Acolyte's Prayer
Be present, Lord Jesus, be present! Grant that I may faithfully
and loyally serve you in love and through my service proclaim, “The Lord
is my Light.” Amen
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A Manual for Acolytes
“The Lord is my Light.”
What is the key function of an acolyte?
- 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.
- To serve the Lord in the gathering of
God's people by assisting in the drama and actions of the liturgies of
the Church.
The Covenant
- No gum or hats.
- Hair, keep it tidy.
- Don't wander away.
- No sleeping.
- No radios.
- No pets, unless the liturgy calls for one or two.
- Talking, see Voice Modulation and Reverence.
- When you listen, think quietly.
- The Ten Commandments.
- All rules from the section called "Anticipated Absence.”
- Wear the very best and/or cleanest shoes I have.
- Be prepared for the unexpected or accidental.
Remember:
There is absolutely no right or wrong way to serve. The best rule is that
all should be done with dignity and care in the simplest way possible so
as not to distract the congregation.
Voice Modulation and General Reverence
Any given Sunday morning requires communication. Obviously,
to talk is essential even during the liturgy! But do it with discretion.
Anyone knows you can scream during a rock concert and no one will hear you.
Conversely, if you get the stomach growls in class during a test, you'll
destroy everybody's concentration. Church is a tricky place to talk. If
you have to check something out with Pastor, the Assisting Minister or other
acolyte, do so carefully.
Not just anyone becomes an acolyte. We don't recruit
people from the Stanford Shopping Center. It is a privilege and an honor
to serve.
Many of us have been raised in the Church and most all of us have
been at an event where we are so moved we have to be still……that's what
it means to be reverent. That's what we are in worship.
The Anticipated Absence
Anticipated Absences occur whenever acolytes are honest
enough with themselves to know they're not going to serve when they're
supposed to do so. The rule is simple, universal, eloquent and decipherable:
FIND A REPLACEMENT
When a person agrees to become an acolyte, s/he is committed to a certain
number of Sundays or services throughout the year.........Sounds scary,
doesn't it? Alas but this commitment is not etched in stone. We are flexible.
To this end, we have created the FIND A REPLACEMENT rule.
Can't make it? Find a replacement from among
the acolyte crew and notify the Acolyte Captain who will notify the office.
Tips
A couple of notes to help the fledgling acolyte:
- When moving about the chancel, keep your hands folded at waist level.
This is to protect your fingers and hands from becoming entangled in
your cincture, alb or the air.
- As you cross the chancel, always stop and reverence (bow) in the direction of the Altar.
- When carrying a torch, nod instead of bowing. Melted wax is hard to scrape up after it cools.
- When the Pastor or Assisting Minister is addressing the congregation,
stop what you are doing. Don't budge!
ACOLYTE PROCEDURES
— A General Outline
- Pre-Service
- Arrival time: 20 minutes before the service.
- Vest in alb and cincture (color of the season—check altar cloth)
immmmmeeeeediately.
- Light the candles.
- Gather and ready necessary items (LBW, WOV, bulletin, cross, lectionary,
banners, baptismal things, torches, etc.)
- Check with Pastor and Assisting Ministers.
- Prayer with the ministers.
- Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness
- Entrance Rite
- Order of procession.
- Carrying and setting procession items.
- In the chancel.
- Liturgy of the Word
- Being seated.
- Participation in the liturgy and worship
- Assignment (carrying lectionary, Gospel procession, baptism)
- Liturgy of the Eucharistic Meal
- The Peace — exchange with those in the chancel; in nave too.
- Offering, Offertory: Receive plates, bring vessels to altar.
- Communion. Receive with ministers; assist as needed.
- Post-Communion: Assist the AM and/or Pastor.
- The Recession.
- After the service
- Assignments (return all items to sacristy or resting places).
- Vestments: Hang neatly. Note need for cleaning
While Serving
- Have a good time, with a feeling of reverence and dignity.
- Keep hands together when moving about the sanctuary.
- When crossing the chancel, pause and reverence the altar.
Vocabulary for the Well-Versed Acolyte
- Alb
- A white, long robe used as the basic garment of the ministers of communion,
worn with a cincture.
- Altar Guild
- The wonderful, dedicated people who assist the clergy in preparations
for the liturgies.
- Ambo
- The piece of furniture from which the lessons are read and homily is
preached.
- Ambulatory
- A walkway (sometimes scary) behind the apse. Used by clergy, assisting
ministers, acolytes, and other heavenly beings.
- Apse
- A semi-circular or polygonal alcove at the end of the chancel.
- Blessing
- Part of the final verbal send-off by the clergy to everyone
else. Things are winding down, fast.
- Candelabra
- A heavy metal stand that holds a progression of candles.
- Chalice
- Goblet that shares the communion wine.
- Chancel
- The area (sometimes elevated) in the front of the worship place where
the altar is located.
- Cincture
- A belt used to gather a garment at the waist and made of braided rope
or band of cloth.
- Crucifer
- The acolyte who carries the cross. Usually is the head acolyte of a
given liturgy.
- Cruet
- Small glass pitcher, which holds wine and water for communion.
- Decanter
- Large glass pitcher, which holds baptismal water.
- Dais
- A raised platform upon which the altar sits, or a chair is placed, or
the ambo is located.
- Dismissal
- Part two of the send-off (see Blessing). This is the symbolic pat-on-the-back/go-gettum'
following the parish announcements.
- Eucharist
- A Greek word meaning “thanksgiving” and often used in place of Holy
Communion.
- Flagon
- Large silver decanter that holds wine for communion.
- Geosynchronous
- When two acolytes rotate together in such a way that one doesn't spin
faster than the other but still may get dizzy.
- Gospel Procession
- When the lectionary cross, torches, and reader process to a central
place among the people and the Gospel for the day is read.
- Lector
- The person who reads the lesson(s) for the liturgy.
- Liturgy
- A word that refers to any worship service. Literally it means “work of the people”, what
they do together in worship.
- Nave
- Refers to the inside of the church building,
often referred to as a “sanctuary” and reminds us of the nave or the hull
of a ship.
- Oblations
- The bread and wine used during the communion usually presented by the ushers.
- Oil Stock
- Small, round, gold container, which holds oil for anointing.
- Paschal Candle
- Tall, distinctive, ornamental candle wedged in a floor stand. Usually
stands near the baptismal font.
- Paten
- Silver, gold or ceramic plate which holds bread for communion.
- Presentation
- When the ushers come forward in tight formation
with offering plates and oblations. The cue for acolytes to begin their
duties as communion gets underway.
- Processional
- Gala entrance of acolytes, choir and clergy during the Entrance Hymn.
- Recessional
- Gala exit of acolytes, choir and clergy during the Postlude.
- Rook
- Brass branch-shaped device used in lighting and extinguishing candles.
- Sacristy
- Room where clergy, ministers and acolytes vest before liturgies.
- Shell
- Used by Pastor to scoop water in the baptismal rite.
- Station
- Any place where communion is administered.
- Torches
- Tall pavement candles used in procession and at various places around the altar
and in the chancel.
- Transept
- The side sections of the chancel area where people can sit facing the altar.
- Vessels
- Chalices, patens, decanters, cruets, flagons, trays used in administering
the sacrament of Holy Communion.
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