Assistant Verger Manual

General Instructions

• The verger oversees the entire liturgy; so you need to be familiar with the manuals for acolytes, Altar Guild, layservers/readers, and beadles as well as the liturgy manual for eucharistic rites. You should also consult the Liturgical Customary, which contains copies of all of the manuals. This is located on top shelf just inside the sacristy.
• Find out where things are! During the service, you may have to find a purificator, chalice, wine, cruet, etc. The best way to prepare is to look through the sacristy and see where everything is located (being aware that sometimes things move).

Before the Service

1. Come to the church at least 30 minutes before the service is to start. The celebrants may need to give you some last-minute instructions. You also need to be there in case one of the ministers or a visitor has questions or needs assistance.
2. Prepare the church for the service:
• Nave
• Acolyte station - check to see that there are Hymnals, Prayer Books, and bulletins at all acolyte seats.
• Priest's stations - See that there is a Prayer Book, Hymnal, and bulletin on each prie dieu, and a cushion on each kneeler; put a glass of water in the prie dieu.
• Altar area - Make sure altar and any seasonal candles are prepared and sufficient.
• Credence table behind pulpit - Make sure the alms basins are on the table and that the proper items are on it.
• Credence table by font - Be sure bread on bread board (covered with cloth) and 2 flagons are on it.
• Pulpit and lectern - Make sure the readings and the introductory cards are in place.
• Glance through the nave to be sure things are neat and in order.
• Sacristy
• Try to keep as many people OUT of the sacristy as possible to give the celebrants time to prepare for the service and collect their thoughts.
• Always be sure the inner sacristy door is closed and locked when no one is in it.
• s enough wick in the candle snuffer (wicks are in the sacristy).
• Make sure there are Hymnals on the shelf for the layservers to process in with.
  
  
3. If/when vestments are available for the verger, vest while you are doing these chores. Especially if there is no one in the church, you need not fully vest to do them. If there are visitors around, however, you should be vested to identify yourself as someone who can welcome them and answer questions. It is best to vest in at least an alb. If the verger's alb does not fit you, see if there is one in the acolytes' closets that will. If not, either wear the verger's gown over a cassock.
   
   
4. About 5-10 minutes before the service is to begin, one of the acolytes will light the candles in the nave. If there is to be a Baptism, light the Paschal candle first. In Easter season, also light the Paschal candle first (if it is already lit, light the candle snuffer from it); and in Advent, unless there are parishioners identified to do so, light the appropriate Advent candles first (starting across from the pink and going around clockwise).

The Procession

• Make sure the procession is in order - crucifer, torchbearers, layservers, lectors, co-celebrant, celebrant. The choir should assemble in the Parish Hall and join the procession at the door into the nave from the foyer.
• When everything is in order and the organist ends the prelude, nod to the organist.
• When the congregation begins to sing, signal the crucifer to begin walking.

The Liturgy of the Word

1. The Readings, Prayers, and Psalm: Always face the action! For prayers, creeds, and the Psalm, face the Altar. When the reader goes to the lectern or pulpit, face the lectern or pulpit. In between times, stand where the celebrant can clearly see you (usually near the pulpit), where you can observe what goes on in the nave. Remember, you are there to help out wherever needed - and it is better to anticipate the need than to react to it.



2. The Peace: Exchange the Peace with those nearby, especially with the acolytes. If the readers or anyone else comes to your side of the nave, exchange the Peace, but do not leave the immediate area, as that is where people look to find you.

The Holy Communion

• Throughout the Holy Communion, pay special attention to the acolytes. The crucifer should be reminding the server what to do, but sometimes you have to and prompt. You also have to keep your other eye on the layservers to make sure they do not go to the Altar (or leave it) too early or too late. Finally, you have to keep watching the celebrants to see if they need anything.
• Once the celebrants have begun to serve Communion to the altar party, signal the congregation to surround the altar. Sometimes the choir will be there already. The important thing is to be sure all the spaces around the altar are filled and there are not big gaps.
• You might need to remind the layservers to wipe the rim of the chalice as often as possible.
• You also might need to remind the intinction people to simply follow the chalice around. They don't need to rush about like waitrons in a busy restaurant.

The Retiring Procession (Recessional)

• The crucifer will begin the procession as the congregation begins to sing.
• After the dismissal, wait a while behind the celebrant in case they need anything.

After the Service

• Return to the nave; put everything back into place; and remove the water, bulletins, and other items that might still be there.