Volunteer Duty Descriptions
"How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty. … I would rather be a gatekeeper in this house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked." (Psalm 84:1,10)
Hosts
Organized friendliness and mutual acceptance
- Speak with the pastor about any special needs for the service
- Place offering plates on the alter/pass plates when needed
- Straighten sanctuary before/after service
- Turn on sound system/lights
- Adjust heating/cooling as needed
- Accept communion elements from Ministry of Table volunteer and take to the altar
- Stand inside sanctuary at the door and pass out bulletins ten minutes before the service
- Wear identifying tag
- Welcome guests and offer to seat them with members; no guests sit alone unless they want to; if greeter has not given guests a card to complete, please do so and put in offering plate
- Serve or seek servers of communion
- Count all adults and children in attendance (including the nursery) and record on form on cabinet
- Close sanctuary doors
- Clean communion ware following service
Greeters
Welcome to God’s House and this Community of faith
- Accept a call of ministry in greeting
- Be stationed in narthex 10 minutes before service until 5 minutes after service begins
- Be a one-on-one presence for all who come, guests and members
- Seek connections with the guests and make connections for them with members
- Ask Guests to fill in Guest cards at Welcome table and place in offering plate
- Wear identifying tags (Be comfortable not knowing everyone, but let them know you. You might say: “I’m sorry, but I don’t know you.”)
- Introduce guests to the hosts.
Assistant Minister
Liturgy is the people’s work as they gather around Word and Sacrament. The leadership of worship is a shared leadership.
- Obtain bulletin ahead of service, review service, lessons, prayers
- Write appropriate prayers
- Arrive at church 15 minutes before the service for last minute instructions from presiding minister
- Participate in worship elements:
- Gathering: process with presiding minister
- Word: liturgy (sung/spoken) prayers and intercessions
- Meal: place elements on altar, serve, remove to side table
- Sending: recess with presiding minister; dismiss congregation for service in the world, declaring:
“Go in peace, serve the Lord.”
Acolyte
To light the way. The Lord is with us. Our Savior goes with us.
- Wear appropriate clothing
- Obtain candle lighter from the store room
- Stand at back of sanctuary near the host before the invocation
- Ask host to light the wick
- At the beginning of the processional hymn walk up the aisle
- Light candles on the right side of the altar from the left to right
- Walk behind altar and light candles on the left side of the altar from right to left
- Snuff wick flame and walk down aisle. The candle lighter can be placed in the back of the sanctuary.
- After the recession, walk up the aisle and snuff candles in the same order you lit them.
- Before snuffing the last candle, light the wick, snuff the candle and then recess with the lighted wick.
- Blow out the wick after your recession and return the candle lighter to the storeroom.