Altar Guild

From the St. Paul's By-Laws, dated February 22, 1998

As stated in our Altar Guild hand book, Joy is the cardinal attribute of the servants of God. Joy stems from our gratitude for all that God has done and is doing for us. More basically, joy is the natural response to God's presence. The joy of these realities enables work in the Altar Guild to be carried out with a sense of privilege, whether it is preparing the Altar, polishing vessels, removing wax from a linen, arranging flowers, or pressing vestments, the work is never a burden but is always a privilege.

St. Paul's Altar Guild was named in honor or Priscilla, the wife of Aquila who was among the first Christian converts in Rome. When Priscilla and her husband spoke of Jesus in the synagogues the controversy grew so great that the Emperor Claudis expelled all Jews from Rome including Priscilla and Aquila.

The purpose of the guild exists as the assistant to the Pastor and is in the service of the congregation. Some of the duties of the Altar Guild are as follows:

• Setting up of Communion each Sunday for each service and whenever Communion will be received
• Setting up for Baptism
• Laundering for all Altar Linens
• Ordering of flowers, all Altar supplies such as Communion wafers, wine, candles, etc.
• Delivering Altar flowers to shut ins, hospital patients and the sick at home, and keeping a record of who receives the flowers each week.
• Changing the Liturgical colors, cleaning the chancel and seeing that all furnishings and appointments are dusted, polished and in their proper places, removal of any items that will not be used.
• Cleaning of vestments for Chancel Assistants and Acolytes
• Decorating the Church for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and stripping of palm's
• Preparing and collating memorial flower fund book and mailings
• Making up the Altar Guild schedule
• Taking care of the Sunday School Altar

Officers include a Treasurer in charge of Finances and a Secretary in charge of mailing of notices of meeting when necessary and taking of minutes when meetings are scheduled

Anyone who thinks they might be interested in this service to our Lord, who is the giver of all our blessings is welcome. Just ask any Altar Guild member and they will be glad to show you what is involved and be of assistance to you should you decide to join us in this service to God.