St. John the Evangelist Church
Rev. Lance Gonyo, Pastor
55 Martha Street, Spencerport, NY 14559
(p) 585•352•5481     Email Us: sstjohnc@dor.org



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Altar Server Training Guidelines
Order of Mass | Serving Procedures | Glossary | St. Tarcisius

There are NEW altar server guidelines in place as of November 15, 2007.

If you have any questions or need training, please contact Mr. Tyler Eichas at 392-1548.

The Order of Mass
Since servers are very important ministers of the celebration, you need to be familiar with the order of mass.

Introductory Rites

• Procession. Usually done from the back of the church down the center aisle.
• Greeting.
• Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water. Replaces Penitential Rite during Easter Season.
• Penitential Rite. We say the Confiteor or Lord Have Mercy.
• Gloria. This hymn is sung or said on all Sundays outside of Lent and Advent.
• Opening Prayer.

• First Reading. Read by the a lector, usually from the Old Testament.
• Responsorial Psalm. Led by the cantor (song leader).
• Second Reading. Read by a lector, usually from the New Testament.
• Gospel Acclamation. Sung.
• Gospel. Taken from one of the Gospels, it is read by the priest or deacon.
• Homily.
• Profession of Faith.
• General Intercessions. We also call these the Prayer of the Faithful.

• Preparation of the Gifts.
• Eucharistic Prayer. The parts of the Eucharistic prayer are: the Holy, Holy; the Institution; the Memorial Acclamation; the Great Amen.
• Communion Rite. This begins with the Our Father and ends with the Prayer after Communion.

• Brief Announcements.
• Greeting and Blessing.
• Recessional. The ministers leave in procession, departing the sanctuary area in the order in which they entered.

Serving Procedures at Sunday Eucharist

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before Mass!

Server Training Review Updated 11/15/07 (new items are underlined)

Captain

1. Assist Sacristan - Mass setup - offer to help.
2. Greet servers - alb & cincture go on, sign in - go over responsibilities - be as fair as possible.
3. Five minutes before Mass, ring tower bell (or assign a server to do it) 8-10 rings.
4. Find 2 servers to stand during communion on sides of the Celebrant - other 2 will kneel.
5. If servers don't show, recruit substitutes from congregation to fill in at last minute. Share duties among the servers that are there if no one else available. 2 - just candles; 3 - cross too.
6. Walk hands folded behind candle bearers in procession - make sure servers are ready if team of four.  Go to right and wait to bow with Father before going up ramp.
7. Hold Red Sacramentary for Father for Opening Prayer and Closing Prayer.
8. After intercessions, chalice, paten, wine glasses (in diagonal row) and big Sacramentary - left side. Help with gifts with the other server.
9. Stand near credence table to assist server.  Have server stand by Father’s chair with bowl and towel while you clear empty wine decanter.  Then help server wash Father’s hands.  All walk behind backdrop.  Make sure bells are in place.
10. Make sure Father's chalice is left on the altar until he purifies it after communion. Have somebody ready to bring the water to Father after communion.  Then clear altar of items.
11. Smoothly lead servers during Mass, all acting reverent. Non-verbal signals, positive help for new servers.
12. Assist Father before, during or after Mass and be a positive leader for the "team" of servers.

Server Duties to be Shared (Ask Captain if you want to try something new-they can help you):

1. Carry lit candles for procession, gospel, gifts (walking together) and recessional behind cross if more than two servers. Try not to carry gifts, ask people to carry gifts and follow you. Candles follow the cross right up in processional now and go to bench after candles are placed in front of the ambo.
2. After gifts come forward: candle bearers return candles to back of altar, other server assists Captain in helping Father put gifts on altar and holds bowl and towel by Father’s chair as the Captain puts the empty wine decanter on credence table, then help Captain wash Father’s hands. All kneel during the Eucharistic prayer on carpet in front of your seat-hands folded and up.
3. Either stand with hands folded on sides of Father during communion or kneel (2 stand, 0-2 kneel).  To make things smoother-two candle bearers move down ramp next to ambo before Father steps up to ambo, as soon as Father steps up to ambo, the shorter server steps forward and takes the lower candle and stands on the altar facing the ambo and choir area and the taller server takes the upper candle and stands back on the ramp facing the ambo.
4. Lead opening procession and closing recessional with cross.  Cross goes right up in the processional now.
5. While kneeling, ring the bells three times: (a) after Holy, Holy, Holy, when Father extends hands over bread and wine (look to Captain for help on this one-listen also); (b) when Father elevates bread and stops prayer; (c) when Father elevates cup and stops prayer.
6. Bring Father the water after communion so he can purify his chalice.  Then help Captain clear items from altar.
7. Sign in when you arrive.

What to do if no Captain shows up:
The server with the greatest number of years of service becomes the Captain for this Mass; if equal then age (see experience/age chart).

1. Try to find server(s) from congregation to make up team of 4 if possible.
2. Follow the above info and the guidelines below, go over roles for all servers before Mass.
3. Make sure all duties are covered and that all are acting reverent.

New Serving Procedures in place July 21, 2007 and updated on November 15, 2007 are as follows:

Preparation:

1. Captain leads for sign-in on sheet, putting on alb (robe)/cincture (cord) and cross, finding subs, choosing roles.
2. Make sure cross and candles are in server room in back of church. Light candles just before Mass.
3. Ring tower bell 5 minutes before Mass begins (8-10 times).

Procession:

1. Line up: Cross bearer, then Candle-bearers side-by-side, followed by Captain with hands folded.
2. Lead procession slowly to altar. Take your time!
3. CHANGE: Cross bearer continues up on altar and places cross, Candle bearers follow and place candles in front of ambo. Captain will move in front of ramp and bows when Father reverences the altar.
4. All stand at the bench with hands folded and up.  Captain has Sacramentary ready to go as soon as Father is ready.

Opening Prayer:  Captain opens and holds little Red Sacramentary for Father. Open to page marked with ribbon.

Presentation and Preparation of Gifts:

1. Candle bearers: Immediately after General Intercessions, when people sit, pick up candles and process down center aisle to the Gifts Table in back of church. Lead procession back to sanctuary. Place holders in back of sanctuary upon returning.
2. Cross bearer and Captain: Immediately after General Intercessions, when people sit, set up altar with chalice (Father's cup) in the center of the corporal (small square white cloth), paten (Father's plate) in front of chalice, and big Sacramentary on left. Place 4 communion cups on altar in a diagonal row so it is easy for Father to fill them. Go to steps and wait with Father to receive gifts.
3. Father will hand Bread and Wine. Set them on altar. Cross Bearer takes bowl and towel and stands near Father’s chair with Captain:

• Captain takes Wine decanter and stopper to credence table when Father is finished pouring the wine.

• Both Captain and Cross Bearer move forward to wash Father’s hands just before he is ready.

• The water is taken off the altar and the bowl is held on the right side.

• The server with the towel is on the left side.  When Father hands server the towel, both return to credence table, and then to the bench.

Eucharistic Prayer:

1. After the Holy, Holy, Holy, when Father extends his hands over the bread and wine, kneeling server will ring the bells once. Captain helps.
2. When Father elevates the bread, the server will ring the bells once.
3. When Father elevates the chalice, the server will ring the bells once. Ring bells by turning the wrist about 6 times-loud is okay.

Our Father Prayer:

1. Move closer to Father to join hands; hold hands with the music ministers also.
2. Stay in place, share the Sign of Peace with Father and the ministers of communion.

Holy Communion:

1. When the Ministers of Communion line up at the back of the sanctuary, servers stand with them to receive Communion.
2. Two servers will walk out after Father and stand reverently with hands folded on sides of Father/other Minister.
3. Captain and other server will kneel in front of their seats until after communion and be ready to bring water to Father.

After Communion:

1. When Father is ready, server brings Father water to purify chalice. Clear chalice after.
2. Captain takes Father little Sacramentary for Prayer after Communion and Final Blessing.

1. When Father starts to go to the steps: The Cross-bearer gets the cross; the Candle bearers get the candles.
2. Ready to process as cross, candles together, and Captain with hands folded.
3. Father bows, all servers turn and slowly lead procession to back of church.

1. Go into server room and get changed - hang alb/cincture/cross neatly. See if anyone needs help.
2. Blow out candles and put them and the cross in the server room. 11am Mass-return cross and candles to altar positions. Say “goodbye” to everyone.

Altar Server's Glossary of Terms

Ambo / Pulpit. The lectern at which the Scripture readings are proclaimed by a lector, deacon, or priest.

Ambry. A cabinet which holds the holy oils for Baptism, Confirmation, and the Sacrament of the Sick, etc.; usually next to the baptismal font.

Aspergillum / Sprinkler. The "wand" which is used to sprinkle people with holy water.

Baptismal Font. A stand with a basin or pool containing water in the area of church where Baptism takes place.

Book of Gospels. The book which contains the Gospel readings. It is usually carried in procession and placed on the altar.

Chalice. The cup used by the priest which contains the wine / blood of Christ. Chalices can be made of metal, wood, or ceramic.

Ciborium. The bowl which holds the hosts and is stored (when full with consecrated hosts) in the tabernacle. They The ciborium can be made of metal, wood, ceramic, or other materials. Ciboria is the plural form of ciborium.

Communion Cups. Goblets used for the distribution of Holy Communion.

Corporal. The large, square white cloth which is placed on the altar underneath the chalice and platen.

Credence Table. The table on which are placed the cruets, chalice, lavabo bowl, Communion Cups, etc.

Cruets. The glass containers which hold wine and water. At Sunday liturgies a large pitcher or decanter is used for the wine.

Incense Boat. The small brass bowl that holds the incense.

Lavabo Bowl. The dish or bowl in which the priest washes hi hands during Mass.

Lectionary. The book which contains the Scripture readings.

Lector. A person who reads the Scriptures during Mass.

Minister of Communion. A person who helps distribute the Body and Blood of Christ.

Paschal Candle. The tall candle which is blessed and used during the Easter season, baptisms, and funerals.

Paten. The plate that holds the large host.

Presider's Chair (Celebrant's Chair). The chair in which the priest sits.

Sanctuary. The area of church which contains the altar, ambo, and presider's chair.

Processional Cross / Crucifix. The cross / crucifix carried in processions.

Purificator. The folded, narrow cloth that is used to wipe the rim of the Communion Cups as people drink from it.

Pyx. The small metal container which is used to hold consecrated host(s) when visiting the sick or homebound.

Sacramentary. The book that contains the various prayers of the Mass. We use a small Sacramentary at the Presider's chair and the large Sacramentary at the altar.

Sacristan. The person whose ministry is the care of the sacristy, sanctuary, vestments, sacred vessels, etc.

Tabernacle. The large metal or wood container in the church which holds the consecrated hosts. A candle Sanctuary Lamp is left burning at all times by the tabernacle.

Thurible / Censer. The metal container hung by a chain that holds charcoal and is used to burn incense.

Thurifer. The person who carries the thurible and incense boat.

St. Tarcisius
Patron Saint of Altar Servers