LITURGICAL MINISTRIES

ALTAR GUILD

Members of the Parish Altar Guild care for the altar, vestments, vessels, and altar linens of the parish. Altar Guild members prepare the sanctuary for services, and clean up afterwards. Members serve on teams which rotate responsibilities by the week.  Joining the Altar Guild is a great way to learn about the liturgy and find out what happens behind the scenes of our services!

ACOLYTES

The Acolyte Ministry is an essential and rewarding part of St. Catherine’s worship. Those trained and serving as acolytes discover the rhythm and flow of the liturgy and come to understand why we do certain things in certain ways.  Our acolytes range in age from eight to eighty.  Serving in this ministry requires attending acolyte training sessions and serving reverently and with responsibility and consistency.  Acolytes regularly serve during the 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM Sunday services of Holy Eucharist and during other scheduled liturgies and special days throughout the year.

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS (Chalice Bearers)

Our Eucharistic Ministers (also called Chalice Bearers) are lay (non-clergy) people trained and licensed by the Diocese to serve the Wine during celebrations of the Holy Eucharist.  Eucharistic Ministers are utilized in all of our Sunday services and other special services of the Holy Eucharist throughout the year.  Training for this ministry is open to all adults and young adults who seek to serve on the altar in this capacity.

GREETERS

St. Catherine’s is known for offering a warm welcome to all visitors. Our greeters play a major role in this welcome and help even first-time visitors feel at home.

LECTORS

Lectors read the lessons/readings from the Holy Scriptures during our Sunday services and other special liturgies.  This sacred ministry of proclaiming the Word includes reading from the Hebrew Scriptures (the “Old Testament”), the Psalms, and the Letters (Epistles) of the New Testament.  Youth and adults may serve as lectors.

STREAM TEAM

Members of our Stream Team manage our livestream video, helping bring our services to the ill and homebound and to those traveling or simply “surfing” for a new church.  Their technical abilities are matched by their devotion to the liturgy and to all of our friends and members who join us from afar.

THURIFERS

Thurifers are specially-trained acolytes who use the thurible (a “smoker” for incense) to add to the sacred atmosphere of certain liturgies.  Incense is used on occasion on special days.

USHERS

Our ushers help guide and coordinate the people before and during our services.  Ushers ensure that people have service programs, are comfortable and have all they need, and help the flow of people to Holy Communion.  They are humble servants and trusted guides.