Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7
I would like to start by offering up a challenge. Think back to your years in high school. What were your most memorable experiences? What do you remember most from your high school years? What is it that kept you going each day for four years until graduation? I am sure it was not the overwhelming excitement of learning how to do geometry proofs or balancing chemical equations. If I had to venture a guess, I would say it was the interactions with the people. Perhaps it was your group of friends or a favorite teacher. More than likely it was your involvement in extracurricular activities, athletics, clubs, student council, fine arts. For me, I found my niche as a member of the Prospect High School swim team. An odd choice for me since I really couldn’t swim, at least competitively. I still keep in touch with many members of my team, including my coach. I am also still swimming.
My wife, Maura and I have been members of St. Simons for nearly thirty years. When we first joined St. Simons, my oldest son, Nick was 1 year old and we attended the 8 am service. As Nick got more mobile, we made the decision to go to the 10 am service. The advantages - there was a nursery available. Maura also wanted to join the choir. It wasn’t long before I started serving as an acolyte and crucifer. Over the years I have taken on many different roles at St. Simons, including vestry, crucifer, bell choir and lay reader. Most recently I have joined the Altar Guild. Maura had been on Altar Guild for a few years. On those Sundays when she was serving on the Altar Guild and I was the crucifer, I started to occasionally assist with the set up. It wasn’t long before I was invited to join the Altar Guild. Though traditionally a role filled by the women in the church I have been made to feel welcome by all the other members.
Altar Guild has often been called the quiet ministry. This is the group of people responsible for setting up the altar and breaking down the altar for weekly Sunday services. Unless you arrive early to church, you probably don’t see us working. We also prepare the church for large services such as Easter and Christmas. Most of our service is done out of the view of the congregation. It is also noteworthy that we prepare the church for weddings and funerals. I get a tremendous amount of enjoyment out of seeing the sanctuary transform to be service-ready on a Sunday morning. The next time you are in church I would like you to be observant of the work of the Altar Guild and take a look at the following:
The altar and how it is set up.
The credence table (the area by the tabernacle near the organ).
The hanging (frontals) on the altar and on the pulpit. Throughout the different seasons look at the colors of the frontals.
The vessels that hold the bread, water and wine.
Altar Guild Trivia Questions:
What do the frontal colors represent?
What side of the tabernacle does consecrated bread and wine go on? [or does it matter?]
What is the fuel for the candles on the altar and the credence table?
At communion, Saint Simons offers both wine and grape juice. Where in the tray is the grape juice?
What is in the tabernacle?
At the beginning I wrote about being involved. St. Simons offers many different ministries. I would encourage you to consider your interests and become a part of a ministry that brings you joy. If Altar Guild is that ministry, we would love for you to join our team. We really do have a wonderful group. If you are worried that you don’t know what to do, not to worry. We will show you what to do. We also work in pairs.
The Altar Guild is funded by your financial support. Please prayerfully consider your contribution during this Giving Season.
Answers to Altar Guild Trivia:
The different colors represent the different seasons of the church. For example, during Pentecost the color you will see is green.
Consecrated elements go on the right side of the tabernacle. Following the service consecrated and unconsecrated bread and wine need to be handled differently. This is how we can tell the difference.
The candles are filled with oil. The candles are generally filled after two services.
The grape juice is in the center of the tray. The Altar Guild prepares each of the cups with wine and grape juice.
The reserve sacraments are kept in the tabernacle. These are the sacraments (bread/wine) that have been consecrated. Watch carefully next time during the fraction hymn, often a ciborium containing the reserve bread is brought to the altar. We also keep our consecrated gluten free hosts in the tabernacle. In past years we have also kept consecrated wine in the tabernacle. Since we use the communion cups now, we are not keeping the consecrated wine in the tabernacle.
Faithfully yours,
David Howley
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