Altar Guild

When Christians first gathered to break bread it occurred in their own homes. It was the responsibility of the host family to make the arrangement for the meal. As Christianity grew the church became the primary area of worship.

Over time the supervision of the sacristy and the preparation for worship became the responsibility of the women of the church. These women were not employed outside the home and if they had children, the children were grown or were looked after by servants. These women would have to go through a rigorous six month to a year apprenticeship. Today, the Altar Guild is comprised of men and women of all ages and most of the guild members have jobs outside the church. There is no apprenticeship, but you will have one-on-one training until you feel comfortable on your own.

The Altar Guild’s main duties include preparing the church for holy Eucharist, and the care of the Altar and linens used during the services. This should not be regarded as menial work. The Altar Guild is there to assist the priest and other worship leaders in running the worship services smoothly. With people’s busy lives we are always looking for new members to join the guild. We work in teams and scheduling is flexible. If you are interested and would like just a little bit more information please contact Kathy von St. Paul or Mary Ann Plambeck.