Altar Guild
Manual

St. Mark's
Episcopal Church
3rd and A Sts., S.E.
Washington DC 20003

I.    MANAGER OF CEREMONIES CHECK LIST FOR SUNDAY MORNINGS

II.    RESPONSIBILITIES OF ALTAR GUILD CHAIRPERSON

    1.    Appoint a chair for 9:00 am service.

        a    Each chair makes out the schedule for her service.

        b    Work with that chair regarding supplies and brass polishing schedule.

    2.     Set and distribute schedule for 11:00 am service.

        a.     A St. Mark's calendar is available from the church office, That will be necessary for baptisms and other special services.

        b.    A general Episcopal church calendar is available in December from the Cathedral bookstore. This is useful for seasonal colors, Jane Miller has been getting them for us.

        c.     Mailing labels for guild members are available from Betty, Give her the list of names,And ask for two or three sets.
 
    3.    Order and maintain supplies.

    4.    Arrange for someone to set up and clean up after weddings and funerals,

    5    Schedule one or two polishing days per year.

    6    Attend Worship Committee meetings (2nd Wednesday of the month).

    7.    Check on supplies in home communion sets (In center cupboard),

    8.     Launder and mend cassocks of adjunct clergy as needed,

III.    BREAD AND WINE

There is a person assigned the responsibility of securing people to bring bread and wine far each service. All the guild member on duty is required to do is put it out properly for service use. If bread has not arrived by 5 minutes before the service, the guild member may either (a) use wafers or (b) go to the stores at the corner of 5th and E. Capitol S.E. to by a load of bread.

    1.    Discourage the use of French bread because it crumbles,.

    2.    Bread remaining beyond service needs is usually consumed by the congregation. If it isn't, feed the birds.

    3.    Wine requirements: Red wine but not port.

        a.    Three 1-liter bottles or two  1.5-liter bottles for regular service

        b.    Christmas: Four 1-liter bottles or three 1.5-liter

        c.     Easter: Six 1-liter bottles of Cold Duck or Sparkling Burgundy

    4.    Extra wine is stored in the organ pipes. Twice a year, check the opened bottles to make sure they're still good. Try to rotate and/or use the wine as extra.

    5.    The people giving the bread and wine need to be told when in the service they present it. If they cannot or don't want to, the duty person needs to find someone else or do it herself (with others as needed.)

IV.    CALENDAR

The duty schedule is prepared by the chairs of the 9 and 11 am services respectively. A copy of the schedule should be sent to each member of the team, to the church secretary, both clergy, and a copy posted in the sacristy. (If you can figure out a way to get word to the secretary regarding changes so that the Sunday bulletin is accurate, that would be wonderful]

It is especially important that the duty calendar reflect services requiring special set-ups and/or joint services.

Special services:

Greening/De-greening

A member of the guild needs to be present to set candles (not the rings around the columns) and handle the wreath. Someone also needs to be present at the de-greening to put everything away. Ideally, a 9 am person would handle one and an 11 am person handle the other.

Christmas Eve:

early service is covered by 9 am team late service by 11 am team

Christmas Day:

9 am team

New Year's Day:

If it falls on a Sunday, talk with the Rector regarding service schedule.

Ash Wednesday:

There are two services: 7 am and 12 noon. The best solution is to find someone through Worship Committee or the task force for Lent who is trained and will be attending, Sometimes former guild members can be called on for this.

Maundy Thursday:

This should be coordinated with the Holy Week task force. One person from each service team should be assigned.

Easter Vigil ( Saturday evening): 11 am team

Easter Sunrise: ( 7 am)

9 am or someone trained who will be attending.

Shrinemont weekend:

Guild member attending should be prepared to transport equipment, set up, and return equipment (11 am team). The leaders should take care of the bread and wine but a check would be good. In an emergency, the kitchen staff at Shrinemont will provide a loaf of white bread. You need to tell them on Friday night and pick it up from the kitchen on Sunday after breakfast.

10 am service in DC is covered by 9 am team.

Thanksgiving:

11 am team

CHURCH SEASONS

Note: Whenever a collection is taken, the large alms basin should be set out. Advent: purple hangings

week before season begins: notify the church office re: hanging of the wreath. The candles for the wreath are in the sacristy and should be left out on the counter or given to the designated person (3 purple and 1 pink), Note: the wreath is extremely heavy. It takes two strong people to lower the wreath.

4th Sunday:

a.

Christmas:

Greening

Candles: purchase 96 candles from Ikea (at Potomac Mills Mall) for the rings around the columns, Do NOT use old altar candles as they drip too much and do not burn safely, Replace the purple and pink in the wreath with four white candles and one white in the center,

Greening is the responsibility of someone other than altar chair. Check to be sure they have ordered sufficient greens to drape around the wreath.

Set up for Christmas:

(1). Floor candleabra (brass] behind baptismal font near rear doors

(2) table candleabra on the retables of the high altar with candles and

followers

(3) two large Eucharistic candles on the wooden stands on each side

of the center altar. No candles on the altar.

white/festival hangings

Equipment:

a, 5 chalices (2 for intinction)

b, 3 patens

c. small silver cruet with extra wine on the altar

d. extra bottle of wine under the collection plate table e, 6 collection plates (including 2 wooden plates) f, thurible stand on rector's side (left) of altar

De-greening:

Check date with Worship Committee and/or task force. Team assigned to put away candles and candleabra.

Epiphany: white/festival hangings for Epiphany Sunday then green for remainder of season

No special assignment re: altar guild.

Lent: purple hangings

Ash Wednesday: 2 chalices 1 intinction 2 patens ashes [in plastic bag in sacristy): place in 2 glass bowls on the altar. silver finger bowl with water in it and paper towels on the credence table

Palm Sunday

The palms will be delivered to the church by Palm Gardens during the week before Palm Sunday. You need to call the office and warn them that they're coming and that they need to be refrigerated (at best] or kept cool(at least), You also need to warn the 9 am team where they're located (usually the kitchen), The 9 am team also needs to divide the palms into two bundles of 450-500 each so there are enough for both services, Some of the palms are held back so they can be scattered before the processional.

If desired, you can order and arrange palm fans and date fans to decorate the high altar ( there are never flowers since we're still in Lent), The fans can be ordered through Palm Gardens at the same time the stripped palms are ordered and they will be delivered at the same time, They would need to be arranged on the Saturday before or at the same time the crosses are draped,

I ordered 4 palm fans and 4 date palms, I placed 2 palm fans in each of the large brass vases and clipped them together using paperclips or scotchtape, The two date palms were placed in the smaller brasses vases, You don't need oasis, Florist foam is just fine (they're only used on Sunday am and won't dry out), I would also buy springerei fern from a florist or from Giant Food florist department and tuck it into the front so it spills out of the vase, You could also try dried purple or red statice but the plain green is nice for the circumstances of the day,

I set the palm fans on the high retable and date palms on the altar. Since I came in on Saturday to do this, I put out the linen and placed the large Eucharistic candlesticks (these look a lot better than the small regular altar candles since people are so far away) on the high altar at the same time.

Palm Sunday: red hangings

Week before: purple drapes for crosses are stored in vesting closet. These probably need to be ironed. The cross on the high altar and the processional cross can be draped easily. The hanging cross requires some help to lower and raise.

Equipment:

large basket stored on top of cupboards In sacristy large credence table to be placed in courtyard (by maintenance] 900 stripped palms (half for 9 am, half for 11 am) palm fans can be ordered to decorate the high altar if you choose(see

supplies section).

Arrangement:

Communion on the high altar (check to be sure linen is pressed] 4 chalices

2 intinction cups 3 patens table candleabra on retables Eucharistic candles on altar, small credence table under shelf to right of altar.

9 am: collection plates on a table in the rear of church 11 am: collection plates on shelf large alms basin on credence table,

bread and wine on the pulpit platform of the high altar

Clean-up: Remove all candles. Leave crosses draped.

Maundy Thursday: red hangings

Footwashing: the only responsibility of the guild is to know where the towels are (in large plastic bags on the top of the vesting closet] and to wash and return.

Equipment:

3 chalices

2 intinction cups

no patens

4 wicker baskets (remind task force re: bread for communion) Eucharistic candles on the altar

2 floor candleabra (brass: maintenance will set) on either side of altar Paschal candlestand on pulpit protrusion. Use short paschal candle. No

follower.

bread and wine(in flagons) on regular table.

During the service, the clergy will clear the altar. One member of the team needs to be in the sacristy to receive the items as they are brought back.

Good Friday: purple hangings

No communion; no altar involvement.

Easter Vigil: white/festival hangings

Preparation:

remove purple drapes from crosses

Equipment:

2 chalices

1 intinction cup 2 patens no alms basins new/tall paschal candle (with follower]

2 floor candleabra in the baptismal area (same as Christmas/Baptisms) 2 center altar candlesticks on the pulpit

2 acolyte torches in their stands at the lectern large Eucharistic candles on wooden stands next to center altar 4 wooden floor candleabra at each corner of altar platform. 60 paper bobeches box of 30 used altar candles on credence table credence table in baptismal area with large brazier on top of it.

tongs, matches, wick, 3 lumps of charcoal, and incense

thurible stand on rector's left at center altar

Baptism:

if scheduled: large brass ewer, shell, oil, towel

Easter: white/festival hangings

Equipment (in addition to regular Sunday set-up)

table candleabra on high altar retables

2 large Eucharistic candlesticks on boxes next to center altar ( have flower $ committee arrange flowers around not in place of the candles) 2 brass floor candleabra in baptismal area regular arrangement for communion NOTE: regular altar candlesticks and large Eucharistic candles are carried in by members of the processional.

No flagons are used:

Remove foil from Sparkling Burgundy but leave wire protectors.

Place bottles in regular place (put a cloth under them if they have been chilled so the moisture doesn't ruin the table) NOTE: The paschal candle is often forgotten when extinguishing others, Someone from altar needs to check at the end of each service.

Pentecost.' red for first Sunday; green for remaining

All Saints': red hangings

This is generally a high altar service. See Palm Sunday

Thanksgiving: white/festival hangings

Preliminary: check with task force re: decoration of gourds, pumpkins, corn husks, etc., around altar (refreshments person usually provides decoration]

Equipment:

2 chalices 1 intinction 2 patens

BAPTISM: white hangings

Preparation:

Remove lid from baptismal font

Brass Ewer: fill about 1/2 with warm water and set on floor next to font 2 floor candleabra next to doors

Equipment: (on side of font) 1 shell bottle of oil (from portable communion set) 1 towel

Clean-up:

The metal liner lifts out of font. You can either pour the water out in the garden or set the liner over the brass ewer, remove the plug so the water empties back into the ewer and then pour into the garden.

Replace lid on font.

FUNERALS: purple hangings

Casket:

There is a large purple funeral pall hanging in the vesting closet. Place the pall over the last row of chairs nearest the baptismal font and it will be placed over the casket when it is brought in.

Cremation:

Place credence table on baptismal font side of center altar. In the left drawer of the sacristy, there is a purple cloth. Leave that on the credence table as a cover for the urn.

If there is to be communion:

Set up as usual.

4 chalices ( 1 intinction)

2 patens

The family will provide bread and wine. Someone will need to be designated to bring them up to the altar.

WEDDINGS

Bride/Groom contact altar chairperson who arranges for a member to set up and take down appropriate equipment.

Flowers:

These can be done by altar member. For high altar, flowers can be done for retables, wooden stands, or main altar(be sure to leave room for communion, if applicable). Vases can be picked up the week of the wedding but they do NOT leave the church. Someone may take the flowers after the wedding or they may be left for the Sunday services

Dressing:

Neither the sacristy nor the vesting area are available. Rooms downstairs may be used per arrangement. Pitchers of water can be made available for the wedding party from the kitchen but not from the sacristy.

Center Altar:

Equipment:

embroidered fair linen (corporal and purificators to match for communion) candles as requested (candle fee charged) white/festival hangings wedding pillows are set next to each other on baptismal side of. platform communion set-up as usual (1 paten, chalices as requested)

bread and wine in usual place (bring to rehearsal; leave in sacristy) 1 bottle per 70 people who will bring up?

1 missal

High Altar:

Equipment:

fair linen and frontal piece (optional; crocheted)

credence table can be set to side of high altar for bread and wine or

can be left in usual place if someone bring up,

candles: of choice (2 table candleabra and eucharistic candles look

especially nice)

pulpit and lectern hangings (if using whole church) portable lectern (for small wedding; lectern strips can be used) pillows on marble step at center of railing 1 missal on altar (right)

Supplies and suppliers

In all cases, you can order direct from the supplier listed and have the item sent and billed to the church. if a bill is in altar guild mailbox, simply complete a Request for Funds form, have it co-signed by the Worship Comm. chair and submit with the bill to the church treasurer.

I. Candles

Supplier: Grant Orr: 301-654-6772

a. Altar candles:

Size: 12" x 7/8" white Hawk stearic S.F.S. 4

Quantity: boxes contain 2 dozen each.

1 case = 9 boxes (216 candles)

Use: altar candlesticks, floor candleabra, table candleabra Year: 2 cases per.

Eucharistic candles

Size: 2 1/16" x 36" clarus, 51% beeswax Quantity: ordered in pairs Use: floor candlesticks

Year: replace every 2-3 years

c. Paschal Candle

Size: 2 3/8" x 36" or 40" clarus, 51% beeswax

Quantity: one

Use: Paschal candlestick, Holy Sat. through Pentecost

Year: replace every 2-3 years ( you need to have a short one available)

d. Advent Candles

Size: 1 1/2"x 16"

Quantity: one set (3 purple and one pink)

Use: Advent wreath

Year: lasts about 2 years (Check supply in October)

Christmas Candles

Size: 1 1/2" x 16" white (for ring)

2"x 12" white (for center)

Quantity: order four for ring, 1 for center

Year: lasts about 2 years

Note: have become popular for weddings; may need to be ordered more frequently. (Check supply in October)

Ikea Candles

Size: 100% stearic(burn for 7.5 hours)

Quantity: 12 dozen

Use: for wooden candle rings used at Christmas around columns. While we only need 96 for the rings, some candles need to be replaced between services.

g. tapers

Size: standard

Quantity 100 per box

Use: in candle lighters used by acolytes Year: replace each 2-3 years

J

~3.

Linens

Supplier: William J. Gallery & Co., Wheaton, Md. 301-942-4700 ( & catalogue) Account # 1514; will mail directly to church. Quality: 52% linen/48% cotton

Corporals

Catalogue: #73L

Use: as corporals and bread covers

Pall covers

Catalogue: #77L

Note: plastic inserts come with a set

Purificators

Catalogue: #79L (we have been using lavabo towels In place of traditional purificators)

Palms

Supplier: Palm Gardens, Alamo, Texas #21.0-787-2526

Quantity: 900-1000 green palm strips ordered by phone in January or February

If you like, fan and/or date palms can also be ordered as decoration for the high altar on Palm Sunday. They are delivered with the others. They would need to be arranged (this can be tricky: scotch tape and paperclips are useful)

Ashes Supplier: Quantity:

Palm Gardens [see above]

ashes for 200 people ordered every other year.

Communion wafers

Supplier: William J. Gallery & Co. Quantity: see catalog

Brass and Silver repair Rubesches

119 S. Royal St., Alexandria, VA

703 -548 -0659

Alexandria Metal Finishers

9418 Gunston Cove Road, Lorton, VA 703-643-1636

Supplies and Equipment

1. Linens currently on hand

a, Center altar: Since the altar is a non-standard size, the purchased linens are quite expensive, You'll save money by having a member of the congregation make the linens we need (our budget pays for material). You'll need to go to a good fabric store (like G Street Remnant) and talk with someone there about the best fabric for our needs,

(1) Lion embroidered set: consists of (1)liar linen, (1) corporal, (2) palls, and (2-3) purificators. Used for weddings, Stored in vesting closet

(2) hand-woven linen: cut embroidered. Stored in vesting closet,

Note: both of these require special attention and careful handling, The chair or a specific designee should wash and iron so they are not ruined.)

b, High altar:

(2) fair linen

(1) lace frontal piece (generally used only at weddings; it's a bear to wash and iron

c, purple drapings

1 for hanging cross 1 for processional cross 1 for high altar cross

1 large pall for caskets

1 veil for cremation urns

d, altar hangings

1 set each: purple, green red, white(festival) 2 lectern strips 1 pulpit hanging 1 veil

These are stored in the vesting closet, The new color should be put in the drawer in the sacristy the Sunday before a new season begins,

POLISHING DAY

1. Obtain a kitchen key from the administrative aid in the church office. (This is useful at other times of the year.)

2. Determine a date (Saturday am), clear with 9 am chair and the church office. Since we usually start about 9 am and are done by about 12, most groups will allow us to work even if they have the parish hall scheduled (the big conflict is with the Players but they're generally cooperative. If they have a rehearsal scheduled, call the President to find out who you specifically need to check with. It's usually the producer or the director of the production.)

3. Notify members and keep tabs on how many can come. Obviously, the more hands, the easier the workload. 4 is minimum to get the brass done in 3 hours. You can't do the silver, too, but that can always be done piece by piece on Sundays (if that's the way you want to handle it, post a list of silver piece. Have members sign off as the items are done to avoid polishing the same piece three times and other not at all.)

4. Supplies for polishing brass:

a. lots of newspaper: This is used to wipe the soft wax off brass/glass items after they've been boiled.

b. screwdrivers: 1 regular, 1 phillips. All the candleabra need to be taken apart before boiled and polished. It's critical to also have a small bowl or two to hold the nuts, bolts, and washers as you take apart. Some have been lost all ready.

c. brass polish: check supply before buying more. The easiest to use (and it work's very well ) is Never Dull which can be purchased at

Frager's Hardware. It's designed to be used on boats. d. lots of rags

e. silver polish of choice (Gorham's works fine: use your bare hands instead of sponges for best results.)

f. white dishpan under sink in sacristy. Used for boiling brass. g. tongs (for removal of brass from boiling water) h. carts (for carrying stuff from sacristy to parish hall and back).

5. Brass gets boiled in the kitchen, polished in the parish hall, and silver gets done in the sacristy.

6.DO NOT THROW WAXY WATER DOWN DRAIN. TOSS OUT KITCHEN DOOR INTO COURTYARD.

7. DO NOT BOIL: LARGE FLOOR Candleabra, PASCHAL CANDLESTICK OR BAPTISMAL PITCHER. These have been refinished and the boiling water

will break the varnish seal.

8. The follower for the paschal candle needs to be polished.

9. A small amount of vegetable oil rubbed onto the torches will make the wax easy to remove without having to boil each time.

10. Because the followers are used so frequently, they need to be boiled and polished every other month (especially after holidays or in wedding season).
 
 
 

I. GENERAL CARE

• See that the sacristy and nave are clean.
• See that the chalice, paten, and bread box are shined, using silver polish only when necessary. Silver polish must never be used on the inside of the chalice or top of the paten.
• See that candlesticks, candles, and followers are free of wax. If it is time to put out new candles, those used are the Root 51% beeswax, not the stearine.
• If there are flowers in the sanctuary or chancel, check to see if they need water (a watering can is in _____.).

    A. Check the calendar for the correct color. Change the frontal if necessary. Remove the dust cover from the altar, fold and store near the library. Check to make sure the linen on the altar is clean, and replace if needed. See that the candles are straight.

    B. Set up each chalice (2 regular, 2 intinction), referring to the diagram in the sacristy as you perform the following steps:

1.   Put the chalice on the corporal with the ornamental cross to the front.
2.   Lay a purificator on top of the chalice.
3.   Put the paten on top of the purificator.
4.   Place a large pall on top of the paten.
5.   Put the prepared chalices on the corporal according to the diagram in the sacristy.

    D. Fill the water cruet 2/3 full of water, and put it _____.

    E. Make sure the alms basins are clean. Place them as follows:

1. The large alms basin on the top shelf of the credence table.
2. The 4 smaller alms basins with their maroon velvet bags in place on the bottom shelf of the credence table.

    A. Remove all used vessels etc. from the altar and credence table. Leave the missal stands in place on the altar.

    B. Check to make sure the altar fair linen is clean. See that the candles are straight.

    C. Rinse and wash the vessels as in II.B and II.C, respectively.

    D. Pour any blessed water into _____.

    E. Any sanctified bread should be taken home and consumed. Sanctified wine that is left, should be poured outside on the ground.

    F. Gather up all dirty linens, enter them in the book, and take them home to launder. Please be careful in ironing the linens, making sure they are folded correctly and that they are clean.

    G. Empty the water cruet into the plastic dishpan, put in used purificator(s), put the dishpan in the sink, hold each used chalice over the dishpan, run hot water into the chalice, pour that water into the dishpan. Rinse the paten and chalice(s) and wring out the purificator(s). Pour this water you have used from the dishpan onto the ground outside.

    H. Wash the chalice(s) and paten with soap and water. Use the regular drain this time.

    I. Make sure the alms basins are clean.

IV. BEFORE THE LAST EUCHARIST OF THE DAY

    A. Be sure the linen on the altar is clean, and replace if needed. See that the candles are straight.

    B. Set up the chalices (2 regular, 2 intinction, 1 crystal for grape juice), according to the diagram in the sacristy as you perform the following steps:

1. Put the chalice on the corporal with the ornamental cross to the front.
2. Lay a purificator on top of the chalice.
3. Put the paten on top of the purificator.
4. Place a large pall on top of the paten.
5. Put the prepared chalices on the corporal according to the diagram in the sacristy.

    D. Fill the water cruet 2/3 full of water, and put it _____.

    E. Make sure the alms basins are clean. Place them as follows:

        1.    The large alms basin on the top shelf of the credence table.
        2.    The 4 smaller alms basins with their maroon velvet bags in place on the bottom shelf of the credence table.

V. AFTER THE LAST EUCHARIST

    A. Remove all used vessels etc. from the altar and credence table.

    B. Check to make sure the altar fair linen is clean. See that the candles are straight.

    C. Replace the dust cover on the altar.

    D. Rinse and wash the vessels as in II.B and II.C, respectively.

    E. Pour any blessed water into _____.

    F. Any sanctified bread that is left should be taken home and eaten. Sanctified wine should be poured outside on the ground.

    G. Gather up all dirty linens, enter them in the book, and take them home to launder. Please be careful in ironing the linens, making sure they are folded correctly and that they are clean.

    H. Empty the water cruet into the plastic dishpan, put in used purificator(s), put the dishpan in the sink, hold each used chalice over the dishpan, run hot water into the chalice, pour that water into the dishpan. Rinse the paten and chalice(s) and wring out the purificator(s). Pour this water you have used from the dishpan onto the ground outside.

    I. Wash the chalice(s) and paten with soap and water. Use the regular drain this time.

    J. Replace all silverware in the protective covers and store in the appropriate cupboard.