Spirit of the Heartland
Episcopalians in Total Ministry
As an acolyte you are a minister and a leader of the worshiping community. It is your role to show the joy and reverence of worship. You are not here to attract attention to your self, but to give glory and praise to God.
Basic guidelines for all worship ministers:
1. Arrive at least 20 minutes before the service will start.
2. Have your hair combed and hands and fingernails clean. Wear clean clothing and shoes. Do not chew gum.
3. Check the candle lighter to make sure that there is enough taper and something to light it with. (Matches or lighter)
4. Get a service sheet, a prayer book and a hymnal to put where you will be sitting during the service. We will have basic seating charts for each church building. Check to make sure the offering plates and the altar book are where they should be for you to get them when the time comes. If they aren't where they should be, ask the person doing altar guild where they are.
5. If you need to, use the bathroom before you vest. Find your vestments. Robe quietly and reverently. Use the mirror to make sure you are put together neatly.
6. Introduce yourself to the priest and ask about whether there will be a procession. If you are given a choice about processing, be honest about what you would prefer. Ask the priest about ringing the bell, if there is one. It is usual to ring it loud, seven or so times, after the prelude before the opening hymn.
7. It is usual for the priest to have the lavabo to wash their hands unless they tell you otherwise. Ask if the deacon (or priest if no deacon) wants you to carry the Gospel Book and hold it or if they would rather do it themselves. Also ask if there are any other special instructions the priest has for you.
8. Light the candle lighter and then light the candles. Remember to reverence the altar. Do not hurry, walk quietly and reverently while lighting the candles.
9. Put the candle lighter out and return it to the rack.
10. Take a moment to say a simple prayer about your acolyte ministry, for example:
Dear God, please be with me as I serve as a minister at your altar today. Please help me to remember that I am your servant today. May my ministry be pleasing to you. Amen.
11. Find the priest and see if they are ready to line up.
12. Get the Cross if you will be processing and go with the priest.
1. Follow along in your prayer book so that you know what is going on.
2. Use your hymnal and sing all the songs when they are sung.
3. Stand, sit and kneel when the congregation is supposed to. Watch the priest or the LEM if you are unsure. The only time that you will not be doing what the priest is doing is when you are kneeling for the absolution after the confession and at the post communion prayer you remain kneeling if the priest is standing.
4. When praying please fold your hands at your waist when standing; fold hands on the book ledge, if there is one, when kneeling; say the prayers with the congregation.
5. Do not lean on the pew, squirm around when sitting, sway back and forth when standing, or put your feet on the kneelers.
6. During the homily/sermon, you may go sit in the front pew to listen or you may remain in your usual seat. Sit still, rest your hands in your lap and listen to what the preacher is saying.
7. After you have received communion, return to your seat and wait quietly until communion is over. Do not stare at the people receiving communion. Pay attention to when the priest returns to the altar so that you can help with the clean-up.
8. When the music for closing hymn starts, go get the candle lighter so that you can put out the candles. If there is no hymn, watch the priest for when to put the candles out. If you are not sure of the order, check the sign that is on the wall by the candle lighters. Put the candles out reverently and reverence the altar before you leave. If there is a paschal candle, wait to put it out until after everyone has left.
9. Return to your seat until the priest nods or signals the crucifer to get ready to process out.
10. At the recessional, turn and reverence the altar as you leave. Acolytes carrying the cross or torches do not bow, but pause to reverence the altar. Walk reverently out of the church, keeping even spacing (3-4 feet in smaller churches, about two pews in larger churches) between you and the person in front of you.
1. Reverence the altar when you walk in front of it, usually this is just once at the beginning and once at the end of each task.
2. At the beginning of the exchange of the peace, the acolyte that will be serving at the altar will begin to set the altar. If the Gospel book is on the altar, remove it. Bring the chalice/paten, the water cruet (remove the stopper first), and the altar book to the altar. Place them reverently and neatly the altar. At Our Saviour's, take the spoon and little plate to the small table by the piano, where the LEM can easily reach them during communion.
3. Then you may go exchange the peace with the congregation. You don't have to exchange the peace with everyone, but do not just stand at your seat during the peace.
4. Return to your seat for announcements.
5. When the priest finishes the announcements, go get the offering plates and stand next to the altar on the side where your seat is. Allow the ushers to take the gifts directly to the altar.
6. After the gifts have been placed on the altar, go forward to give the offering plates to the usher/greeters.
7. Go to the altar and take the things back to the credence table as the priest hands them to you. While you are doing this, watch for when the ushers are ready to bring the plates forward. The ushers bring the offering plates directly to the altar and hand them to the priest.
8. When the priest is ready for the lavabo, go get the bowl and towel. Hold the bowl in your weaker (usually left) hand, drape the towel over that arm; take the water cruet in the hand you use more easily, pour the water over the priest's fingers, then offer your arm with the towel. Return the bowl, water cruet and towel to the credence table. Make sure that the credence table is not mess.
9. After you finish at the credence table, return to the altar and stand to the priest's left, facing the side of the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer. Stand still with your hands folded at your waist. Watch the priest and the LEM and basically follow what they do.
10. When you take communion, remember to place your hands in a reverent position, right hand resting in the left, up by your chest - not down by your waist.
12. After you receive communion, return to your seat and wait quietly until the priest is ready for your help with clean-up.
13. Go to the credence table, take the stopper out of the water cruet; after taking out the stopper take it and the towel back to the altar. Some priests will ask you to rinse their fingers over the chalice, so have the towel just in case.
14. Take anything else the priest gives you and place it neatly on the credence table.
15. Return to your seat.
1. Hang up your alb or cassock and cotta carefully and neatly. Check to see if it needs washing. If it does, either take it home to be washed or give it to the person doing altar guild and politely ask them to launder it for you.
2. Go to the seat where you were sitting and straighten it up. Put the books back in the rack and remove the service sheet so that everything is neat.
3. Now would be a good time for saying a quick prayer to thank God for the opportunity to serve at the altar and to be involved in the ministry of the church. For example:
Dear God, thank you for being with me as I served in my ministry as an acolyte today for the good of your church. Amen.
4. Make sure that the candle lighter has enough taper in it for the next person who will be using it. If not tell the Altar Guild.
Thank you for you ministry.