Liturgy Manual for Eucharistic Rites

The Holy Eucharist

The following outline describes the procedures customarily observed in the eucharistic rites at St. Mark's Episcopal Church and is primarily intended for visiting or supply priests. It must be acknowledged and emphasized, however, the celebrant or the worship task force responsible for the service may change anything in the outline that he or she does not feel comfortable with to any other liturgically acceptable practice of the Episcopal Church.

In the absence of the Rector, the celebrating priest should confer with the verger to discuss the liturgy. If time allows, he or she may also want to peruse the manuals for acolytes, for layservers and readers, and for the Altar Guild, as well as the customaries.

Services on the Lord's Day

There are two celebrations of the Holy Eucharist on Sunday. The 9:00am is the larger of the two services. The 11:00 service is smaller. Both generally follow Rite II. Sometimes Rite I is used during Advent and Lent, and occasionally for other, more solemn services. The rite to be used is printed in the bulletin.

If the celebrant has been delayed and is not present by the beginning of the service, the verger or another licensed lay reader will begin Morning Prayer, and the Holy Communion will be celebrated at the appropriate point specified in the Book of Common Prayer. Upon arrival, the celebrant should enter the nave through the closest door and sit in her/his customary chair (which signals the lay reader to proceed up to the Holy Communion) or enter the nave to take over immediately.

The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
9:00 and 11:00 Services
The Word of God

The Procession into the Church

• The Altar party should assemble in the sacristy. If there is a choir, it should assemble in the Parish Hall during the prelude.
• In the sacristy or Parish Hall, the verger arranges the procession. The order is crucifer, torchbearers, server, choir, layservers, celebrants. This is illustrated in the customary kept in the vestry. If there are three acolytes, two will be torchbearers and one will be server. If there are only two acoltyes, there will be no server. If there is only one acolyte, s/he will be crucifer for processions and server for Communion.
• When the organist finishes the prelude, he looks to the verger. When the verger nods, the organist begins the processional hymn. The crucifer steps off when the congregation starts singing.
• The choir will join the procession from the foyer as the torchbearers fill past. They should not start to sing until they are actually in the nave. nal hymn begins.
• At the altar platform, the crucifer goes around the altar then places the cross in its holder behind the organ, and the torchebearers go to stand one on either side of the lectern. The choir continues, dividing to go around the altar, then up into the chancel to their seats. Three layservers sit on the 3rd St. side of the altar platform, and one on the courtyeard side. The priests go to their chairs and remain standing until the end of the hymn.

Opening Sentences

• The celebrant leads the opening sentences from the bulletin.

Collect for Purity - Usually only at the 11:00

• The celebrant the collect on page 323.
  
  
• This is sometimes followed by the Gloria, or by the summary of the Law, the Kyrie, or the trisagion, as specified in the bulletin. The choice is made with regard to the season.

Collect for the Day

• The celebrant pronounces the salutation, then leads the congregation in saying the collect for the day. The celebrant and rest of congregation then sit.

The First Reading

• The assigned reader proceeds to the lectern for the first reading.

The Psalm - Usually omitted

• The psalm is read in unison or responsively, with the other ministers and the congregation seated. If the reader of the first lesson leads the psalm, he or she remains at the lectern.

The Second Reading

• The second reading is given in the same way as the first, usually by the other reader.

The Holy Gospel

• The celebrant may read the Holy Gospel from the pulpit or in the congregation, proceeding as the reader returns to their seat.

The Sermon - Occurs here at the 11:00 and at the Sermon Seminar at the 9:00

• The celebrant may give the sermon from the pulpit or from the congregation, as is the celebrant's custom or desire.

The Nicene Creed

• For the Nicene Creed, the celebrant returns to their chair and invites them to profess the creed. The creed used is the contemporary version ("We believe in one God, . . .") beginning on page 326. If the celebrant wishes to use the other form, s/he should announce it.

The Prayers of the People

• The lay minister appointed leads the Prayers of the People, usually following the form for the whole state of Christ's Church beginning on page 328, or a form written by a parishioner.

The Confession and Absolution

• The celebrant stands and invites the congregation to the Confession. S/he kneels, and leads the Confession. Either form may be used, and is printed in the bulletin.
• During the last lines of the Confession, the celebrant rises, and gives the Absolution. (This may be followed by one or more of the comforting sentences.)

The Peace

• The celebrant pronounces the Peace and exchanges it with the Altar party and the congregation.
• At this point, announcements are made at the 11:00. The parishioners should be reminded that the announcements are printed in the leaflet and they are invited to add to these now.

The Holy Communion

• The Holy Communion generally follows Rite II beginning on page 340.
• After the offertory sentences, the beadles are given the alms basin and collect the offering, bringing it to the altar at the conclusion of the anthem.
• Prior to the Great Thanksgiving, the celebrants set the Table. 

Presentation

• After the alms have been collected and the music has finished, the organist begins the presentation hymn. When the presentation party proceeds from the font (as the congregation begins singing), the server goes to the front of the Altar.
• The co-celebrant receives the Bread and places it on the Altar and then does the same with the Wine. The offering is collected by one acolyte and the alms basins by another. The offering is taken to the celebrant.

Eucharistic Prayer

• From behind the chancel side of the Altar, the celebrant says the Sursum Corda.
• The Lord's Prayer is said, the celebrant leading the congregation.

The Breaking of the Bread

• The "Christ our Passover" (and in Lent possibly the Agnes Dei) is spoken, as is sometimes the Prayer of Humble Access, all on page 337.

The Communion

• After taking both elements, the celebrant gives the Bread to the acolytes and layservers, and then the Wine, leaving a chalice and purificator with each layserver, and giving the intinction cups to two other layservers.
• Meanwhile, the congregation comes forward and stands around the Altar platform. The Celebrants begin administering the elements in the middle of the font side of the Altar.
• After all communicants have received, the layservers return their chalices to the altar, and take their seats as the celebrants re-cover the chalices and patens. The acoltes take the flagons and bread and place them on the credence table behind the pulpit.

The Post-Communion Prayer and Blessing

• The congregation is lead in the Post-Communion Prayer by the celebrant from the Altar.

The Procession out of the Church

• The crucifer retrieves the cross and leads the layservers and celebrants out of the altar area. The crucifer, layservers, co-celebrant and deacon proceed to the chancel steps. The celebrant remains by the font to pronounce the blessing and greet parishioners.

The Dismissal

• The co-celebrant or deacon pronounces the dismissal (printed in the bulletin) from the chancel steps and remains to greet parishioners.