malfunction.

4. If the lift becomes stuck, an emergency release key is kept in the usher podium. Locate the lock mechanism on the box located near the lower portion of the door nearest to the lift. Turn the key to the right to release the lock. As- sist the person out and Immediately return the key to the usher podium.

USHER GUIDELINES

St. Mark Ushers assist in Connecting Our Community to Christ by equipping members and guests in worship with resources and direction.

OPENING PROCEDURES □ Preparation for Communion: Move the Lectern from inside the communion rail and place it against the wall near the door to the Sacristy. If it is too heavy or awkward for you, ask another usher or Elder for help. Place the basket for the used communion cups directly in front of the altar, on the main floor between the two communion rails. □ For communion, our goal is to send everyone in a pew up at the same time. Fill the pulpit side communion rail first and then the Lectern side. When there is no choir, immediately allow people on the pulpit side to go up. Work the pulpit side front to back, then start at the front of the Lectern side. The pulpit side communion rail will comfortably hold 5-6 adults but can fit one or two more when dealing with small children. The Lectern side rail can hold 7-8 adults. Do not split up pews. □ Offering:Ushers walk together, standing at the altar to receive the offering plates. Turn to the center in unison to collect offerings. Return and hand off collections in same way (together, turn toward center, return to Narthex).

Turn on: □ Pastor’s clip-on microphone: push and hold the oblong button – if green, the batteries are good; if red, then replace. □ Handheld wireless microphone: If in use, push and hold the power button to turn on/off. LED Green light = mic is “on.” Orange = mic has power, but is on “standby” for use – pushing the power button once will turn it on. Red = batteries need replacing.To replace batteries: unscrew the bottom 1/3 of the handheld mic and pull the small hinged clip to replace the AA batteries. Finally, the handheld mic receiver is located in the usher podium on top of the amplifier on the left. □ FM transmitter (for those with hearing difficulty) is on top of the usher podium. Check the personal receivers by turning on the volume dial and making sure the light is Green. If not, replace with batteries from the podium. Individual users turn on their receivers and can adjust the volume. □ Amplifiers (Usher Podium and Fellowship Hall)– Power is on when you see the Blue Light. The two dials on the right are for volume in the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall. 21

□ DVD recorder & portable monitor □ Combo DVD/VHS player □ Cry room monitor (Power on top, far right) and Speaker – dial it to the right □ TV monitor in the Fellowship Hall: Power button is on right side of the TV, at the top. Select “AV” with the Vizio Remote or the input button on the TV. You will see the Sanctuary on-screen when on. (Other Inputs: “Comp1” is the DVD player; “RGB” is for a Laptop).

CLOSING PROCEDURES Turn off: □ Chancel dimmers (3) down and ‘click’ off □ Mics (clip-on & handheld, if used)

□ 3 Spots, 3 Lanterns (Dials – push to turn off) □ Handheld Wireless Mic Receiver □ Wall sconces (Single dial – push to turn off) □ FM Transmitter & Amplifiers (Podium & Church hall) □ Cross □ TV Monitor in the Fellowship Hall □ Sacristy light □ Projector (Aim the remote at the projector and press □ DVD Recorder & Portable monitor the Power button twice; LED light on the projector □ Combo DVD/VHS player will turn red & fan will turn on) □ Place unused and returned bulletins and papers in the recycle bin. □ Inform pastor of names in the guest register/give him completed Welcome Cards. □ Close Sanctuary doors. □ If you are the last person to leave, lock the entry doors using the hex key (hanging on the chains) and push the doors closed on the way out to secure the lock.

 Reminders: 1. No entrance into the Sanctuary except during hymns or creed. 2. Inform parents of the availability of the cry room. 3. Overflow seating may be set up in the Narthex (“Church Hall” volume controls the speaker above the usher podium).

 Handheld Mic: Remind the Lector to test the mic before worship. You should be able to hear the Lector from the back of the church. If you cannot hear the lector adjust the Gain on the “Handheld Mic” dial up by 1 or 2 notches. If there is feedback, turn down the “Gain” and turn up the “Church” volume. If the wired mic is used, for communion, release the mic cable from the floor box by pushing the tab on the silver floor box. (The wired mic corresponds to the dial labeled “Lectern”).

 Projection Screen: The switch is above the usher podium: down position lowers the screen, up raises it. If the pastor uses the projector for the sermon, he will inform you to lower the screen during the sermon hymn. If you need to turn on the projector, the remote is kept in the pulpit. You must be in front of the projector to turn it on. Green

Light on the projector means it is on; to turn off, aim the remote at the projector and press the power button twice).

 If recording the worship service, turn on the Pioneer DVR (power button on the left). Make sure the blue light in the middle is set to “HDD”, then simply press the record button on the right side. When the service is done, stop recording by using the Pioneer remote or opening the panel and pushing “stop record.”

 Monitor the pastor’s mic and the handheld (or Lectern) mic during worship to make sure they can be heard. If you cannot hear the pastor (clip-on) or lector (handheld or Lectern), or the pastor gives you a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” signal, adjust the Gain by 1 or 2 notches. If there is feedback, turn down the “Gain” and turn up the “Church” volume.

To recap:  One usher will stand by the first pew on the Lectern side. The next group to commune will line up behind usher.  Fill the pulpit side, and then the Lectern side of the altar rail.  As communicants kneel, start leading the next pew into line-up position to avoid congestion.  As each group returns from communion, the usher directs the next group to the empty rail.  Once all the people from the pulpit side have gone to communion, the usher at the front moves to the pulpit side, and all communicants will again line up behind him.

Note: be alert for people who may need a little longer to walk up to the rail. Also, you may momentarily "skip" a pew holding a large number of people if it will allow you to send 2 or 3 smaller groups up and not overfill a side or spilt a group/pew.

 There may be people sitting in the Narthex who may want to go to communion.  Once everyone else has gone to communion, the ushers may join the last group or themselves be the last group.  Once the ushers have received communion, the basket is moved and placed along the Sacristy side wall, and the ushers return to the Narthex.

Questions?Contact the person on the Server Listing (in the Appendices) who is the Lead Usher.

APPENDICES

Server Listing (names and phone numbers)

Be Joyful and