Calvary Lutheran Church Congregational Stewards

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Acolytes— For youth and adults alike, the acolyte is a part of worship leadership. This person takes part in lighting the candles (altar and paschal ones, depending on the season), helping to pass the offering plates out to the ushers, receiving the offering plates, and acting as wine steward during Holy Communion (if we use the intinction method of serving). This job is not to be seen as mundane but an important position for someone to have in worship.

Adult Choir— Members of the Adult Choir (meaning folks who are at least in high school) serve as worship musicians. They practice each week (currently on Thursday evenings at 8:00 p.m.) in order to present an anthem as part of their ministry on Sunday mornings. They are also part of the liturgy leadership in that individuals from the choir provide the leader part of the psalmody each week. When circumstances necessitate, the choir helps the congregation learn new hymns and new liturgy settings. At festive times of the year, the choir provides special ministry with their presentations of choral cantatas.

Altar Guild— The Altar Guild is in charge of making sure that the altar linens are taken care of and are in place for each Sunday service. They also are the persons (male or female, youth or adult) who put the communion ware in place on the altar each week. As part of our understanding of Holy Communion, the bread and wine are Christ’s Body and Blood and should be treated with reverence. So, when the service is concluded, the altar guild members clean the altar, taking the leftover communion elements (wine and bread) and either consume them or take special care that the elements are put outside to be received by the earth once again, including the water that is used to rinse out the wine cups. The Bread is never thrown in the garbage can, nor the wine poured down the drain

Children's Church Leaders— These folks volunteer on a rotating basis to lead a short portion of worship time downstairs, while the sermon is being preached. For those children who are not yet old enough to sit through a sermon but who are too old for nursery, this time of Bible storytelling, singing, and praying is an important help for the parents of these children. However, the leader need not have children in this age group in order to serve

Offering Tellers — These folks (usually confirmed youth and older), are the ones who take care of counting the offering received that particular week. This is an especially important job, in that great thoroughness is necessary to make sure that the monies are recorded correctly and then deposited in the bank. They usually meet in the parish house meeting room immediately following the service. [But that can always be changed, in order to accommodate those who are wishing to participate in Sunday School. Suggestions?] Each person who signs up would be taught the congregation’s accepted system for taking care of this job.

Greeters— Greeters are key to a successful outreach and public relations program, because they are the first, real/formal contact of Christian love and hospitality that a congregation has. Greeters are those stewards who are given the task of welcoming those coming to worship. They stand at either of the entrances to the nave/sanctuary, shake hands with each person entering, say with a smile and enthusiasm, "Good morning! Welcome to worship today!" and hopefully get each one’s worship experience off to a great beginning

Handbell Choir— The Handbell Choir is another one of Calvary’s outlets for musicians. However, don’t get the idea that you have to be a great musician in order to participate. You simply have to want to make a joyful noise unto the Lord (for the most part, at least!) This choir meets on Thursday evenings to practice and then provides their ministry of music during various Sundays of the year and festive services during Christmas and Easter. As part of the prelude, anthems, or accompanying hymns, handbell ringers have the opportunity to praise God in a rather unique way

Youth Choir — The Youth Choir is made up of various ages of children, ranging from 2 ½ years old, to early teens, practicing Sunday mornings following Sunday School. The choir sings at least twice a month during the school year, with special music presented for Christmas Eve. While the group practices mostly together, there is part of the practice that is set aside for strictly for the older youth singers, giving them opportunity to practice songs that their age group will present for worship. This is a great way to start young voices in helping to sing the praises of God.

Lay Readers— Lay Readers are those stewards who help proclaim the Good News of God’s Kingdom by taking the written, living Word of God and read it for the gathered Body of Christ to hear. Through their gift of service, lay readers continue the long, ancient history of laity reading out loud The Holy Scriptures. Reading and hearing God’s Word is essential to each worship service

Nursery Workers— Even if you don’t remember being in the nursery when you were younger, there are certainly folks who could think back to those days when your smiling face showed up there on a Sunday morning. Nursery workers are those dedicated stewards who periodically give of their time and energy to sit with infant to toddler children, giving parents the opportunity to worship without the interruptions that sometimes can arise during a service. Male or female, older youth or adult, these stewards have great responsibility as they watch over and take care of precious souls. They have the opportunity to be a part of the children’s beginnings at worship time, helping the children look forward to going to church each week.

Worship Assistants— From early on in North American church history, the usher has played a role of showing hospitality in helping people find seating, handing out the appointed bulletin for the week, receiving the weekly offering by passing either a bag or plate through the pews, and then making sure that the offering made its way up to the chancel to be blessed to God’s service. Many of those same duties are still part of the job of ushers here at Calvary, with helping to usher communicants to the altar as a added duty. Each week, the ushers direct folks into the nave where they now find their own seats; however, the ushers are still a vital part of the first impression hospitality, especially for visitors to the church. They are not automatically expected to help serve communion, although they are welcome to do both.

— Sometimes called Assisting Ministers, these are lay stewards who assist the pastor in leading worship. Taking part in the liturgy, the worship assistants help with portions of the Kyrie, offer The Prayer of the Day and The Prayers of the Church, and at times assist the pastor with such special events as baptisms. Worship Assistants also help to continue the ancient tradition of the laity taking an important role in worship, alongside the called and ordained clergy.

Visitation Team — As part of the Evangelism Committee, the Visitation Team is the cornerstone to the hospitality portion of each week. These stewards help welcome newcomers to Calvary by visiting them at their homes shortly following the service, or within the next few days. The team usually takes a brochure about the life of Calvary Lutheran Church and "goodies" like bread or cookies to the visitors’ homes, wishing them God’s blessings and inviting them back to worship again

Communion Stewards— The communion stewards are the persons who assist in serving The Lord’s Supper. Unlike the past, where the ushers served in dual roles, communion stewards need not be ushers in order to assist in Holy Communion. This role can be filled by baptized youth (usually, but not necessarily, in Confirmation class and older) and adults who wish to help extend Christian hospitality to the whole gathered Body of Christ. As a Communion Steward, a person would either help to serve the Blood of Christ ("The Blood of Christ shed for you"), collect the empty cups, or help to distribute the Body of Christ ("The Body of Christ given for you"), depending on the method used that particular week.