| Mission/Goal | Opportunities for Service | |||||||||||||
The Worship committee, working through its various groups, strives to enhance the worship experience at St. Mark by involving a large number of members in a variety of support roles at every service. While none of the duties is taxing or very time consuming, the fact is there is much to be accomplished for each service conducted. The workload can be reduced by having a large base of people to help. |
The six Worship subcommittees are small, but have an important role to play for each service and usually the time commitment is not very significant. Generally, for every service at St. Mark, each of the Worship subcommittees is involved. Several meet on a weekly or monthly basis, depending upon the nature of the service in which they are involved. To sign up to serve, see chart of subcommittees and chairpersons listed below. |
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| Training Opportunities | Chairs/Contact Information | |||||||||||||
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Each subcommittee chair trains the members of his/her committee as well as new arrivals so they can immediately begin to make a contribution. For additional information, and to volunteer, please contact the subcommittee chairperson to talk about your interest in serving. |
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The key function of an acolyte is to be an outward and very visible sign of Christ's light...to be reliable, attentive, expectant, worshipful, confident, caring, careful and joyful...to serve the Lord with gladness. The acolyte serves the Lord in the gathering of God's people by assisting in the drama and actions of the liturgies of the Church.
Acolyte's Prayer Be present, Lord Jesus, that I may faithfully and loyally serve you in love and through my service proclaim, "The Lord is my Light." Amen |
28th Annual
National Acolyte FestivalOctober 6, 2007
Washington, D.C.
Dear Christian friends:
Baptized into the priesthood of Christ,
we are called to offer ourselves
to the Lord of the Church
for what he has done and continues to do for us.
-- Occasional Services
These words, from the rite for installing members of the altar guild, point to the motivation for those serving in the guild. What has Christ done for us? He died to take away our sin. He rose from the grave to defeat the power of death. He has joined us to his death and resurrection in our Baptism. What does he continue to do for us? He renews in us the power of forgiveness. He gives us hope and joy in the proclamation of the gospel. He gives us love in the fellowship of the church. He gives us the bread of life
and the cup of blessing in the Holy Communion. In response to all of this, and to all of God's other mighty acts, we are called to offer ourselves to God's service. The basic motivation for serving in the altgar guild--or in any other work of the church--is gratitude.
This group has evolved from a loosely-organized gathering of women who made items for the church; i.e., banners, altar linens, Chrismons, bookmarks for the lectern and pulpit and other items. Previous groups met and worked on the items "as needed".
In 1992, the Worship Arts Guild (WAGs) was formally organized, under the leadership of Amy Schwarz, and met on a weekly basis expanding the Church's inventory of items mentioned above. This group also undertook the responsibility of making baptism napkins and repairing/remaking some of the older banners, and they continued to make bookmarks for the lectern and pulpit. After the arrival of the Reverend Gary Erdos in 1998, the group began making seasonal full covers for the altar along with other coordinating items.
The group's name was changed to the Liturgical Arts Guild (LAGs) in 2002. The LAGs, still under the leadership of Amy Schwarz, meets weekly September through May, with a few breaks for holidays. This group also is responsible for decorating--and undecorating--the church for the Christmas season--the nave and the narthex Chrismon trees, wreaths, china Nativity set (made by one of our members,) ribbons and garland.
Additionally, the LAGs change the altar covers, banners, communion cup, table linens and all cloth items used in the nave for the various church seasons.
We constantly are finding a need for other items to adorn our nave and narthex to enhance our church and worship services. As long as there are ideas and creativity, there will be a need for more items.
The ushers provide worship bulletins, seat late arrivals, assist with offering and communion, and generally are available to answer questions or to assist in emergencies. Two ushers serve at each worship service, except for very highly-attended services, such as Christmas Eve, when four ushers are needed.
