ALTAR GUILD INSTRUCTIONS

Please Begin all work with the Prayer of Dedication

found in the Sacristy
I.

7:45 Service (8 am, Summer)

A. Open up
1.
Place torches and crosses outside Sacristy door for acolytes.
2.
Carry alms basin in cover to church, place on flower stand on Epistle side of
Altar
3.
Place candle snuffer inside communion rail and place matches on flower shelf.
4.
Use gloves to handle brass and silver.
5.
Always use white batting around silver to keep them from touching.
B. Preparation of Tray Contents
1.
Fill Johnson Cruet 3/4 full.
2.
Fill Water Cruet (A on handle) with bottled water
3.
Place 25 loose wafers, two rolls of 50 and priests small wafer in bread box
4.
Retrieve pyx with gluten-free hosts from aumbry; replenish from stock inside
aumbry if necessary. If none there, notify clergy.
5.
Use the two Bloomer Chalices and Patens.
6.
Lavabo bowl
7.
Linens
a.
Linen for small table at font that holds the Elements.
b.
Moleskin to protect Fair Linen
c.
Corporal
d.
Purificators for each chalice
e.
Lavabo towel
f.
Burse with two extra Purificators
g.
Pall
h.
Chalice Veil
C. Altar Set-up
1.
Moleskin on Fair Linen
2.
Corporal
3.
Bloomer Chalice + purificator + paten+ pall + chalice veil + burse with two
purificators (fold to congregation)
4.
Lectern on left with altar book.
a.
Make sure book is marked according to instructions inside cover.
5.
Eucharistic Candles straight
6.
Gospel placed on Altar in front of Stack
D. Credence Shelf Set-up
1.
Water Cruet
2.
Lavabo bowl with towel on top
3.
Second Chalice with Purificator
4.
Pyx with gluten-free hosts.
E. Other Preparations
1.
Place Johnson Cruet and Bread Box on small table at Font.

2.
3.

F.

II.

Ask two people to present the elements and advise ushers.

If candles are not lit 10 minutes before service ask usher to do it or do it
yourself.
4.
Place tray and cover for alms basin under seat in front pew.
After the Service
1.
Retrieve tray, remove all used linens and return vessels to sacristy for washing.
2.
Check burse.
3.
Check corporal for stains
4.
Using LOC, spray stained linen and soak in small white bowl for further
laundering.
5.
Wash silver using blue basin in sink.
a.
Place only one piece of silver in basin at a time to keep pieces from
making contact.
6.
Except for the bread in the breadbox, all bread and wine is consecrated.
a.
Return it to the sacristy and place wine in the cruet and bread in the
Ciborium in the Aumbry; leave pyx out for next service.
b.
If the containers are full, consume the bread and pour the wine down the
Piscina.

9:00 am Service (10 am, Summer)

A. Tray Preparation
1.
Engraved Chalice and Paten and one Bloomer Chalice and Paten
2.
Clean lavabo towel
3.
Place 2 rolls plus 25 loose wafers in bread box include 3 extra rolls on tray.
4.
Place large priest wafer on tray.
5.
Fill tankard with wine to bottom of spout.
6.
Fill Johnson Cruet 3/4 full.
7.
Retrieve pyx with gluten-free hosts from previous service or from aumbry;
replenish from stock inside aumbry if necessary. If none there, notify clergy.
B. Altar Set-up
1.
Moleskin on Fair Linen
2.
Corporal
3.
Henderson Chalice + purificator + engraved paten+ large priests host + pall +
chalice veil + burse with two purificators (fold to congregation)
4.
Lectern on left with Altar book.
a.
Make sure book is marked according to instructions inside cover.
5.
Eucharistic Candles straight
6.
Gospel placed on Altar in front of Stack
C. Credence Shelf Set-up
1.
Water Cruet (add water if necessary)
2.
Lavabo bowl with towel on top
3.
Bloomer Chalice with Purificator and Paten
4.
Pyx with gluten-free hosts.
D. Other Preparations
1.
Place Tankard and Bread Box on small table at Font.

2.
3.

III.

Ask two people to present the elements and advise ushers.

If candles are not lit 10 minutes before service ask usher to do it or do it
yourself.
E. After the Service
1.
Retrieve tray, remove all used linens and return vessels to sacristy for washing.
2.
Check burse.
3.
Check corporal for stains
4.
Change candles
5.
Using LOC, spray stained linen and soak in small white bowl, take home to
launder.
6.
Wash silver using blue basin in sink.
a.
Place only one piece of silver in basin at a time to keep pieces from
making contact.
b.
Wash tankard and dry inside as throughly as possible.
c.
Use a hair dryer for this purpose.
d.
DO NOT STORE TANKARD IF IT IS WET INSIDE.
7.
Except for the bread in the breadbox, all bread and wine is consecrated.
a.
Return it to the sacristy and place wine in the cruet and bread in the
Ciborium in the Aumbry; leave pyx out for next service (return to aumbry
in the case of 10 am service).
b.
If the containers are full, consume the bread and pour the wine down the
Piscina.
11:15 Service
A. Set-up and Preparations
1.
The set-up and preparations are the same as for 7:45 service, except place a
paten on the second chalice.
2.
In addition, check the bulletin to see if there are any changes to the hymns from
the earlier service.
B. After the Service
1.
Remove all linens and silver from altar. Place Altar book and stand underneath
the altar.
2.
Turn book on spine.
3.
Put cross in center of table with IHS facing congregation
4.
Except for the bread in the breadbox, all bread and wine is consecrated.
a.
Return it to the sacristy and place wine in the cruet and bread in the
Ciborium in the Aumbry; return pyx to aumbry.
b.
If the containers are full, consume the bread and pour the wine down the
Piscina.
5.
Wash and dry all silver items including alms basin and place in appropriate
bags.
a.
Unless someone is scheduled for Wednesday evening, set up a tray with
the vessels needed for that service (see IV, below).
6.
Check linens
a.
Spray if necessary.
b.
Take home and launder.

7.
Bring in acolytes crosses, torches and banner poles; cover and store.
8.
Change candles and fill all candles sacristy.
9.
Lock up and set alarm.
IV. Wednesday 7:30 pm Service (8 pm in Lent)
A. The set-up and preparations are the same as for a Sunday 7:45 am service, with the
following exceptions:
1.
There is no extra chalice and paten.
2.
The cruet is 1/4 full ( full during Lent).
3.
Only the small priests host and 25 loose hosts are placed in the bread-box.
4.
Retrieve pyx with gluten-free hosts from aumbry; replenish from stock inside
aumbry if necessary. If none there, notify clergy.
V. Saturday Preparations
A. In the Church
1.
Vacuum and dust chairs and altar
2.
On Hymn Board:
a.
Name appropriate Sunday (found on top of Bulletin) and add hymn
numbers
3.
Change frontal if necessary (check calendar in sacristy)
4.
Clean brass candle sticks and any other brass items as necessary.
5.
Fill Candles
6.
Check calendar for proper color
B. In the Sacristy
1.
Clean crosses
2.
Clean snuffers
3.
Clean torches, followers and bobuche, check candles for size
4.
Clean any communion kits that have been set out.
5.
Set up trays for Sunday
6.
Store Sunday wafers in plastic bags to keep them crisp
VI. General Notes
A. Wafers are ordered in rolls of 50.
B. Please do not place dirty linen in the drawers with clean linen.
C. The Pascal Candle is lit on Easter Sunday and remains lit every Sunday through
Pentecost Sunday.
1.
It is then lit for Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals and any special occasion as
directed by the Rector.
2.
Do not starch linens.
3.
Do not open Bread Box by the Cross on the top.
4.
Do not place more than one piece of silver in the wash basin at a time.
5.
Silver should not hit against another piece.
6.
Check the Bulletin Board for announcements.
VII. Special Services
A. Baptisms (Baptism of Christ (early Jan), Holy Saturday, Pentecost, Bishops
Visitation and All Saints Sunday)
1.
The Baptismal Ewer with warm water and the Basin are placed in the font.
2.
The Baptismal Shell and Baptismal towels (they have shells embroidered on

B.

C.

D.

E.
F.

G.

H.

them) along with the oil in the gold container are placed on the side of the Font.
Thanksgiving
1.
Color - White
2.
Set up following the outline for a Sunday 7:45 service.
First Sunday in Advent
1.
Color - Purple
2.
Place the polished Advent wreath on the N. side of the sanctuary in place of the
Paschal Candle.
Christmas Eve
1.
Color - White
2.
Set up both services according to the Easter, 9:15 am service, below.
Christmas Day
1.
Set up following the outline for a Sunday 7:45 service.
Ash Wednesday
1.
Lent - color Purple
a.
All crosses have purple veils.
(1) The veils are stored in boxes in the sacristy above the brass
candelabra.
2.
Clergy will provide ashes for services.
a.
Ashes are placed on the Altar in Jefferson cups.
b.
Jefferson cups are stored in the cabinet on a shelf above the silver.
c.
Fold several damp paper towels into small squares and place them on the
flower shelf for Celebrant to clean hands.
Palm Sunday
1.
Color - Red
2.
The palms are usually in the refrigerator in the kitchen.
3.
We divide them up and place them across the front of the Altar for the 7:45 and
11:15 services.
4.
Palms are placed on a table in the courtyard for the 9:00 service.
a.
The table will be provided and we set it up.
b.
Use the red tablecloth which is folded and stored on a hanger next to the
frontals. It is rather long and needs to be folded under at both ends of the
table.
Maundy Thursday
1.
The evening service is usually at 7:30.
2.
The cross and torches are not used in the procession.
3.
The pitcher and bowl are in the sacristy for the foot washing.
4.
Clean white towels will also be in the sacristy.
a.
These items are usually provided by the chairman.
5.
Use warm water in the pitcher and place pitcher, bowl and towels in the front
right pew before the service for easy access by the Clergy.
6.
At least four people are needed to help strip the Altar.
7.
There are usually 80-90 people at this service and about six people, who are preselected, have their feet washed.
8.
As the Clergy processes out to the side doors, the lights are dimmed and the

I.

J.

K.

Altar Guild removes everything from inside the Altar rail - leaving only the bare
table and the rug.
9.
All items should be placed in the first two pews on the right.
10. The Rector can move the Pascal Candle, as it is heavy and awkward to move.
11. After the service all items are carried to the sacristy.
12. Kneelers are placed on the floor under the pew seats.
13. The service is usually at 7:30 and it takes us a little less than two hours from
start to finish, including set-up and lock-up.
Good Friday
1.
Altar Guild has no duties for Good Friday.
2.
We do not use the black veils.
Holy Saturday
1.
Color - White
2.
Everything is cleaned and polished and all items are replaced in Church.
3.
There are baptisms in the afternoon with no Eucharist.
4.
Someone is needed to do this service.
5.
The Baptismal Ewer with warm water and the Basin are placed in the font.
6.
The Baptismal Shell and Baptismal towels (they have shells embroidered on
them) along with the oil in the gold container are placed on the side of the Font.
7.
The new Pascal Candle should be replaced in the church in its usual location.
Easter Sunday
1.
Color - White
2.
Lighting of the Pascal Cantle
a.
The Pascal Candle is lit in the early morning on Easter Sunday.
b.
The Altar Guild provides congregational candles for use at that time.
c.
On Saturday, they should be put together with their drip shield and placed
in a basket.
d.
It is not necessary for the Altar Guild to be there.
3.
7:45 service
a.
25 loose and 3 rolls along with small priest wafer.
b.
Fill Johnson Cruet.
4.
9:15 service
a.
25 loose, 7 rolls along with large priest wafer.
b.
Fill Tankard and Johnson Cruet
5.
11:15 service
a.
25 loose, 5 rolls with large priest wafer.
b.
Fill Tankard and Johnson Cruet.