Worship

Acolytes are active and dedicated members of the church who are trained by the Priest. According to Church legend, the patron saint of acolytes is St. Vincent. Vincent was both dependable and courageous in his service to the Lord, and those qualities of his character are today associated with the Acolyte. An Acolyte, from the Greek word meaning “follower” or “one who serves,” is formally known as an attendant in the church, its roots extending back to the 3rd century.

Acolytes carry out the sacred duties at the altar in the celebration of the Eucharist, in addition to other services of the Church such as baptism, confirmation, marriage, funeral, etc. Acolytes also perform such duties as leading the processional as Crucifer (cross bearer), lighting candles, and carrying torches in procession for the proclamation of the Gospel.

You must be in the 4th grade or above to become an Acolyte.

Altar Guild work is a labor of love offered to God. It is an honor and privilege to be an Altar Guild member and to serve God in His Church.

The Altar Guild is composed of dedicated volunteers 14 years of age and older of the church. The volunteers work in groups each week under the guidance of a Directress.

Members prepare the altar for all services by providing and arranging the altar flowers, changing the linens and all accessories, making sure the proper vestments are used for each service and assuring that the altar is vested for
the occasion. Altar Guild members also clean and care for the silver and brass, as well as the altar linens.

Altar Guild members are appointed by the Rector.

Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs) are lay persons chosen to support the clergy in a unique way by distributing the wine to the members of the Body of Christ at the Eucharist. LEMs administer the consecrated wine at any celebration of the Eucharist in the absence of a sufficient number of Priests and Deacons to assist the celebrant. They may also be licensed to go from a Sunday Eucharist or other principal celebration of the Eucharist to share the sacrament with members of the congregation who were unable to be present at the celebration because of illness or infirmity.

This ministry is understood to be an extraordinary ministry, and is not to take the place of the ministry of Priests and Deacons concerning the administration of the Eucharist. LEMs also read one of the assigned lessons for the day and the Prayers of the People. It is a great honor to be an LEM because one becomes a part of the central aspect of Anglican worship – Holy Communion – respectfully giving the cup of salvation to the members of the Body of Christ.

Under the instruction of the Directress, the ministry of the Flower Guild is to enhance the beauty of St. Matthias with floral arrangements and decorations consistent with the season of the church and the type of service. Parishioners are invited to participate by choosing a Sunday to make a contribution for the altar flowers in memory of or in thanksgiving for those whom they love.

“Good morning! Welcome to St. Matthias.” Said with a smile, this is one of the simplest forms of evangelism. The primary role of Ushers and Greeters at St. Matthias is hospitality.

Greeters are those who welcome members and visitors as they enter the church for worship. At St. Matthias, the Greeters help ensure that everyone gets a friendly welcome each Sunday. First time visitors are invited to sign the guest book at the welcome table and receive a welcome packet.

Ushers have several duties. They are responsible for cleaning and straightening the materials within the pews before and after each service, as well as distributing bulletins, helping people find seats, taking a headcount, carrying the bread to the altar, passing the offering plate, and directing people to the altar during the Communion.

Ushers and Greeters typically serve one Sunday per month, normally in teams of two or three people.

Lay Readers provide assistance during our services by reading the first lesson, psalm, and second lesson assigned for the day. This ministry helps create a deeper awareness of the relationships that sustain the gathered church family.

Music is very important to the liturgy and the Eucharist celebration at St. Matthias.

The Singing Saints are featured at the 9:30 am and 11:15 am Sunday services and other selected services. Volunteers practice weekly and are trained to sing parts of the Communion services, anthems, and motets as well as lead the Congregation in the singing of hymns. They are dedicated to making music a vibrant part of the weekly worship experience and to deepening our community fellowship.

The Singing Saints are led under the direction of our Staff Organist and Choir Master Mr. Hugh D. Dial Jr., M.M.

Mr. Hugh also leads our Children’s Choir in joyous singing celebrations. The children enjoy this time with Mr. Hugh, especially when they have the opportunity to sing for the congregation on special occasions.