Liturgist Template
RevisedJanuary, 2017
The most important asset of a liturgist is to be yourself & use words with which you’re comfortable (albeit the more concise the better). The second most important asset is to be on your toes. One never knows what might happen in a service—which makes it so much fun!
Liturgist Responsibilities
- If you have email, the Office Administrator will email the service draft during the week leading up to your service. Please contact the office by Thursday of the week prior to your service, if you have not received it by then.
- Bob will have sent you the theme, the scripture lessons and the central points of his sermon up to six weeks prior to your service. Be sure to store that information to help you in your preparation.
- Please arrive no later than 10:00 to
- check on the mics and
- check-in with Bobat 10:10 about any last minute changes.
When communion is being celebrated (1st Sunday of the month), Bob and the liturgist need time to decide who will be saying/doing what during communion. Liturgists wear an alb if Bob is. The alb is kept in the closet outside the church office, where the choir gowns are located.
- Do a quick sound check of the mics, and check that the portable mic is on the communion table. If not, ask Bob or Stuart to retrieve it from the sound room located near the Oak Table/Phoenix Room. Make sure you have a hymn book on the table, and a copy of the bulletin.
- Make sure the small round table is beside communion table so that the offering baskets of food and donations can be set down. As liturgist, it is your job to receive the plates from the ushers and place them on the round table.
Prayers
- a. During the Prayers of the People, please include a prayer for the ministry listed for that day. Preface the Presbytery Prayer with a phrase like: “Today we join all other worshipping communities in the Winnipeg Presbytery in a prayer for the ministry at …..”. The Prayer Cycle is found in a separate attachment.
b. In addition, please prepare i) a prayer of intercession for one concern beyond our walls (in the community or world); ii) a prayer related to the work and ministry at Augustine. This way, you can offer either or both of these prayers in the event that none of the prayers from the congregation address issues beyond the personal.
- Prepare a closing prayer to follow the Prayers of the People (see below for example) and lead into the Prayer of Jesus.
- Prepare a dedication prayer for the offering (see examples attached).
- Prepare a Commissioning, or sending forth, to be offered at the end of the service. With the notes provided by Bob ahead of time, the commissioning may briefly reflect the theme or focus of the service (see examples attached).
- Throughout the service, be sure to turn off the microphone after you have finished speaking. Also, please check to make sure that the lay readers have turned off the pulpit microphone.
Basic Order of Service (subject to weekly changes; please arrive no later than 10:10 to consult with minister)
GATHERING
PreludeIntroductory music played by organist/choir director who, at 10:30, indicates that the liturgist and minister should move to the communion table to proceed with the service.
WelcomeLiturgist moves to microphone on communion table and opens service with words of welcome to Augustine. If it is obvious that there are new attendees, refer people to three items in the pew holders: pew card, offering envelopes and prayer request slips. Also extend invitation to coffee and refreshments in Guild Hall following worship service.
NOTE: It is the feeling of the Worship Advisory Team that we needn’t go through all the details of the three items in the pews, as we typically have. They really are self-explanatory. So, feel free to mention them, and that they may be placed in the offertory plate later in the service, but don’t feel it necessary to explain each of them.
AnnouncementsLiturgist
Share church-related announcements brought to your attention prior to the service. If there are important time-sensitive announcements on the blue insert, draw people’s attention to the gist of them, but don’t take time to read them. We’ve moved away from asking whether anyone else has announcements to make, inviting spontaneous announcements. If someone has an important announcement, they may give it to the liturgist ahead of the service, who will make it on their behalf. Occasionally it will be appropriate for someone to come forward to emphasize an announcement. On those occasions, please name the individuals who will come up to share important information.
As we begin our worship this morning, we acknowledge that Augustine United Church is on Treaty One territory, the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Dakota and Oji-Cree peoples and the homeland ofthe Metis Nation. Again, welcome.
Call to WorshipMinister
Prayer of ApproachMinister
HymnMinister will announce
Prayer of ConfessionMinister offers this prayer
Silent Mediation
Words of AssuranceMinister offers this assurance of pardon
Passing of the Peace Minister leads in this so that it flows directly out of the Prayer of Confession and Words of Assurance.
Prayer with the ChildrenMinister
WORD
LessonsLay reader will offer Prayer of Illumination, then read scripture and
lead congregation during reading of the responsive psalm.
AnthemChoir
SermonMinister
RESPONSE
HymnThe liturgist will announce the hymn following the sermon. Also alert the congregation to remain standing to recite the New Creed after the hymn, found on page 918. After you announce the hymn, turn off mic and stay behind communion table while singing to offer a presiding presence.
CreedLiturgist
OffertoryLiturgist will remain at microphone and announce the offering. The following is a guide only. Please personalize these comments:
The offering supports ministry both within and beyond these walls. Your offering supports the programs, staff and building maintenance of Augustine. If you would like some of your offering to go towards the Mission and Service Fund, please indicate that on your offering envelope. Offerings of food support the Oak Table Community Ministry. Offerings of prayer requests will be sent to the pastoral care team and the prayer circle. The offering will now be received.
During the collection of the offering, please feel free to sit down in the location you normally sit during the service. The choir will remain standing after singing the Offertorymusic until the liturgist’s prayer has been completed (thereby functioning as the presiding presence). After the choir has finished singing the offertory, move behind the communion table to receive the offering plates and food for Oak Table and place them on the round table beside the Communion table.
Dedication PrayerOffer a spoken prayer of dedication immediately upon receiving the offering. Please see attached for sample prayers, revised from Celebrate God’s Presence. You may also write a prayer that links to the theme of the morning sermon, if you choose. After the prayer, the liturgist can nod to the ushers to indicate that they may be seated.
Prayers of the People
Note: On Communion Sunday, the minister offers a Pastoral Prayer. Prayers of the People, as described here, are part of the service on Sundays 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Liturgist remains at communion table following the dedication of the offering. Please introduce the time of prayer with comments similar to the following:
I invite you to offer prayers of thanksgiving or prayers of intercession (prayers of joy or concern) in a sentence or two. If you wish to say a prayer, please raise your hand and wait for ______to bring a mic, so that everyone can join in your prayer. At the end of your prayer, please conclude with “This is MYprayer”, and the congregation’s response will be “This is OUR prayer.” People of God, what are your prayers today?
Liturgist includes a prayer for the ministry listed for that day on the Winnipeg
Presbytery’s Prayer Cycle list. In the event that the prayers offered by the congregation center exclusively on personal issues, the liturgist should be ready to add a prayer for
the ministry at Augustine and/or
the wider community/church & world.
Please be brief and focus on only one or two areas.
Prayer of Jesus At the conclusion of Prayers of the People, liturgist offers a closing prayer, similar to:
Gracious God, you have heard all of our prayers, those spoken aloud and those unspoken. Hear us now, as we continue by praying the inclusive version of the prayer that Jesus taught us:
This closing prayer leads the congregation into the Prayer of Jesus. Please read the words of the Prayer of Jesus into the microphone, as some people need a vocal reminder of the words. Please do not change the words – it is very confusing for the congregation when they are saying the familiar version, and you are saying something different. You may wish to keep the bulletin with the inclusive version of the words handy: our memories often abandon us when we’re in front of an audience.
Our Mother and Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom/kin-dom come,
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom/kin-dom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
(Sacrament of Holy Communion on first Sunday of month) You will be invited to assist the minister behind the table or to help serve.
HymnAnnounce the closing hymn. Turn off mic and stay behind the communion table while singing. Toward the end of the hymn, the minister, who currently is a member of the choir, will come down from the choir loft to stand beside you in preparation for the Commissioning and Benediction.
CommissioningFollow hymn with: “Please remain standing.” The liturgist offers a brief commissioning, or words of sending forth; if appropriate, this can be related to the theme of the worship service. (see attached for exmples.)
BenedictionMinister, from in front of the communion table.
ResponseThe liturgist joins the minister in front of the communion table during the sung response.
PostludeSit beside minister as organist/choir director plays concluding music. Following the postlude, process down the side aisle with the minister to back of sanctuary and greet people at the door. When you return to the front of the church, please ensure that all candles are extinguished (usually done by Eileen).
1