Good liturgy, that is, worship services that call out our sense of wonder and gratitude and brings us closer to God and our neighbor, doesn’t “just happen.” Many people from our parish find pride and joy helping to ensure members and visitors alike experience the grace and beauty of well-planned and well-done worship. We are always thrilled to welcome new members to these ministries—there’s a form below that you can complete to let us know you are interested in volunteering
Altar Guild
Creating a reverent, beautiful and welcoming sanctuary is one of the most ancient ministries of the Judeo-Christian tradition. The Altar Guild carries on that ministry at Holy Comforter. Much as a host or hostess would attend to a lot of different details in preparation for a celebration, members of the Altar Guild “set the table” for each service and then, as so many others have done before them, keep us ready for the next celebration.
Flower Guild
The first thing people see almost every Sunday when they join our worship online is a picture of the flowers that have been carefully and lovingly arranged for worship. A group of men and women take turns making the flower arrangements that grace our church for the week. This ministry is a weekly rotating group of volunteers. As with the Altar Guild, all are welcome to join, regardless of experience.
Altar Party
A word we use when we talk about our worship is “liturgy”; a liturgy is like a blueprint or narrative for a worship service. And the word “liturgy” comes from a word in Greek that literally means “the work of the people.” Worship is the work of the people— and quite a few of them have important roles up around the altar during our services.
Clergy are the ordained ministers, Acolytes assist the clergy, Lay Eucharistic Ministers assist with communion and help by offering the chalice to those who come for communion.
We also have Readers who read the Scripture readings during the service and we have Intercessors who lead us in the “Prayers of the People.” Sometimes all who process in at the start of the service and those who come up around the altar for the service are called the Altar Party. All of them, along with those doing advance preparations, ensure that the “work of the people” is filled with beauty and grace.
Ushers
Usually, the first person to greet a newcomer or long-time member at Holy Comforter is an usher. For most services there are two ushers standing at the door of the church to extend warm hospitality. Ushers also help with seating and guiding guests to restroom or childcare facilities. They are responsible for gathering the offering, and in case of an emergency or crisis, serve as our “first responders.” They are a steady, comforting presence during our services.
Online Ministry Greeter, Officiant, and Streamer
In a changing world, our parish has embraced a new form of worship we call “Online Ministry” to serve those who are not able to join us for services in person. On Sundays and major church holidays, we livestream our services. When online participants are with us live on Sunday, our Online Greeter welcomes our viewers and helps them participate as if they were attending in person.
We also have a group of Online Ministry Officiants who lead some of the Daily Offices of the Episcopal Church such as Morning Prayer (Wednesdays at 9:30 AM) and Compline (currently on hiatus) virtually via livestream. Behind the scenes, our Streamer handles the technical aspects.
These positions are open to all who want to serve in this unique way.
Our online ministry team has extended our welcome and hospitality far beyond our doors and continues to look for opportunities to make connections.
Would you like to get involved?
If you’d like to know more about any of the Worship Ministries or would like to volunteer, please complete the Volunteer Opportunities form. A member of the ministry group will be in touch.
