Liturgical Ministries
For more information or to become a volunteer, please email the church office (by clicking here).
Altar Guild
Would you like to help prepare the altar for services? The Altar Guild is the ministry of preparing and maintaining everything that relates to the altar, including maintaining the vestments and linens and preparing and maintaining the vessels used during the Eucharist. This ministry is usually thought of as a “behind the scenes” ministry in that most tasks are performed when only the team members are in the church. The Altar Guild is divided into teams, with each team serving one month throughout the year. They set up for and clean up after each Eucharist for Sunday services in the Chapel and Sanctuary and for the Wednesday Healing service. New members are trained and serve with an experienced member. Directions for Altar Guild duties are posted in the sacristy and distributed to team members.
Flower Guild
Do you like arranging flowers or would like to learn? Then the Flower Guild may be a ministry that you would enjoy. The Flower Guild is responsible for providing support for the worship services by preparing and overseeing altar floral arrangements, decorations for special celebrations and other important events held throughout the year. We design and arrange flowers for the services in the Chapel and in the Sanctuary each Sunday. Members currently serve for one month on a rotating schedule. All Flower Guild members participate in designing and arranging Easter and Christmas altars.
There are no requirements to join the Flower Guild but the desire to serve and work with flowers. Mentors are available if you feel you need help. If you would like to put your creative talents to good use or would just let us know.
Linen Caretakers
We use beautiful linens in our worship. The Linen Caretakers clean and iron the linens in preparation for each week’s services. This is an immensely satisfying and tactile minister as one handles these beautiful pieces of cloth. Many find this to be a devotional time. Linen Caretakers are scheduled on a rotating basis and do this 6-8 times during the year. We will train you in the technique used to iron and fold the various linens we use.
Bread Bakers
Fresh bread makes our Holy Eucharist so much more meaningful. Our Bread Bakers sign up to bake bread a month at a time to provide this rich symbol for our worship. We have a standard recipe that we use to make participation in this ministry easy.
Readers
One way you could help at St. Luke’s is to consider being a Reader at one of the services. We are always looking for volunteers to read the Scripture lessons, Psalms, and the Prayers of the People.
The main time commitment involves reading the lessons aloud several times ahead of time to become comfortable with them so the words can be read smoothly during the service. You can find the readings by clicking the Lectionary link under Episcopal Church. This also lets the reader find out if there are any difficult-to-say names or phrases. On the day of the service, the reader comes a little early to look over the lesson or to check the Prayer list for unusual names, if they are scheduled for the Prayers of the People.
Any child who is comfortable reading may read in the service, not those just old enough to be acolytes. There is very little training involved and it can be scheduled on an individual basis, even before or after a service.
Acolytes
Our youth serve as acolytes beginning in 3rd grade. They are trained to carry the torches and serve in the 10:30 a.m. services. This is a wonderful way to involve our young people in our worship and to bring them close to the Mysteries. Beginning in 5th grade, we train our acolytes as crucifers to carry the cross and to assist the Deacon in setting the Table. Our crucifers are also responsible for helping the younger acolytes follow along in the service and leading the acolyte team on a given Sunday. Group training is held at the beginning of the school year and individual training is offered on an as-needed basis.
Chalice Bearer
Any confirmed Episcopalian may serve as a Chalice Bearer. This person serves the chalice during communion and assists with other roles in the worship service as needed. This is a powerful experience to all those who engage in this ministry. To offer someone the cup of salvation is humbling to be sure. It is a wonderful way to serve your sisters and brothers, as well as deepen your own sacramental life. Group training is held at least once a year, and individual training is offered on an as-needed basis.
Greeters
When a newcomer first comes to St. Luke’s, often, the first person they will encounter is a Greeter. This is a ministry of hospitality. The Greeter welcomes the visitor, orients them to the worship space and other spaces in the building, orients them to our service bulletin and the books we will use in worship, helps them obtain hearing assist devices, and introduces them to other members of the community. In addition, the Greeter makes sure that all worshipers have a service bulletin for the morning. After worship, the Greeter is responsible for straightening up the Sanctuary and picking up bulletins for the recycling bin. After the final service of the morning, the Greeters are responsible for closing the windows in the Sanctuary.