Guidance Notes for Sidesmen and Women
Holy Trinity Bosham
Guidance notes for sidesmen and women
Please arrive at the church 40 minutes before the service starts. The senior sidesman or woman will discuss duties with the team. If the senior sidesman does not show up then the team should carry on with the setup procedures until the duty warden arrives.
Before the congregation arrives:
1. Put on name badge.
2. Check the service boards are out at both North and South doors.
3. Check that there is a Hi Vis waistcoat at the south and north doors.
4. Switch on hot air curtain in cold weather.
5. Check the pew sheet for baptisms, reserve pew spaces if necessary.
6. Prepare service booklets and pew sheets for distribution.
7. Set up the wafer table.
8. Check the sound system is on.
9. Check lectern, test the mike and ensure that the correct reading is on the lectern.
10. Set up and test the pulpit mike.
11. Coordinate with choir re hanging hymn boards. Check hymn numbers are correct.
12. Collect rug from the North West corner and place in family area.
13. Switch the crypt lights to ‘crèche’.
14. Collect collection bags from the sacristy.
15. Ensure that each team member knows their emergency stations.
As the congregation arrives:
1. Smile and welcome guests as you would a guest to your house.
2. Hand out service sheets and booklets.
3. Use clickers to count separately children and adults as they arrive.
4. Invite children to join in the Sunday school and crèche and show them where to go.
5. Check that the wafers continue to be put out on the table.
Before the service starts:
Duty Warden:
Check that the reader, intercessor and laymocs are present. Ask two people to take the elements to the altar and brief them so that they know what to do.
Senior Sidesman:
Take the ciborium to the Fishbourne altar and move the wafer table to one side.
Check that the wine is ready on the Fishbourne altar.
Look for people who need communion taken to them; tell the duty laymocs.
During the service
1. Ensure that team members spread themselves between the pew blocks and ensure that you sit on aisle seats.
2. Look for late arrivals who are not regular worshippers; give them service papers and show them to a seat.
3. Take the collection to the altar and ask a member of the congregation (preferably a youngster, but can be adult) to take up the prayer tree.
4. Usher people to the altar for communion.
5. Have one team member take communion straight after the choir and then remain at the bottom of the chancel steps to help the unsteady up and down the steps.
After the service
1. Collect and tidy away the service sheets.
2. Return hymn boards to the sacristy.
3. Return the rug to the north west corner.
4. Switch off the hot air curtain, if applicable.
5. Turn off the sound system’s upper master switch.
6. Return the lectern and pulpit mikes to the sacristy.
7. Take in both Service Boards from outside the South and North doors.
8. Return the crypt lights to the ‘auto’ setting
9. Enjoy a well-deserved cup of tea or coffee.
10. Thank the catering corps, check that they will turn the lights off and lock the Vestry.
11. Ensure that collection has been correctly handled and stow cash in the sacristy floor safe. Check any queries with John Beck.
12. The Duty Warden will make a final check in the building.
In case of emergency
The Sidesmen’s emergency stations are:
1. Tower and Sunday School.
2. South door and crypt
3. North door
4. Quay Meadow
5. Chancel – designated choir member
A churchwarden and/or the senior sidesman will take control and assess the problem. If necessary, call 999 for the emergency service.
The person making that call should stay on the line as long as needed to relay information to the emergency services.
If the whistle sounds, fully open the south and north doors and the chancel door.
Ask people to leave quietly, quickly and in an orderly manner.
A sidesman/churchwarden will ensure that all rooms in the tower are clear of people.
Two sidesmen, each wearing fluorescent waistcoats, should marshal the congregation, one from inside the south door, the other from inside the north door, directing them to the assembly point near the war memorial on Quay Meadow.
A choir member will clear chancel visitors through the chancel door.
A sidesman will go ahead to the assembly point and marshal people there.
The churchwardens will be the last to leave the building.
No one will re-enter the building until cleared to do so by the emergency services or a churchwarden
Above all, use your common sense and courtesy, you’re doing a great job.
Wendy Whittle and Hazel Gillett, churchwardens – February 2016