Volunteer Duties


Acolyte

 

Click link for Acolyte description and instructions

 

What is an Acolyte?

 

 

Presiding Worship Leader

 

Welcome

  • Welcome members and guests
  • Ask people to sign attendance registers
  • Make any important announcements
  • Introduce guest pastor
  •  

    Invocation and Lord's Prayer

    The invocation comes at the beginning of the service. Its purpose is to call oil God or acknowledge that God's spirit will be with us during the worship service. To "Invoke" means to call on, request or ask. It should be very brief- only a few sentences long. Unlike the longer pastoral prayer which comes later in the service, this is not the time to present concerns or intercessory prayers. This is the time to help the worshippers focus on God and being in God's presence, setting aside other distractions

     

    The worship leader should move to the pulpit during the final verse of the opening hymn so that there is no waiting time between the hymn and the prayer. Begin by inviting the congregation to be in an attitude of prayer. End by leading into the Lord’s Prayer. Do not just finish your invocation and then jump directly to the words of the Lord’s Prayer. It will be much smoother if you give the worshippers a chance to be with you on the first words by saying something like “and now we join our hearts and voices in the prayer taught us by our Lord, saying” (pause) “Our Father . . . “ Do not begin to move out of the pulpit until the choral response has begun.

     

    Communion Prayer

    This prayer is a time to express gratitude for the bread and the cup and what they symbolize. It takes place Immediately after the communion hymn. The worship leaders should move to the communiontable as soon as the final verse of the opening hymn. The servant leader will wait for one of them to go first to the far side of the table, then the servant leader will step in place between the two worship leaders.  The worship leaders stand one on either side of the communion table and the servant leader stands between them behind the table. The servant leader will speak first, giving the "Words of Institution". The Prayer begins immediately after these words.

     

    Speak into the microphone so that you can be heard by everyone. This will be the most significant prayer you are called to give. There are lots of communion prayer books which can be a big help to you. Just remember to focus on the cup and the bread, God's great love for us, Jesus’ loving sacrifice and service to us, Jesus’ witness to us of love and service. (No, you don't have to mention all of these every Sunday.) Again, don't get sidetracked to pastoral prayer type topics. For many people, this is the high holy part of the service. You can be a great help to them as they focus on the central meaning of our faith in God.

     

    Communion

     

    After the prayer the worship leaders serve the bread and cup to the servers, then hand the communion trays to the servers. When all trays have been handed out, the worship leaders and the servant leader return to their seats.

     

     

    Assisting Worship Leader

     

    Scripture Reading

    You will be mailed or emailed the scripture ahead of time. Move quickly to the pulpit and start by stating the scripture book, chapter and verse. The page number is printed in the bulletin,  so you can bring this to the worshippers attention. Give them a moment to find the page. You have the advantage with the pages copied for you, so remember that you will be ready before the congregation is. Don't just wait in silence though. This is a good time to introduce the scriptures by sharing the topic of the passage. Examples: "This is part of Paul's letter to the Phillipians. In it he speaks about the importance of joy" or "The Ten Commandments as they were given to Moses on Mt. Sinai" or Psalm 8 is a hymn of praise to God which expresses wonder at God's great love for mere humans" or "David has just been crowned king. Today's reading begins as he takes his first actions as king." Please don't get too worried about this. Most Bibles have headings on each passage giving you guidance as to what you can say to introduce the passage.

     

    It is especially important to speak clearly, slowly, and into the microphone. Put feeling into the reading, pausing for emphasis, stressing important words, etc. Practice at home - not just to figure out now to pronounce the names, but to find meaningful ways to use your voice to communicate the significance to the worshippers. If the passage is about anger, speak those phrases angrily. If it expresses joy, speak joyfully. How much the worshippers get out of the scriptures often depends on how good a job you do with the expression behind the words. When you have finished the passage it is good to express gratitude to God for the words of truth, guidance, encouragement, or whatever fits the reading. Move quickly to your seat so that the next part of the service can begin without delay.

     

    Communion

     

    After the Communion Prayer (by the Presiding Worship Leader), the worship leaders serve the bread and cup to the servers, then hand the communion trays to the servers.  When all trays have been handed out, the worship leaders and the servant leader return to their seats.

     

     

    Offering Prayer

    This prayer comes immediately after the choral response to the offering. Move to the pulpit during the singing of the response so there is no break in the service. When the worship leader moves to the pulpit that is the sign for the servers to bring the offering forward. This prayer is a time to dedicate the gifts and the givers to God's service. It might be a time to remember other types of offerings; time, talents, prayers, compassion for others, service, etc. Again, this is a brief prayer. At the end return to your seat so the next part of the service can begin.

     

     

    General Notes for the Worship Leaders & Servant Leaders

     

     

     

    Servant Leader

     

    Ask for offering to be received (when we have a guest pastor)

    Communion Invitation

    Words of Institution

     

    Words of Institution

     

    Let us recall “that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying. This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26, NRSV)

     

    Mt 26:26-30, Mk 14:22-26, Lk 22:14-23

     

     

    Communion Preparation & Clean-up

     

    Set-up communion trays with bread & cups

    Make sure bread & cup are set on piano for Jeremae

    Place a small loaf on silver tray on the communion table next to the chalice (bread is in the freezer)

    Following service, discard cups, put excess wafers in box, and return loaf to freezer.  Wipe trays and put away.

    Report low supplies of grape juice, communion bread, small loaves, candles and pages for Friendship Registers to church office.  -  Communion cups and bread are stored in the kitchen.

     

     

    Worship Facilitator

     

    Turn on sanctuary lights

    Be sure that offering trays are in place

    Check candlewicks.  Check oil candles.

    Verify that all the servers are present

    Send acolyte to light candles at right time

    Seat late arriving worshippers as needed

    Bring forward any prayer requests or announcement cards

    Signal to the pianist when offering and communion are completed

    Count the attendance

    Gather up all register pages for that Sunday even the empty ones.

    Put register pages and attendance count on desk in office.

     

     

    Greeters

     

    Stand by entrance door and greet people as they enter

    Ask visitors to sign the guest register complete with name, address and phone number

    Make out a name tag for visitors, walk them to the worship area, introduce them to others, etc.

    Invite visitors to fellowship following the service

     

     

    Servers

     

    Help hand out bulletins at sanctuary door

    Take the offering

    Serve communion

     

    Offering

    Team A begins taking offering from the congregation on the north side of sanctuary.

    Team B begins taking offering from the choir (when present)and then proceeds to congregation on south side of the sanctuary

     

    One member from each team will carry trays to table during the offertory response.  They will wait until the offertory prayer is complete, then set the trays on the altar and return to their seats.

     

     

     

     

     

    Communion

     

    Teams will stand at entrance to sanctuary until after the Words of Institution and Communion prayer.

     

    Teams will then proceed to the altar where they will take communion from Worship/Servant Leaders.

    After receiving the trays, wait until the Worship Leaders have returned to their seats and then move to serve Communion following same pattern as was used for the offering.

     

    Make sure Nursery Attendant has received communion.  Place trays in kitchen.