Prior to my ordination in 1996 I had volunteered in a variety of capacities in my home parish in Holland, Michigan. One of my most rewarding areas of service began in my early 20s when I was inducted into what was then called the “Rector’s Guild.” In the 1970s one had to be invited by the priest to serve in what is now known as the altar guild. It was considered an honor to be asked to assist in preparing the altar for all worship services; in fact, only clergy, eucharistic ministers, acolytes and altar guild members were allowed to step into the sanctuary space. As is common today, we altar guild members were also responsible for laundering and ironing the altar linens and making sure his vestments (only men were priests at that time) were clean and pressed and laid out in the sacristy before each service.
An additional duty was assigned to a few members of our altar guild: serving on the parish worship committee. Along with the rector, organist, choirmaster and heads of various worship ministries (ushers, eucharistic ministers, acolytes, etc.), we met quarterly to plan and review weekly and seasonal liturgies. I very much enjoyed learning from staff and other volunteers about the history of liturgy and music in those meetings, particularly during and following the years of revising the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. We were very fortunate that a member of the national church Standing Liturgical Commission was from our congregation and she kept us well informed/educated throughout the years of trial liturgies.
In the late 1980s our parish was searching for a new rector and we had numerous retired priests presiding at our worship services. They had differing styles of leading worship and varying degrees of familiarity with some of the liturgies in the BCP. At the same time some of us on the worship committee wondered why we had the same discussions every year as we would try to recall the details of seasonal Sunday liturgies and special worship services such as those of Holy Week and Easter. We determined it would be helpful for supply clergy and parish volunteers and staff involved in worship planning to have a spreadsheet that would list the details of our worship services by season.
In addition to listing each liturgical season it included Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Trinity Sunday. Service details noted the seasonal color, preferred frontals and paraments, and any special furnishings such as wreaths during the Christmas season, the paschal candle placement during the Easter season, and whether to use silver or ceramic Eucharistic vessels. It also specified whether there was to be a silent procession, what service music was to be played, which Eucharistic prayer was to be used, the version of the Lord’s Prayer and post communion prayer, as well as seasonal blessings. (That spreadsheet was published in 2000 in Open, the journal of the Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Mission.)
Following my ordination to the priesthood in 1997 I served as interim rector or priest in charge with 11 parishes ranging in size from 20 to 400 families. I also served as a regional canon in our diocese for five years. In each of those roles I was involved in liturgy planning. Whether the parish was low church or high church in their preferred worship style, and whether they had an existing worship committee or I formed one with the altar guild members, organist, and any other interested parishioners, I always used that spreadsheet as a tool for planning worship. It has been easily tailored to meet the preferences and circumstances of a wide variety of parishes, and it has also served as an ongoing educational tool for staff and volunteers alike. I have found that altar guild members are especially grateful to know in advance of seasonal or special services what their expectations are. And their input at planning meetings is vital to ensuring realistic and familiar worship practices are offered.
The Rev. Canon Valerie Ambrose, Retired, Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan