A
Manual for Acolytes
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From the Open Files of: |
NW Synod of Wisconsin Resource Center (715) 833-1153 |
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Contributed by: |
St. John's Lutheran Church, Eau Claire, WI |
A Manual for Acolytes You are joining the ranks of those who have
helped with the worship service since the year 250
A.D. The word acolyte means a "companion" or "one
who helps." In accepting this position you will be
serving as a companion or helper to your pastor:
performing a number of important functions before,
during, and at the close of the worship service.
Read the following pages carefully so that you will
know exactly what you are to do, when you are to do
it, and how you are to do it properly! ACOLYTE VOCABULARY ACOLYTE means "companion" or "one who
helps." An acolyte helps the pastor perform various
tasks in the worship service. ADVENT means "coming." It is the first
season of the church year. It's the time before
Christmas when we prepare for the coming of Jesus.
There are four Sundays in Advent. ADVENT WREATH has five candles which are
lit during the Advent season. One candle is lit on
the 1st Sunday in Advent, two on the 2nd, and so
on. The first candle stands for the prophecy of
Jesus' coming; it's lit in anticipation. The second
candle stands for Bethlehem where Jesus was born;
it's lit in longing for Christmas. The third candle
is the Shepherd's candle; lit in judgment. The
fourth is the angel's candle; it's lit in
fulfillment of the Scriptures. The fifth candle is
the Christ candle, which is lit on Christmas
Eve. ALTAR is the table at the front of the
church. It is a reminder of the family table. God's
family gathers around the symbolic table. It also
recalls the sacrifice of God's Son. When facing the
altar, the left side is called the Gospel side. The
right side is called the Epistle side. In the early
church, the lector (reader) read the Gospel from
the left side of the altar and the Epistle from the
right side. CANDLELIGHTER is used by an acolyte to
light candles. It consists of a taper or wick from
which the candles are lighted, and a bell for
snuffing out the flame. CASSOCK is a red robe reaching the
ankles, worn by an acolyte underneath his/her
cotta. CHANCEL is the area in the church
building where the pastor leads the worship
service. The altar is in the chancel, as is the
railing where people commune. -3- CHRIST CANDLE is the fifth candle of the
Advent wreath, lit on Christmas Eve. It stands in
the middle of the other four candles, reminding us
that Christ is the center of Christmas and of our
lives. CHURCH YEAR is a 12-month cycle of
Christian celebration. The first season is Advent
which prepares for Christmas when Jesus was born.
Epiphany is the next season, beginning when the
three Wisemen see the Christ Child, including
Jesus' baptism and the beginning of his ministry.
Lent follows Epiphany and recalls Jesus' suffering
for us. It is a time to think about baptism and
rebirth in preparation for Easter, a seven-week
festival which starts when Jesus rises from the
dead. The Day of Pentecost and The Season after
Pentecost are celebrations of the Holy Spirit
active in the life of the Church. EUCHARIST is a Greek word meaning
"thanksgiving." It is another word for Holy
Communion, the Lord's Supper. EWER is the pitcher of water a pastor
uses to fill the Baptismal font. FONT is the bowl or basin from which
water is taken during the sacrament of Baptism. NAVE is the section in the church
building where the congregation sits. OFFERING is taken at a time in the
service when the members of a church offer gifts to
God in the form of money. Ushers usually pass
offering plates through the pews in which members
place their money. REVERENCE THE CROSS means to say a short
prayer or pause momentarily in respect for the
cross, and the sacrifice our Lord made on the
cross. SACRAMENTS are the church rites
(ceremonies) which use earthly elements and God's
Word to bring his blessing. The two Lutheran
sacraments are Baptism and Holy Communion. The
earthly element in Baptism is water and in Holy
Communion it is bread and wine. SACRISTY is the room where the
participants in the service &endash; the pastor,
lector, acolyte, and others &endash; prepare for
the service. TAPER is the long wax stem in a
candlelighter, used to light the candles. It's also
called a wick. TURN INWARD is a direction given which
reminds acolytes to always turn toward the cross
when turning around in the chancel area. VESTMENTS is a general name for clothing
worn by those who participate in worship services
(cassocks, cottas, etc.). BEFORE THE SERVICE Arrive at least ten minutes before the service
begins. Have your hair combed, hands and
fingernails clean. Dress neatly &endash; preferably
no tennis shoes or blue jeans. No running around after you are robed! And no
gum chewing!! Check the candlelighter to determine whether its
wick is long enough. Hold it with your right hand
near the bottom and your left hand near the knob
which regulates the wick. Hold the candlelighter in
front of you, tipped slightly forward, with the
bell pointing toward you. Use matching candlelighters when there are two
acolytes. Walk in a dignified, unhurried manner. -8- LIGHTING THE CANDLES At the opening of the chancel railing, pause to
reverence the cross by bowing the head. Starting with the left foot first, walk up the
steps to the altar. When there are two acolytes,
ascend the steps together. The acolyte on the left lights the candlelighter
from the Everlasting flame by extending the
wick. Light the candles from the cross out. When there
are two acolytes, light them at the same time. LIGHTING ORDER LIGHTING ORDER If there are candelabras on the floor, light the
candelabra next in the same order as shown for the
branch candlesticks. The acolyte on the left side of the altar lights
the Christ Candle (or Advent Wreath). After lighting the candles, pull the wick into
the stem, snuffing out the flame. Then push the
wick out again. Exit on the Epistle side of the
altar. Lean the candlesticks by the post by the
step. Actively participate in the entire worship
service: standing and sitting when the congregation
does. No whispering, giggling or talking!! INDIVIDUAL CUP COMMUNION Follow the pastor's instructions. EXTINGUISHING THE CANDLES After the clergy have given the Benediction and
left the chancel, pick up the candlelighter, face
bell away from you, go to the altar, reverence
cross, and ascend the steps. When there are two acolytes, move directly to
front of candles 1 and 2, and extinguish them at
the same time. If there is only one acolyte, extinguish candles
from Gospel side of the altar starting with candles
#1-7, then go to the Epistle side and extinguish
candles #1-7. EXTINGUISHING ORDER EXTINGUISHING ORDER If there are candelabra on the floor, they are
extinguished before any candles on the altar have
been extinguished. The Christ Candle or Advent wreath is put out
last. Upon completion of this task, go to the Altar
Guild Room (single file, when there are two
acolytes). Put candlelighter in designated place. Remove robe, and carefully hang vestments
away. If vestments need cleaning, notify a member of
the Altar Guild or leave on the cupboard.
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