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Altar Guild

 

 

The Christ Lutheran Altar Guild is a dedicated group of men and women whose primary mission is to prepare and maintain our sanctuary for use by God's family. We prepare for regular Sunday worship services, celebrating communion every Sunday. We also prepare for Lent, Easter, Christmas, Baptism, wedding and funeral services, as well as other special events. Making worship meaningful for our congregation and friends is truly the Guild's privilege.

Christmas, Lent and Easter decorating and coordinating flowers and plants for the altar for weekly worship services and special occasions is one of our ongoing tasks. At the recommendation of the Risk Management Committee, we now use disposable communion cups in an effort to eliminate possible spread of illness.

We are fortunate to enjoy the assistance of a faithful Altar Guild membership. More than 40 members served on the Altar Guild on a regular schedule or as alternates. We continue to appreciate the ongoing efforts of members who prepare and embroider the baptismal napkins. We are pleased and proud to have new paraments, which were made for us by a faithful member. Thank you all for your willing service.

Each member who serves on the Altar Guild is committed to this service. We appreciate their gifts of time and warmly welcome any and all members of Christ Lutheran who are interested in joining our group and have available time to serve.

Altar Guild Instructions

CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH ALTAR GUILD

THE SPIRIT OF REVERENCE

Worship is our adoring response to the eternal God; it is the central and unique act of the church. The Altar Guild is entrusted with the preparation of the chancel and its furnishings for corporate worship. Meaningful worship does not simply happen; it requires reverent and thorough preparation by all who are involved in it.

To serve in the Altar Guild is a privilege. It is a service of faith and love to our God and Father and should be carried out with eagerness, humility and reverence.

The goal of the Altar Guild is to see that the worship space is kept beautiful and in good order to the glory of God.

• Communion is served every Sunday.                                                                                                  

• Please make every effort to prepare for the Sunday services on Saturday, so that Pastor knows that it has been taken care of.

Duties:

1. Prepare the eucharisitic vessels, elements, and linens for each celebration of the sacrament.

2. After the sacrament, clean and store the vessels*, launder and iron all communion linens.

3. Change paraments when indicated by the church year calendar; launder the altar cloth as necessary.

4. Fill oil candles to the top that are on the altar. Please fill them in the sacristy so that oil does not spill on the altar or the paraments.

5. Replace the eternal candle once a week. This is the candle to the left of the Altar on the back wall.

6. Display the appropriate banner for the church season. The banners are kept in the choir room in the closet closest to the window. If in doubt about which one to use, check with Becky or Pastor.

7. Place the hymn numbers on the hymn board from the Sunday bulletin. The numbers are located below the board and the bulletin is on the guest book stand by the middle doors to the Sanctuary. Please change the hymn numbers for the second service.

8. Please do not water plants.

* Leftover communion wine is to be poured out on the ground.

How to Prepare the Elements for Holy Communion:

1. Wash your hands!!!

2. Place 2 alcohol swabs on the altar.

3. Fill disposable communion cups 2/3 full with wine and place trays in the sacristy open to the air so that the wine doesn’t corrode the metal. Please do not take trays up to the altar until Sunday morning. Place 4 glasses of “white” grape juice in the center of each communion tray. The cups can be filled whenever you please, but the cups with grape juice should be refrigerated, as should any opened, unused grape juice. For a normal church service, fill 4 large trays with wine and put 4 cups of grape juice in each.

4. Fill the chalice with wine just prior to the service and bring it to the altar.

5. Place two large hosts on the paten and place the paten over the chalice. Cover this with a cloth. Fill the host box with small hosts and place on the altar in the appropriate place.

6. Place a liner in each of the disposal baskets and take them up to the altar area. These are for disposal of the cups after communion. When cleaning up, just pull out the liner and throw out, minimizing contact with germs.

7. Leave an extra roll of wafers and a “filler” bottle of wine on the counter in the sacristy.

8. You will be notified if there are to be any changes such as communion by intinction.

9. After the service, please dispose of the used cups. Wash your hands! Rinse out cups that weren’t used and dry. Keep for the next service.

10. Wash out the chalice, ciborium and any other items. Dry off and store under the counter on the left side.

11. Upon completion of the service, please put hosts in a Ziploc bag, including those that have been in the host box.

12. Wine, communion cups, candle oil, eternal candles and grape juice are in the sacristy closet.

13. Communion wafers are in the drawer as you face the sink on the left.

14. Paraments are hanging in the sacristy closet.

15. Banners are hanging in the choir room in the closet closest to the window.

***When you get to the last box of any one supply, please let Becky know so that she can order more, otherwise we run out.***

 Please return the altar guild key at the end of your month.