If you are interested in serving as an Altar Minister, reading Scripture or the Prayers of the People, please contact the Rector.

Holy Eucharist at St John's requires the active participation of the whole congregation, and especially of many lay people who take particular, named parts in the service. The first part of this document describes the roles of the service ministers, with some context from Dom Gregory Dix' classic history The Shape of the Liturgy. The second part describes a typical service at St John's from the perspective of the service ministers.

The service ministers

Lector (Reader)

The lector's responsibility is to read the Hebrew Scripture and New Testament readings at the service. Lectors should practice the readings several times during the week leading up to the service and acquaint themselves with the lectern and the stump upon which the lector stands. A common problem for lectors is that they sometimes read too fast and with not enough volume. "Louder and slower" is always good advice. Readers should also check the readings as printed in the weekly bulletin: Some language will be changed for greater inclusivity. There is a concluding sentence for each reading in the bulletin as well; lectors should read it as printed.

Greeter and Litanist

As greeter, the task requires that the assigned individual be at the back of the church no later than 15 minutes prior to the service, turn on all lights at the back including those in both entry ways, and distribute the service leaflet for the day. A smile, and sometimes a handshake or a hug, is common. The greeter also seeks out and invites a family to bring up the offertory gifts during the offertory procession. The greeter should remain at the back of the church through the end of the second reading so that late comers can also be welcomed.

As leader of the prayers, which follow the Creed or sermon, the task requires that the individual lead the prayers from the back of the church. The leader invites the congregation to stand and join in the prayers telling the congregation that the prayer form is located in the service leaflet. The prayers should be led in a dignified fashion with a brief pause between each petition so that members of the congregation can offer an individual petition. At the appropriate places in the prayer form, the leader should also include the names of individuals who have asked for prayers, the names of parishioners who are celebrating birthdays or other happy events, and the names of the deceased for whom the flowers may be given. Following the prayers, the leader should remain at the back of the church to help organize the offertory procession.

Subdeacon

As St John's usually does not have a deacon, the subdeacon is the most senior altar server, who carries the Gospel book during the first part of the service, sets the Communion table, and carries the first cup of wine during Communion itself. Dix tells us that the subdeacon, like acolytes and lectors, is a minor order, which existed as early as A.D. 200. The subdeaconate was an appointment to a particular duty which "could be performed by any particular layman."

Second Chalice

Serving the second cup of wine is this minister's chief function. The second chalice also has several other responsibilities including leading the appointed Psalm for the day, acting as acolyte along with the crucifer during the Gospel procession when there are no specifically assigned acolytes, and helping the subdeacon prepare the altar for Communion.

Crucifer

The crucifer carries the processional cross both at the beginning and at the end of the service. According to Dix, the use of the cross in procession was first seen shortly after the reign of Constantine. It did not acquire a consistent liturgical use, however, until the eighth or ninth centuries in France and then in Rome.

Acolytes

Acolytes carry long candlesticks known as torches. At most St John's services, there are no specially assigned acolytes, so other service ministers fill in this role. Dix says the "official carrying of two lights at the gospel is first mentioned by St Isidor of Seville early in the seventh century". It seems likely that this early use was very practical, as the candles illuminated the text. The purely ceremonial use comes much later and is associated both with the entering procession and the Gospel procession.

Thurifer

At St John's, incense is usually used on Christmas Eve, Epiphany, Palm Sunday, the Great Vigil of Easter, Easter Sunday, Pentecost, and All Saints Sunday. It may also be used on any other special occasion. The incense is burned in an object called a "thurible" and is carried by someone called the "thurifer". According to Dix, "By the end of the fifth century some use of incense in Christian churches appears to have been more or less universal."

The Service Process

The following guidelines assume three altar servers: celebrant (i.e. priest), subdeacon, and second chalice. The presence of a deacon, or the "summer schedule" where the celebrant is only accompanied by a crucifer, entail various changes.

Before the Opening Procession

The crucifer will light the altar candles and acolyte torches, and retrieve the cross from the back of the choir nearest the sacristy, house right. The subdeacon should retrieve the gospel book from its place house right of the high altar.

During and Immediately After the Opening Procession

The crucifer leads, followed by the choir (who reverence the altar as they go) and the altar servers (who do not). The second chalice walks first after the choir, followed by the subdeacon bearing the gospel book, followed by the celebrant. The second chalice breaks left at the altar and walks a pace or two behind it, turning inward to face the altar and the congregation. The subdeacon breaks right and walks to the center of the altar, placing the gospel book there face up, then moves to the stage left side of the altar. The celebrant will follow, passing between the second chalice and the altar. The second chalice moves in behind the celebrant so that all three face the altar in a line, the subdeacon at the celebrant's left and the second chalice at right. All three reverence the altar.

If there is a thurifer, he or she leads the procession, then stands by at the credence table, holding the thurible and incense-boat. After the altar servers reverence the altar, the celebrant and subdeacon move to the left side of the altar. The thurifer hands the incense-boat to the subdeacon and opens the thurible. The celebrant spoons some incense into the thurible and closes it, then takes the thurible. The subdeacon follows the celebrant back towards the altar. All parties stand back from the altar so that the celebrant can cense it all the way around. The celebrant and subdeacon then return to the thurifer, give back the thurible and incense-boat, and proceed back to the altar, setting up the same three-person lineup as in a typical service.

The service continues in this configuration through the Gloria, at which point the celebrant retires to the big chair stage right, the subdeacon to stage left, and the second chalice to the leftmost end of the front pew (just in front and to the right of the subdeacon).

The second chalice always leads the psalter reading, generally in the form, "The psalm appointed for [the last Sunday in Epiphany, the twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, etc.] is Psalm X, printed on page 2 of the bulletin." Appropriate modes of reading include unison for shorter psalms, and responsively or antiphonally for longer ones. It is ideal to choose a preferred mode of reading for yourself and use it consistently, so that you don't have to make that decision on the spot.

The Gospel Procession

The crucifer and second chalice serve as acolytes if no others are assigned. They should start moving at the beginning of the third verse from the end of the sequence hymn-- i.e. the first verse of a three-verse hymn, the second of a four-verse hymn, etc. They retrieve the acolyte sticks from their posts, then turn to face the congregation, turning as always toward each other. They walk around the altar, not reverencing it, and bear toward the center aisle. They stop shortly before the first pew, then turn toward each other and face the altar, standing elbow to elbow. At the beginning of the sequence hymn's last verse, the celebrant and subdeacon rise and proceed toward the altar. As they approach it, the acolytes turn (inward as always) and proceed down the aisle as far as the fifth pew. There they stop and turn inward, facing each other. The subdeacon proceeds between and just past them, then turns to face the altar. The celebrant hands the subdeacon the book and opens it to the appropriate gospel, which the celebrant reads. The subdeacon should avoid eye contact with the celebrant during the gospel reading so that the celebrant is not distracted. At the end of the reading, the celebrant will step aside and let the acolytes lead the procession back past the altar and into the choir. The subdeacon will take the gospel book back to its perch by the high altar, leaving it open to the week's reading. It is appropriate for servers to return either to the choir or to the first pew for the sermon.

If there is a thurifer, he or she will lead the gospel procession, standing aside before its destination to let the rest of the procession past, then falling in behind the celebrant. After introducing the Gospel reading, the celebrant will cense the book. After the reading, the celebrant will stand aside so that the acolytes can move past and follow the thurifer back to the sanctuary.

On first Sundays of the month, or on other occasions when the Creed is used, the subdeacon will lead it, according to the bulletin's language.

Offertory and Communion

The subdeacon and second chalice start moving at the first words of the offertory hymn. The subdeacon stands at the center of the altar, the second chalice at left. The subdeacon removes the linens from the chalice, folding them neatly and handing them off to the second chalice, who takes them to the credence table. The second chalice takes the book and stand from the credence table and hands off the book and stand to the subdeacon, who places it on the right hand side of the altar and opens the book to the day's eucharistic prayer as listed in the bulletin. During retrieval of the book, the subdeacon unfolds the larger of the liturgical napkins (called a corporal) and lays it out at the center of the altar, placing the cup at its center. The second chalice brings the lavabo dish and its napkin from the credence table as well, leaving it at left on the altar. Any of the above may be interrupted when the gifts arrive at the altar; the subdeacon retrieves them and places them on the corporal. Having brought out the lavabo dish, the second chalice waits right of the altar for the monetary offering. The subdeacon pours about half the wine into the chalice, followed by a drop of water, and a drop of water into the wine cruet as well.

At this point, the celebrant will have arrived at the altar. The second chalice hands the monetary offering to the celebrant, who raises it, then hands it back to the second chalice, who takes it to the credence table. The subdeacon performs the lavabo with the celebrant, then returns the bowl and the stoppers from the wine and water cruets to the credence table. The napkin, however, stays on the altar, to be reused with the water chalice during communion. The second chalice hands the monetary offering to the celebrant, who raises it, then hands it off to the subdeacon, who takes it to the credence table. The subdeacon will spend the rest of the service on the celebrant's left and the second chalice on the celebrant's right.

The celebrant reads the eucharistic prayer, with the second chalice keeping track in the text and helping out if the celebrant gets lost or distracted. During the Great Amen, the second chalice turns to the Lord's Prayer in the book.

Immediately following the fraction, the subdeacon retrieves the other two chalices and then the reserved sacrament from the credence table and hands them off to the celebrant, who prepares the additional chalices of wine and water. The celebrant hands them off to the subdeacon and second chalice, who hold up the chalices as the gifts are shown to the congregation and turn toward each other as they are shown to the choir. The altar servers, crucifer, and organist are immediately communicated, with the crucifer stepping in to bear the chalice of water. The choir and congregation then take communion.

Once all have received, the altar servers return the fixtures to the various places they belong: the book to the credence table, the sacramental vessels to their side table by the high altar. There should be an extra cloth laid down over the tablecloth on the side table, to avoid soiling it. Any remaining wine in the chalices should either be consumed at this time or disposed after the service in the piscina in the sacristy; any remaining wine in the cruet goes into the reserve cruet. With enough people working, this process should be well over by the time the communion hymn finishes. All return to their seats for the post-communion prayer and blessing. If there is not enough time, the vessels are to be left and these actions taken after the service has concluded.

As soon as the recessional hymn starts, the crucifer moves, taking the cross down almost to the center aisle, then turning to face the altar. The choir follows next; the crucifer will turn and precede them down the aisle once they are close. Neither the crucifer nor the choir reverence the altar. altar servers, however, form up at the altar in their usual order behind the choir, reverence the altar, then proceed, the second chalice first, then subdeacon, then celebrant. When there is a thurifer, the thurifer, without the thurible, leads the crucifer for the final procession.

After the dismissal, it is the crucifer's responsibility to extinguish the candles, and that of the subdeacon and second chalice to remove and clean the consecrated vessels.

If you are interested in serving as an Altar Minister, reading Scripture or the Prayers of the People, please contact the Rector.