Lay Person Service Participants

The laity are encouraged (and empowered) to volunteer in worship ministries through regular participation in the following ways:

Licensed Lay Worship Leader: leads Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and other Non-Eucharistic services; and may also be invited to lead portions of liturgy during the Holy Eucharist as directed by the Rector. Currently, Tina Barden serves in this capacity.

Licensed Lay Preacher: preaches at services as invited by the priest. Currently Bill Nave serves St. Andrew’s as a lay preacher.

Licensed Eucharistic Minister: assists the Celebrant in celebrating the Eucharist and administers the chalice. This ministry is being served by several parishioners in the training process.

Licensed Eucharistic Visitor: This very special ministry takes a further step in Eucharistic hospitality by bringing the blessed sacrament from the Sunday service to those who are unable to attend, generally due to health considerations. It combines both the reverence of serving as a Eucharistic Minister with the grace of pastoral sensitivity. At this time, St. Andrew’s has no member who fulfills this role. Perhaps you feel called to this ministry? If so, speak with the Rector.

Acolyte: Persons (of any age) who assist the Celebrant in celebrating the Eucharist. The definition and duties vary considerably among parishes. For some, it is meant in the strictest sense of “Torch bearer” and serve in pairs. At St. Andrew’s we have a brief step-by-step guidebook to assist one in learning how the acolyte practice is accomplished here. This ministry is being served by several parishioners in the training process.

Usher:  This is a practice of hospitality. The usher welcomes the people into a service, coordinates bringing forward to the altar the Communion Elements at the beginning of the offertory and collects the financial gifts from the congregation during the offertory hymn. Lorrie Bradford has been fulfilling this position for a goodly period!

Lector: One who reads the lessons and leads the psalm. The authorized translation of the Bible during The Episcopal Church service is the New Revised Standard Version. Other translations may be used from time to time at the discretion of the Rector.

Intercessor: One who leads the prayers of the people. St. Andrew’s approaches the prayers with a diversity of resources. Although prayers drawn from the Book of Common Prayer are always appropriate, we are encouraged to draw on other prayer resources and even compose our own! A most excellent lectionary-based prayer book that our Rector has introduced to us is entitled: Intercessions for the Christian People (Gail Ramshaw, ed., 1990).

 Crucifer: One who carries the Processional/Recessional Cross. Although St. Andrew’s worship style is reverent, it is less formal in that we do not generally process/recess except on special occasions or during certain seasons. That being said, if one felt called to serve on a regular basis in this capacity, it would be most welcome!