God at the Center of our Liturgical Ministries

By Melinda Hudson

Next time you’re at church, and if it’s not jammed with people, pop into the sacristy and read the needlework on the wall. It is a prayer for and by the Chancel Chapter and it captures the spirit and purpose of all the Liturgical Ministries: God is at the center of everything we do, from reading a lesson, to preparing the fair linens, to ushering you to your seat with a warm smile, to bearing the chalice. Each of these acts, visible and invisible, has God at the center.

Collectively they form much of the Liturgical Guild, a kind of worship working group that aims at efficiency and effectiveness of our practices. (Got enough bulletins?  Where are those gluten-free wafers?) More importantly they provide a platform of practices that support our collective and individual worship. God, not the logistics, is at the center in our Liturgical Ministries:

Acolytes:  Each service begins for Acolytes with a prayer often thanking God for the opportunity to serve Him and asking that in all they do they bring glory to His name. Only then do we remind our beloved Acolytes where to stand and to beware of the light fixtures. It’s a special ministry not to be missed, either as a participant or as a parent supporting the logistics. Next time you are in church, watch how the lead acolyte carries the cross, how the next team carries the tapers, how the valiant banner carrier navigates choir and chandeliers. How the Acolyte Master watches with love and pride. Be a part of this ministry, contact Betsy Powell to sign up to help. Click here to send Betsy an email.

Chancel Chapter:  You’ve seen them most visibly on Maundy Thursday at the stripping of the holy table. But watch for them as they smooth the linens, replenish the elements, polish the silver, set up the oils and candles, and tote that big silver tray between services. There is a lovely little meditation called the Liturgy of Women’s Work that captures well how attention to the details often associated with keeping house is an act of meditation and reverence. The Chancel Chapter embodies this for the Holy, moving among us laden with chalices and biscuit boxes with a balletic reverence. Be a part of this dance. Contact Jane Gilchrist to be a part of this ministry. Click here to send Jane an email.

Choir:  When you sing, you pray twice. The choir helps us all make a joyful noise unto the Lord. So many newcomers tell us that they come for the music, beckoned by the choir. Somehow the sung word reaches us when and where the spoken word cannot. Lift your voices in this ministry. Contact Jason Abel if you would like to sing out to the Lord in one of our choirs. Click here to send Jason an email.

Lay Readers and Chalice Bearers:  This ministry evokes both the Word and the Word made Flesh. Lay Readers rise to share the Word with the people. Watch how they move toward the lectern, center themselves and us with a quiet pause, and deliver the lessons. Appreciate their inflection, pace, their pronunciations of some really tricky names. Their job is to bring you the Word – where does it land within you?

Chalice Bearers bring us to the next step – the Word made Flesh – leaning into us, offering the cup of salvation, bringing all together in communion. We bring all our hopes and fears to that rail and we are met with love, fed, blessed, and strengthened. Be a part of the reverence. Contact Virginia Amos or the Rev. Ann Gillespie if you would like to be a part of either of these ministries. Click here to send Virginia an email. Click here to send Ann an email.

Ushers:  This is the Ministry of the Door. The act of welcoming is itself a holy thing. Remember those strangers in Abraham’s tent who were really angels? Well, ushers see them every service. Beyond the practical pieces of getting you into a pew with a bulletin and out of the way of the procession, the ministry is about open arms, joyful greeting, recognizing another Child of God. Ushers keep everything orderly – from where you find a seat to helping you to the communion rail – so you can pay complete attention to worshiping God. Come be a part of this ministry and deepen your calling to hospitality by contacting Chris Hicks. Click here to send Chris an email.

Vergers:  These are the connective tissue for all of the above and the clergy. Vergers’ most important work is behind the scenes, helping where it is needed and relieving some of the burden on the clergy so they can fully and completely have God at the center of their and our worship. The Verger comes first in the procession to signal to us all that its time to turn our attention to the Cross.

Everything we do as Christians points us to Sunday. Monday through Friday, whether we’re in the church office or employed in our own secular endeavors, we look to Sunday. Our brothers and sisters, churched and un-churched, know Sunday is THE day to see us in full throng. Come be a part of these ministries and find God at the center.