Worship Procedures and Server Guidelines
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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 2 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 3 4 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. 5 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 congre- gation—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. 6 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 embroi- dered 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 7 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. 8 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.