The National Altar Guild Association Prayer

  Most gracious Father, Who has called me, Your child, to serve in the preparation of Your Altar, so that it may be a suitable place for the offering of Your Body and Blood;
Sanctify my life and consecrate my hands so that I may worthily handle those Sacred Gifts which are being offered to You.

  As I handle holy things, grant that my whole life may be illuminated and blessed by You, in whose honor I prepare them, and grant the people who shall be blessed by their use, may find their lives drawn closer to Him Whose Body and Blood is our
hope and our strength, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Click here to view the Altar Guild Schedule.

Team 1
Kim Gauss L
Brenda Binning
Sibyl Pressly      F
Tom Eshelman
Judy Lincks
Anna Boswell

Team 3
Dedy Traver L
Dede Workman F
Kathy Locke
Katie Hall

Team 4
Catherine Morton L F
Maria Morton
Ernestine Glover
Ann Iles
Judy Bondi
Sandy Barber

 

TIMELINE AND PREPARATION

FOR THE ALTAR GUILD DURING THE WEEK

The Altar Guild is the liturgical partner of the Priest. Guild members have been chosen to prepare for the meeting of the people with God. It is a sacred trust involving sacred tasks. Therefore, it is important to maintain a prayerful attitude in preparing the Altar for worship each week.

We care for the objects used in worship. We handle them carefully and respectfully, because these objects have been dedicated in prayer for use in worship for the glory of God.

We also care for the sanctuary of the church. The work of the Altar Guild is to ensure that our sanctuary reflects the holiness and the joy that we all create together in our worship.

it is appropriate to say a prayer throughout your work in setting god’s table.

The following is a suggested prayer which can be repeated silently or aloud when going about our tasks:

Dear God, be with us this day as we prepare the sanctuary for your people. Make us humble as your instruments, skilled as your creation, reverent in your service. Help us not to let the form of things blind us to their sacred purpose, or personal concerns deafen us to the needs of others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

SATURDAY

1. Clean the Sanctuary.
2. Replace the Sanctuary candle whether it is completely burned out or not.
3. Remove the dust cover from the Fair Linen and replace the Fair Linen if necessary.  Place corporal linen in the center on the Altar (i.e. visually from the chancel step railing through to the Aumbry behind you). The embroidered “Cross” should be at the top edge (closest to the congregation).
4. Note: The corporal should be laid out on the Altar in a manner so that it refolds inward upon itself following the Eucharist. This prevents bread crumbs from dropping on the floor.
   1. Prepare the Eucharistic and Acolyte processional candles, checking that the oil is within 1 inch of the top and the wicks ¼ inch out. Then place these candles in the Sanctuary, the Eucharistic candles on each side of the Altar and the Acolyte candles on each side of the step below Altar.
   2. Place flowers (and the two candelabras when called for) on the Re-table. (The shelf behind the Altar)  

1. Place the cloth and the small cross on the Credence table.
2. Check the calendar and Altar Guild Schedule for the proper seasonal color and change the hangings as necessary.
3. Change the hymn board using the bulletin found in the lower part of the Sacristy to the upcoming Sunday.
4. Leave the Intercessory book in the Sacristy, open to the last page upon which it was written.
5. Place Alms Basins, one big, two little, on the table to the left facing the Altar.
6. The Gospel book.  Change the book ribbon to the proper reading, again found in bulletin and place it on the middle front of the Altar facing out.
7. Clean the Stoup. It is located inside the door to the Nave. Pour out the leftover water in the garden (it is blessed water), and wash the Stoup thoroughly.  Refill it half full with the blessed water, marked so in a plastic container in the Sacristy.
8. Be sure the Altar rail gate is open and place its cushion on top of the right side if you don’t find all this in place.
9. Please insert key in the Aumbry lock (remove after service)
10. Place a glass (2/3 full) of room temperature water at Pulpit and Credence Table.
11. Place pix of “Oil of Blessing” at the Pulpit for each service. This will be used to anoint the foreheads of those celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, farewells etc.

NOW SET UP THE ALTAR VESSELS AS NOTED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES AND LEAVE THEM IN THE SACRISTY OVERNIGHT.

These vessels, etc. should be set out in the Sanctuary at least 20 minutes before the 8:30 service.  If there is not a person that goes to the 8:30 service on your team please place everything on the Altar in the Sanctuary except the Sacraments.

 

SETTINGS:

1. 1.    For the Altar.

One Chalice with a Purificator over the Chalice, one Paten with a Priest’s Host on it, a Pall, Veil and Burse.  An Extra Purificator inside the Burse.

1. 2.    Forthe Credence Table.
   1. One Chalice covered with a Purificator and a Paten.
   2. Two cruets filled, one with wine and one with water, to just below handles.   (Check on how much consecrated wine is in the Aumbry and if there is a lot, put less in the wine cruet).
   3. Lavabo bowl and towel.
   4. Covered silver ciborium with 40 wafers for the 8:30 service.

Already consecrated wafers in the Aumbry may used if needed; be sure there are some. ( Wafers need to be in a closed baggie until morning when put on Altar ).

1. 3.    Place two non-gluten wafers on the altar under the veil in front of the Chalice.  ( Do not let non-gluten and regular wafers touch the other ).
2. 4.    Place pix of “oil of blessing” at the Pulpit for each service.
3. 5.    Place key into the Aumbry (Tabernacle) lock  (remove after services)

NOTE: Eucharistic Minister & Acolyte Seating

Eucharistic Ministers and Acolytes need to be engaged in the worship service. However, it is difficult for them to juggle a processional cross, gospel, prayers of the people book along with a hymnal along with all else needed for worship. Therefore, please ensure that each chair has the following:  

• A corresponding service leaflet
• A Hymnal
• A copy of Wonder, Love, & Praise
• A Book of Common Prayer

 

Sunday Between 8:30 and 11 O’clock Services

1. 1.    Remove chalices from the Sanctuary to the lower sacristy and wash with soap and water and dry.  Remove Lavabo bowl and towel.  Dry Lavabo bowl.
2. 2.    For the Altar.
   1. Reset the same as for 8:30 service.
   2. 3.    For the Credence Table.
   3. One chalice covered with a Purificator and one Paten.
   4. A cruet filled with water to just below its handle.
   5. Lavabo bowl and towel.
   6. 4.    For Skiles Altar (in the back of the church).
      1. Place one cruet of wine as for 8:30 and the covered silver ciborium containing 100 wafers.

After the Last Sunday Service

1. 1.    Clear the Altar and cover the Fair Linen with the dust cover.
2. 2.    Check with the Rector or Deacon to see if there is any leftover consecrated wine or wafers to be put in the Tabernacle. 
   1. Note: If the Tabernacle is full, consecrated wine must be consumed or poured out. Consecrated bread/wafers must be consumed. Unconsecrated wine and wafers may be returned to the wine bottle and wafer tin.
   2.    Wash all vessels in warm soapy water and rinse. Use sink in lower Sacristy. Dry with linen towels. Place in cloth bags and put in cabinets, except one Chalice, one Purificator and one Paten.
   3. Set out in Sacristy for Wednesday’s Holy Eucharist/Holy Unction (HE-HU), one Chalice, one Paten, one Purificator, Pall, Veil and Burse with Corporal on top.  Also set out two cruets. These will be filled Wednesday morning along with the Priest’s Host and 10 wafers.  Cover with towel.

 

NOTE: The linen fairy request that we do not wet any used linen.

 

NOTE: DURING THE SEASONS OF ADVENT AND LENT WE USE:

1. Ceramic cruets, chalices, and lavabo bowl
2. Wooden Cross above the Aumbry.
3. Wooden Processional Cross.
4. Wooden Candlesticks.
5. Wooden Altar Bookstand.
6. Greens instead of flowers or subdued dried flowers.

 

BAPTISMS

1. Bring Baptismal Font to front and center of the Chancel.
2. Place silver bowel in font. (Do not fill it with water.)
3. Remove Font lid and place in Sacristy.
4. Place a table to the left of the font (facing the Altar) next to the Choir rail behind the Pulpit.
   1. Place linen on table.
   2. Place silver shell on table with Lavabo towel.
   3. Place the Baptism candle on table.
   4. Place the Paschal Candle next to Pulpit.
   5. Place a pix containing the “oil of blessing” on table.
   6. Fill the flagon with warm water and place it on the table. (The Celebrant will use it to fill the font during the “Thanksgiving over the water.”