Assisting with the liturgy is an excellent way to get involved at the church, meet other people and enrich the experience of the congregation as we worship. Even the smallest tasks are vital. If you've always thought that someone else was always going to be there to help during mass, maybe it's time to be that somebody!

Sacristans. Sacristans serve the assembly and the ministers by preparing all the physical elements needed for the Mass.  They prepare the chalice, the paten, and the other vessels for the Eucharist, estimate attendance for the Mass and put out appropriate quantities of bread and wine, assist the presider and other ministers in vesting, ensure that the Sacramentary and the Lectionary are properly placed, and clean the vessels used for Communion.

Skills:  Sacristans must be attentive to detail and be flexible during the celebration.  Good hand–eye coordination is also essential, since Sacristans routinely handle breakable vessels.

 

Benefit:  By being responsible for the material things of worship, sacristans grow in appreciation for how liturgy “works” as a series of signs.  By enabling reverent and joyful celebrations, sacristans create a hospitable house for the church as they ready the room for the Lord’s Supper.

Ministers of Art and Environment. These ministers are asked to create seasonal décor which is honest, genuine and well crafted.  Ministers of art and environment also keep the church tidy and make sure that needed repairs are brought to the attention of the responsible party.

Skills:  This group needs a broad base of ministers to resource:  individuals who are good at working with textiles, fabrics or flowers, and people who are skilled at organizing people and projects.  Ministers are also needed to be of assistance in assembling and removing seasonal arrangements.  We are especially in need of trained artists and designers to develop ideas for creating seasonal designs. 

 

Benefit:  Members of this team become familiar with the interior of our beautiful church.  They gain satisfaction from making each worship space a fitting place for celebration.

Ushers/Greeters. The women and men within the assembly who serve in this ministry are much more than collection takers and distributors of orders of service and bulletins.  They are the representatives of a caring community.  They welcome visitors, assist new members, and help the disabled to experience an accessible environment. 

Skills:  The best ushers are helpful and outgoing.  Ushers must be able to balance their facilitation of movement and action with sensitivity to people’s feelings and personal needs.  They should be prepared, if the need arises, to render assistance in an emergency situation.

 

Benefit:  The door of the church is a symbol of our baptism, our entry into the Christian life.  Ushers and greeters welcome followers of Christ at the door, recalling Matthew 7:7,
the Sermon on the Mount:  “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for  you.  For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Ministers of hospitality are graced with the opportunity to extend Christ’s love in this way to both friend and stranger. 

Music Ministry.   By joining our hearts with the beauty of sound, this ministry gives voice to our faith through the art of music.  Music soothes, excites, challenges, and unites us in ways that words alone cannot.  Through our hymns and responses, the singing of our choirs, and the sounds of our instruments, music enables us to touch the very mysteries of God as we unite together in prayer.

Skills:  The ability to carry a tune is a necessary requirement in this ministry.  Music reading skills are helpful.  Good listening skills and a sense of humor are also vital.  New music ministers are asked to participate in a brief interview in order to determine voicing, pitch-matching skills, or instrumental skills.  Individuals in the 9th grade and above are welcome to serve as ministers of music.  Because music ministers rehearse their music far in advance of scheduled liturgies and performances, members are asked to make a commitment of one year, rather than a seasonal commitment.

 

Benefit:  By serving as choir members, cantors, or instrumentalists, a more thorough understanding of music is gained—both simple and intricate, ancient and modern—and of its role in the liturgy.  As music stirs the soul, musicians enable others to experience and express their common faith in Christ and this offering of musical gifts is returned spiritually many times over. 

Ministers of the Word. The cycle of readings used in liturgy directs us on a journey of faith.  Lectors are our storytellers on this journey, proclaiming the scripture in a way that reminds us God’s word is alive here and now.  By leading the General Intercessions, ministers of the word remind us of our connections to both local and global communities and help us pray for those in need. 

Skills:  Those in this ministry should possess good public reading skills (articulation, pacing, eye contact) and a manner of speaking that draws attention not to themselves but to the Word of God.  As with music ministers, ministers of the Word are asked to participate in a brief interview. 

 

Benefit:  By utilizing the appropriate preparation material (provided), lectors gain a fuller knowledge and understanding of scripture.  By proclaiming the scriptures in the assembly, lectors bring to birth the living Word of God in this place, in this hour, the same Word that created, healed, and redeemed us.  Like the communion ministers,
lectors minister the presence of Christ, for it is Christ who speaks when the scriptures are proclaimed in church.

Acolytes/Servers. In a symbol of our common priesthood, acolytes are given the responsibility for carrying the cross, candles, and incense in procession and assisting the presider at our
liturgies.  The actions of these individuals highlight the ceremony and ritual that are so much a part of the liturgy we celebrate.

Skills:   Poise and purpose are the main attributes required for this ministry.  Acolytes must be comfortable moving in front of people in a way that dignifies the presence of the objects they bring to the table of the Lord.

 

Benefit:  Servers become very familiar with the ritual and can deepen their own appreciation for the liturgy by wearing the robe of baptism, carrying the cross and candles, holding the book of prayers, and setting the Lord’s Table.