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Lay Ministries at St. Joseph's Episcopal Church All members of St. Joseph’s participate in worship and prayer, study, fellowship, and hospitality. Each also discerns a particular ministry suited to his or her gifts. This list describes the current lay ministries in the church, and some that would be desirable to have. The list is meant to serve as a starting point for helping you discern your ministry. If you have an interest that’s not described here, talk with a fellow church member, the clergy, or a vestryperson about it. Maybe you’ll start something new! Unless otherwise noted, all ministries are open to adolescent and adult members of the church. Clergy will work with parents to discern ministries for children. If you are interested in any of these ministries, please speak with a member of the clergy or the vestry. Unless otherwise specified, new members may join a ministry at any time. Acolyte: See Lay Eucharistic Minister. Altar Guild chair: The chair communicates with the clergy about the worship schedule, co-ordinates and supports the work of the Guild, and orders supplies. Altar Guild member: The Altar Guild prepares the altar and church for worship on Sundays and other feast and fast days. Members clean and maintain altar furnishings such as chalices, patens, and candlesticks. The work is typically done on Saturdays and Sundays, with some weekday involvement from time to time. Blogger: Members and friends of St. Joseph’s are encouraged to submit pieces about our life together to the vicar for inclusion in our blog, http://streetandaltar.blogspot.com. Send items to saintjosephsdurham@gmail.com. Catechist: Co-ordinates and leads the yearly catechesis program (which usually runs from Advent through Easter) for persons 16 and older, who wish to prepare for confirmation, reception into the Anglican Communion, or reaffirmation of their baptismal vows, or simply want to learn more about the Church and the Christian life. The catechist has theological training, whether formal or informal, and works in consultation with the clergy. Catechesis sponsor: Accompanies a catechumen (participant in catechesis) through the program, serving as a spiritual friend and mentor in Christ. Sponsors are normally confirmed adult communicant members of St. Joseph’s. New classes begin each Advent. Catechumen: Participates in the catechesis program, striving to deepen their own Christian commitment and to help fellow participants in their journeys. New classes begin each Advent. Children’s Sunday School teacher: Children of all ages are welcome to participate in worship and fellowship at St. Joseph’s. On Sundays, the church staffs a nursery for those under the age of five who prefer that environment to the church. We currently have no formal children’s Christian formation program, but the church is open to establishing one. If you feel called to help begin this ministry, let’s talk about it! Choir member/musician: Under the direction of the organist-music director, choir members and musicians lead the congregation in worshipping God through music on Sundays and other feast and fast days. Choir members and musicians do not have to be able to read music. Cook/food preparation: Makes food to share in a variety of settings. Examples include: fellowship time after church; the supper preceding the healing Eucharist on the second Wednesday of each month; special feast days (e.g. dinner after the Christmas Eve service); to deliver to church members and friends who are ill or grieving, or who have recently welcomed a child; to share at the hospitality house hosted by some church members at 920 Ninth Street; to deliver to Urban Ministries of Durham. Daily Office leader: Officiates at Morning and/or Evening Prayer. Morning Prayer is followed by breakfast, which the officiant and other participants heat, serve, and then enjoy along with whoever is present. Training is provided once or twice a year, and a minimum commitment of leading two services a month is expected. Episcopal Relief and Development Representative: Serves as a liaison between Episcopal Relief and Development (a ministry of the national church) and St. Joseph’s, and co-ordinates support at St. Joseph’s for ERD’s efforts. Fellowship co-ordinator: Maintains the sign-up sheet for members and friends to bring food for fellowship time on Sundays and other feast days. Flower Guild member: Provides flowers (cut from their garden, or purchased) and arranges them for the altar, or gives them to the Altar Guild to arrange. Interested persons should co-ordinate with the chair of the Altar Guild. House and grounds maintenance, cleaning, gardening: Work is done from time to time, e.g. on church clean-up days, and anyone may participate. New gardening or maintenance projects (e.g. playground renovation, accessibility ramps, bicycle racks) may be initiated after consultation with the clergy and vestry. Lay eucharistic minister (LEM): Also known as acolytes, lay eucharistic ministers assist clergy during the Eucharist on Sundays and other feast and fast days. They carry the cross, serve the cup, and perform other functions as needed. Training is provided once or twice a year. Children aged 8 and older may participate in this ministry. Lay eucharistic minister co-ordinator: Maintains the schedule of LEMs and ensures all services have a LEM if needed. Lay eucharistic visitor (LEV): Brings Communion to persons who, due to illness or other unavoidable constraints, cannot participate in the regular celebration of the Eucharist. Training is provided once or twice a year for new ministers, who are aged 18 or over. Lay preacher: Members and friends with at least two years’ theological training may be invited by the vicar, and licensed by the diocese, to preach from time to time. Ninth Street neighbors representative: Takes part in monthly meetings of Ninth Street neighbors, an informal group with members from St. Joseph’s, Blacknall Presbyterian Church, Housing for New Hope, and other interested parties. The group focuses on how best to build relationships within our neighborhood, especially with the poor and homeless among us. Parish administration and liturgical support: As St. Joseph’s has no paid administrative staff, laypersons perform a variety of support ministries, e.g.: writing and submitting the annual parochial report to the diocese; communicating with the Mission Resource Support Team (MRST); writing the Prayers of the People for the Sunday Eucharist; making and copying worship bulletins. These tasks could be divided among a few lay ministers. Prayer chain co-ordinator: Copies the weekly list of worshippers’ intercessions and thanksgivings, and forwards it by e-mail or telephone to members of St. Joseph’s who have committed to including those prayers in their daily devotions. Prayer chain member: Receives the weekly list of worshippers’ intercessions and thanksgivings, and includes them in their daily prayers. Reader/intercessor: Reads the Old Testament lesson or Epistle, or leads the Prayers of the People, at the Eucharist. New members may join at any time with approval of the vicar. Readers/intercessors co-ordinator: Maintains the schedule of readers and intercessors, and ensures all services are covered. Receptionist: This ministry is currently unstaffed, and could begin at any time. Ministers would pledge to be present at St. Joseph’s one morning or afternoon a week, to receive visitors, answer the telephone, sort mail, and otherwise serve as the face of St. Joseph’s. Sexton: Cleans the church and parish hall, and may participate in parish-wide “clean-up days” from time to time. This ministry may be shared by more than one person. Transportation: Provides rides occasionally for members and friends of St. Joseph’s who need this support, e.g. to attend church, go to medical appointments, or do errands. Usher/greeter: These ministers are the first faces visitors see when they arrive at St. Joseph’s. Ushers greet worshippers as they arrive and offer any needed assistance (e.g. finding a seat, the nursery, or the restroom; identifying the Book of Common Prayer or the hymnal). They perform certain roles during the Eucharist (e.g. counting the number present, taking the offering). After the service, one usher may accompany visitors to fellowship, while the other tidies the church (e.g. putting prayer books back in the pew racks). Ushers/greeters co-ordinator: Maintains the schedule of ushers, and ensures all services are covered. Verger: The verger performs a ministry of liturgical assistance to the clergy in the ordering of public services of worship. Verger duties may include leading processions, co-ordinating readers, LEMs, and intercessors, or serving as a liaison between clergy and the altar guild (particularly for special services such as weddings and funerals). Duties can change over time as the needs of the church change. Vestry member: The vestry is made up of 3 to 9 members, elected from among from among the church's confirmed adult (aged 16 or over) active members. Vestry members serve for 3 years. Together with the clergy, and in consultation with the congregation, the vestry sets local policy for St. Joseph’s and discerns the direction its ministries may take. The vestry is responsible for the financial and legal affairs of St. Joseph’s, e.g. writing the church’s annual budget and presenting it to the congregation. The vestry meets for two hours once a month, and for a full day mutual ministry review twice a year. Members of St. Joseph’s (and friends, with vestry permission) may attend vestry meetings; parts of meetings may be closed for an “executive session,” e.g. dealing with personnel or pastoral matters. Vestry officers: All vestry officers are elected annually at the first vestry meeting after the St. Joseph’s annual meeting. Senior warden: The senior warden (“vicar’s warden”) is nominated by the vicar, and his/her election is confirmed by the vestry. The senior warden is a voice for the theological, spiritual, and financial health of St. Joseph’s; may serve as liaison between the vicar and the congregation; and may perform some ministries (e.g. chairing vestry meetings, communicating with the diocesan office) in the vicar’s absence. If the vicar is incapacitated, the senior warden represents St. Joseph’s, in consultation with the deacon and the junior warden. Junior warden: The junior warden (“people’s warden”) is nominated and elected by the vestry. The junior warden is a voice for the theological, spiritual, and financial health of St. Joseph’s, and may serve as liaison between the vicar and the congregation. She or he pays particular attention to the maintenance of the church buildings and grounds, and co-ordinates church members’ work in that area. Clerk: The clerk keeps the minutes of vestry meetings and distributes them to the vestry and the congregation. He or she may remind the vestry and congregation of the dates and times of vestry meetings and mutual ministry reviews. The clerk does not have to be a member of the vestry. Treasurer: The treasurer is responsible for overseeing financial matters such as keeping the church accounts, paying the bills, and hiring an accountant to perform the annual audit. She or he makes a monthly financial report to the vestry and, together with the clergy and wardens, drafts the annual budget for the vestry to discuss and modify as needed. The treasurer does not have to be a member of the vestry. Web minister: Maintains the church web site in consultation with the clergy; has a particular responsibility for making sure information on the web site is up to date and presented in an accessible and readable way. Weekly update writer: Sends one message a week, on Sunday or Monday, to the church e-mail list. The message includes the weekly calendar, upcoming events, messages from clergy, and other items of interest to church members and friends. |
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