Altar Guild again and again

This takes up a lot of my time and energies these days.

What images and words come to mind?

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Behind the scenes - what we do happens before the service starts.

We take care of the worship space.

We do get noticed when there are special events. Thanks for having warm water for the baptism - said the visiting priest.

The flowers are often admired.

There is the flow of the liturgical calendar.

You work with others on the Altar Guild and every member - and we are few in number - does their part.

We share activities with the clergy and with the servers. There are a number of younger servers now.

There is much cleaning and stitching and washing and ironing that goes on.

We set up for celebration of a meal.

We help organize for the seasons of the church year; for baptisms and weddings and funerals; for the major feasts of Christmas and Easter. We also decorate with harvest fruits and vegetables at Thanksgiving.

There is a certain tradition of the services and the vessels that are used. Some of the vessels that we have are over 100 years old.

Many talented people are involved in creative tasks. Some are able to make and embroider the linens that are used on a regular basis. I was involved in this activity a long time ago when new linens were needed. We do have several drawers full.

There are beautiful liturgical hangings that were made by some very talented artists.

The flowers are arranged by those who like to arrange the colours and sizes and types of flowers. We have a large selection of flower vases of various styles and also the more traditional brass ones. We have them in three sizes - small, medium and large.

On the 1st Day of Christmas

I returned to the church all washed and ironed
- 9 small purificators (all had been stained with wine)
- 2 napkins (for wrapping the real loaves of bread)
- 2 small towels (used for hand washing)

I have not had to wash any of the larger items.

My colleague and I confess to not changing the fair linen on the chancel altar. This altar has not been used too much recently and was quite clean. It is a real job to wash and iron it. This is not something that I have learned to do yet.

I can see more washing and ironing of the linens in my near future. My ironing board and small clothes rack are always at the ready these days.

Altar Guild Christmas marathon

At least this is what it is starting to feel like. The head of the guild is away over Christmas so we are left with lots to do. It is good for her to go to be with her family.

I made a list and checked it twice! Actually I have to check it more often than that!

Where do I have to be and at what time? Who will I be working with?

I was asked to help with Christmas decorations today and I said no thanks. Instead last evening one of my colleagues and I had a few phone calls.

I am off to the church soon to learn how to transform the Advent wreath into something to put glass balls on. The liturgical dancers carry these in to the church at the start of the Christmas Eve service and then the Christ candle is lit.

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I will be busy washing and ironing the church linens. I have left out my cleaning supplies and my ironing board in my basement - they will be well used in the next while.

Hopefully the fair linen on the altar will survive without any wine stains. Otherwise I will be learning how to remove the stains in place - there is a technique.
　

Holy Week: Vicki's involvement

“A full week of church ceremonies whose intricacies boggle the mind.”
(Anglicans Online)

That sounds very much like my week.

I volunteered to buy the flowers for the Easter services. I made a trip to Costco - they were all quite large as things at that store usually are. I went to Loblaws and there were some boxes being unpacked. That was quite easy for me to take home the plants that I needed.

Now it seems that we need some more plants. A trip to Costco is planned for tomorrow.

This is all a new activity for me. Will the plants last until Easter?

The services for Holy Week have been changed somewhat with our new rector. I am going to many of them and skipping a few. Because the Easter vigil is so complicated and we are decorating the church during the service, there are 2 dress rehearsals. I need to know where to put the plants for the best viewing advantage.

I am helping with various Altar Guild activities as I can. I can help setup for the services and tidy up as well. I am taking home the altar linens for prompt washing and ironing in my basement laundry facilities. There is a shortage of various altar linens but some new ones are being made for Easter.

I made a list to help keep me organized. I need to know where I need to be and when and doing what.

It is shaping up to be quite a busy week for me. I have to fit into several visits to Abracadabra as well.

The flowers that bloom in the spring

I think I should have used this for the other post with Kathi and the tulips.

From the Mikado and all those other silly songs.

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I was at the church when a friends was arranging the memorial flowers. They were glads. She had quite a time with the vases and the flowers being so tall. After they were placed in the church she hoped that they would not fall over. They did not and folks on Sunday said they looked very nice.

I had memories of my great uncle who used to grow glads. He had some lovely flowers. I suspect he might have helped my mom with this display. This picture hung in our basement In Lachute for as long as I can remember. My mom had the first prize on the left.

I was thinking of other flowers that are not blooming. There were some dried ones and some silk imitation ones at the church. The dried ones looked to be very tired so I sent them on their way to my composter. The silk imitation ones I dusted off to be used another day.

New priest at St. John's

So yesterday was a very good day. The new priest remembered me and we had a good hug. She wore a vestment that had been made for her by one of the quite talented members of our congregation. She preached very well. Her first words after being introduced were – Howdy folks. She seems to be very informal and I look forward to getting to know her again.

When I came into the vestry to undertake my altar guild duties she was ther talking with the server. When she turned around we had the hug and she said she had heard my name mentioned in relation to the church library.

She needed some direction during the service as to how we do things. That will sort itself out and she will find her way or change things.

There were a number of people whom I have not seen for a while who came out to be there for her first Sunday.

We do some prayers regularly in French and I was much impressed by her expression in this language.