Chalice Bearer Training Manual (Includes Acolyte Training)
Table of Contents
Table of Contents......
Levite Team (Sunday Service Team)......
Purpose of the Levite Team......
Goal of the Levite Team......
BCP Catechism Support for the Levite Team......
Our Christian Service as Worship......
Positions Inside the Levite Team (Sunday Servers)......
Scheduling of the Levite Team......
Arrival Sign-In & Prayer......
Timekeeping for the Levite Team......
“Quiet Time”......
Sunday Service Style Distinctions......
8:30 Service (Traditional Service)......
Distinctives of the 8:30 Service......
10:45 Service (Blended Family Service)......
Distinctives of the 10:45 Service......
Service Style Exceptions & “5th Sundays”......
Chalice Bearers......
Purpose of the Chalice Bearer......
Goal of the Chalice Bearer......
Qualifications of the Chalice Bearer......
Chalice Bearers at The Light of Christ......
Understanding the Eucharist
When to Arrive…Where to Sign-in…What to do upon Arrival......
In-Service Instruction, Behavior, and Dress......
Service Distinctions......
Vesting......
Piety, Bowing, or “Reverencing the Altar”......
Number of Chalices and their Purposes......
Chalice Bearer Sunday Service Responsibilities......
What to do at the Processional......
Where to Sit in the Service......
What to do at Communion......
What to do at the Recessional......
Chalice Bearer Sunday Service Timeline......
Acolytes......
Purpose of the Acolyte......
Goal of the Acolyte......
History of the Acolyte......
Qualifications of the Acolyte......
Acolytes at The Light of Christ......
Torchbearer: What is that?......
Crucifer: What is that?......
Scheduling of the Acolytes......
Acolyte General Responsibilities......
When to Arrive…Where to Sign In…What to do upon Arrival......
In-Service Instruction, Behavior, and Dress......
Service Distinctions......
Acolyte Sunday Service Responsibilities......
About Altar Candles and other Seasonal Candles (Torchbearer)......
The Cross (Crucifer): Where is it? How do I carry it?......
What to do During the Processional......
Where to Sit During the Service......
What to do at the Gospel Reading......
What to do at the Offering......
What to do During Communion......
What to do at the Recessional......
Acolyte Service Timeline......
Chalice Bearer Team Leader Responsibilities......
Recruiting Your Team......
Scheduling of Your Team......
Training and Licensure is Required for All Chalice Bearers......
Mentoring: Raising Up Your Replacement......
Communication and Feedback is Critical to Success......
Clergy/Steering Committee Oversight Meeting Biannually......
Sunday Morning Responsibilities......
Prayer for Your Team is a Must......
A Word on Budgeting......
Time Commitment......
Levite Team (Sunday Service Team)
Purpose of the Levite Team
As a kingdom of priests (1 Peter 2:4-9), we carry on the Levitical tradition of performing the duties associated with the leading of worship services.
“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. They shall perform the duties for him and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle. They shall also keep all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, along with the duties of the sons of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.’” (Numbers 3:5-8 NAS)
Goal of the Levite Team
To help lead the congregation into meaningful, reverent, and holy worship by ensuring that all aspects related to the service that are within human control, are handled in a manner that glorifies God, edifies the believers, and inspires worship among the team members.
BCP Catechism Support for the Levite Team[1]
- Who are the ministers of the Church?
- The ministers of the Church are laypersons, bishops, priests, and deacons.
- What is the ministry of the laity?
A. The ministry of the lay person is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given to them, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church.
In other words, laypersons are ministers; they are even the first listed. Part of the ministry of the layperson is to serve the Church according to their gifts. Service is God’s design for all ministers. God designed serving as an act of worship, performing tasks motivated by the Gospel and love of one’ neighbor, to glorify and honor Him.
Our Christian Service as Worship
For many churches the term worship has become synonymous with singing, perhaps with a particular emphasis upon those songs that either exalt God, or which express our devotion to him; these are entirely valid methods of worship. However, to restrict our notion of worship to music alone is to take a narrow view of the Scriptures.
In fact, according to St. Paul, broadly speaking, all of life is worship, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1 NIV) In other words, all that Christians say, think, and do, including our service, are opportunities for us to worship God.
In a more narrow sense, we speak of worship as offering our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving in the Sunday service. Since Jesus Christ was the final sacrifice for our sins, our praises and prayers become our sacrifices, suitable for the one who has done what we cannot do for ourselves.
But what about our Christian service to our church and to our fellowship of believers? Can that be considered worship, or is it just a matter of everyone having to do his or her part? Is it just an obligation or commitment we have to keep so that the church continues to function, or is it rather, an offering to God? Well, consider that service to our church and fellow parishioners is an integral part of your worship as Christians.
There are a number of Greek words that our English Bibles translate worship. However there is one that we need to highlight, and if we grasp it firmly, it will help us see that our Christian service to the worshipping community is a spiritual act of worship; it is much more than just helping out around the church.
The word is latreia. At first glance this word is not directly tied to worship. It really means to serve as a menial, and the KJV renders the term “serve” or “service” more often that not. However close examination reveals that latreia is intricately tied to the notion of worship. When the Lord introduced the word in Matthew, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only”(Matthew 4:10 NIV), we find that worship is outwardly manifested by service (latreia). We also find as we head through Acts and the Epistles that we are called out to serve (latreia) God.
Any temptation to view our latreia, or service, as purely physical or as practical necessity is resisted by the Bible. In Acts 24:14, the word is used for a belief in the Bible. In Philippians 3:3, it is explicitly stated that the latreia is spiritual. We therefore see that our worship of God is to result in our physical service of him (consequently our fellow believers too) and that even our most routine service is considered to be opportunity for spiritual worship.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your faithful service. It is a bold and powerful witness. We hope that you will see your service to the church as an act of worship, that you will sense the Lord’s presence, that you will develop the gifts God has given you for service in his church, and be as blessed by your time and preparation as we are for having you serve with us.
Positions Inside the Levite Team (Sunday Servers)
- Sunday Clergy
- Altar Guild
- Chalice Bearers
- Acolytes
- Ushers
- Greeters
- Connectors (This Position Not Yet Developed)
- Lectors (Lay Readers)
- Prayers of the People
- In-Service Prayer Ministers
- Audio Visual (A/V) Techs
- Musicians
- Coffee Hosts
Scheduling of the Levite Team
Either your team leader (he or she may delegate that responsibility to another team member) or the Sunday Service Scheduler will schedule the above Levite Team positions. If for any reason you cannot make your scheduled time, please cover that shift and let both the team leader and the Sunday Service Scheduler know so that it will appear correctly on the Sunday morning schedule in the main office. Your team leader will provide you with an updated team directory on a regular basis.
Arrival Sign-In & Prayer
Please be sure to note that Levite Team position description has a designated arrival time. All Levite team members, except the music team, are to sign-in in the main office. With the exception of the music team, ushers, and greeters, all others are to regroup in the office five minutes before the service starts for prayer. This is a very important time to help us refocus for worship after we have been so busy making sure things are in order.
Timekeeping for the Levite Team
The official service clock is located inside the sanctuary, right above the sound booth. Please synchronize your watches by this clock upon arrival if you are serving in a time sensitive position.
“Quiet Time”
10 minutes before the start of each service, TLC institutes “quiet time.” It is a time for prayer, reflection, and preparation of worship. When the acolytes light the candles that is our cue that we have entered this sacred time. Please be sure to finish all tasks before then.
Sunday Service Style Distinctions
When serving, it is important to be aware of the distinctives of each service. Our dress, demeanor, expression of piety, and audiences are different in each service. For the sake of those present, please be aware of the differences and objectives of each service. Most Levite Team job descriptions have a set of instructions for each service under their respective headings.
8:30 Service (Traditional Service)
The 8:30 service is designed to be a formal prayer book service. Our aim is to provide those who come from a traditional (or Anglo-Catholic) background, are drawn to a higher church experience, and who appreciate the richness of the liturgy with a worship service that deeply satisfies their soul. The time goal for the service is 1 hour, particularly with the institution of the Sunday school time slot immediately following this service.
Distinctives of the 8:30 Service
- Traditional 1979 BCP liturgy
- Formal procession and recession
- 4 Scripture readings
- Traditional hymns
- Genuflection, bowing at the passing of the cross, crossing oneself, reverencing the altar, etc.
- Prayer forms
- Kneeling
- Presenting of bread and wine by the ushers for Communion
- Vestments worn by clergy, acolytes, and chalice bearers
- Chasuble worn during Communion
10:45 Service (Blended Family Service)
The 10:45 service is a service designed to be more accessible to newcomers and those that do not come from a liturgical background, satisfying to those who desire a more spontaneity in their worship, and we hope that it provides a relaxed atmosphere in which children are freer to be children. The time goal for the service is 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Distinctives of the 10:45 Service
- Looser liturgies drawn from all over the Anglican Communion with looser, contemporary, and shorter wording
- Informal procession and recession
- Number of Scripture readings may vary
- Blended music (traditional hymns and contemporary) and more music
- Personal piety not expressed as much as in first service (genuflection, bowing at the passing of the cross, crossing oneself, reverencing the altar, etc.)
- Free-form prayer, typically led by laity, with longer time given to respond privately or aloud.
- Bread and wine already by the altar on the credence table
- Vestments are not worn during the season of Pentecost (Ordinary Time, reaching from the first Sunday after Pentecost to the first Sunday before Advent).
Service Style Exceptions & “5th Sundays”
At TLC, we desire a certain amount of flexibility in our services. While what is written above for both services is the norm, we will do our best to communicate any changes in the service well in advance, but always double check upon arrival.
Please remember, four times a year, on 5th Sundays of the month (except when it falls on a major liturgical day), TLC will be taking a break from the normal Sunday service routine, perhaps switching to a modified Morning Prayer service, which may, or may not include Communion. We would use sermon time to highlight something of parish-wide importance, issue a call to prayer, or whatever else the need might be at the season. Plans for 5th Sundays vary, so it is difficult to tell you now what will be in store then. Again, we will do our best to notify you in advance of any changes, but 5th Sundays are definitely a time you will want to verify service distinction and procedure.
In the following pages, you will find descriptions and supplemental material for each position in the Levite Team.
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Chalice Bearers
Purpose of the Chalice Bearer
The chalice bearers assist the clergy in the celebration of the Eucharist by serving the chalice to those taking Communion.
Goal of the Chalice Bearer
To help provide and environment where worship may be celebrated with reverence, awe, and dignity while allowing for full worship participation by believers. It is also intended that this Christian service will aid the chalice bearer in his or her quest for spiritual maturity and the discovery of his or her spiritual gifts.
Qualifications of the Chalice Bearer
A Chalice Bearer must be confirmed, regular in participating in the worship of the church, and in receiving Communion. Those who are not confirmed are urged to seek confirmation as soon as possible.
He/she must be active in the support of the parish and shall have received training for the position. Chalice bearers shall be licensed upon completion of training. The Chalice Bearer license gives the lay person permission to "... Administer the Chalice at celebrations of the Holy Eucharist…” The Bishop, upon written request by the Rector of the parish, issues these licenses.
Candidates must be willing, sincere, prompt, dressed appropriately for altar service, regular in attendance, alert to instruction, and cooperative. Chalice bearers are expected to regard their office and assignments seriously, as a commitment of talent and time in the Lord’s service; it is a holy responsibility. It is very important for chalice bearers to know the order of service and liturgical terminology as well as their particular assignments.
Chalice Bearers at The Light of Christ
We desire to schedule acolytes at both Sunday services, however, a chalice bearer fills all the roles of an acolyte when none is available. Therefore, it is imperative that the chalice bearer has also been trained in the role of acolyte. On such occasion as there is no acolyte, but multiple chalice bearers, it is up to the chalice bearers present to decide which person will also act as the acolyte. The roles of the acolytes (torchbearer and crucifer) may be split up among multiple chalice bearers so long as each chalice bearer knows his or her responsibilities before the service starts.
Understanding the Eucharist
In the Eucharist, God becomes present to us in the elements by the power of the Holy Spirit. You are a part of the workings of this sacred time. Therefore, we hope you will take a moment to consider something about that which you are playing a part.
The tradition of the Eucharist comes to us from the Old Testament Passover meal. At the beginning of the meal, the head of the family took the bread, gave thanks and distributed it. At the end of meal, the head of the family would take the cup of wine, say a blessing over it and everyone drank from the one cup. The Passover meal celebrated God’s deliverance of the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt and his provision, while anticipating abundant feasting in the Holy Land.
If you will recall, it is at a Passover meal that Jesus institutes the Eucharist. “Eucharist” is Greek word meaning thanksgiving. We often speak of it as a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. We praise God for our deliverance out of sin, as Jesus is the Passover Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, for God’s provision, and all while looking forward to the Marriage Feast of the Lamb, the new heavens and new earth, or in other words, our Holy Land.
In the early church, they had an agape, or fellowship, meal after the service. As that began to be abused by the rich and powerful, the Eucharist later became its own meal.
The Eucharist uses concrete visible signs, the bread and wine, in an act of praise and thanksgiving that represents an inward and spiritual grace. Bread and wine are the signs of the body and blood and are a source of spiritual nourishment that confirms the Word of God preached and strengthens and sustains our relationship with God, as are the church community when it gathers, sings, and prays.