Liturgical Ministries

Sacristan

The sacristan ministry involves serving God and His people by taking part in the physical preparation of the liturgical space.

The sacristan’s role is to maintain the plans of the liturgical planning teams for the seasonal environment of the liturgical year and to prepare the necessary furnishings for the various ministries. These ministries include: Presider, Deacon, Acolytes (Servers), Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Hospitality Ministers, and occasionally Musicians. Sacristans are also responsible for overseeing day-to-day maintenance of liturgical objects and offering help in improving and decorating areas of the liturgical environment as necessary.

Lector

The lector ministry involves serving God and His people by proclaiming the most important words we speak…The Word of God.

A lector must master the art of oral interpretation – the art of communicating the intellectual, emotional, and aesthetic entirety of a literary work to an audience.

In the intellectual sense, the lector must understand the development of thought in the passage, and what he or she is communicating about that passage. The lector must intellectually grasp what is being said, which demands close and in-depth study of the passage.

In the emotional sense, the lector must communicate the emotional tone of the piece to the audience. Those feelings must be communicated to the audience, whether extreme anger or joyful anticipation.

In the aesthetic sense, the lector must communicate the aesthetic dimension of the piece, which entails all qualities that make the piece a work of beauty. It could be the rhythm of the passage, or the way a story builds up to a conclusion…the aesthetic concern is a concern for how all of the parts fit together so that the listener receives a total experience of the piece.

The ministry of the lector calls for a person to grow in warm and loving knowledge of Scripture, which is the living Word of God. If you have a gift of public speaking or a talent with verbally expressing emotions and feelings, then the ministry of the lector is for you.

Eucharistic Minister

The Eucharistic Ministry involves serving God and His people by insuring the brevity of the Communion Rite of the Eucharistic celebration in relation to other parts of the service.

The Eucharistic Ministry complements and extends the ministry of the clergy. This ministry is not only that of an official assistant to the clergy, but is also a particular way of exercising your baptismal priesthood. You exist among the members of your congregation as one who serves – you cannot lose sight of your oneness with them, and you cannot lose sight of your oneness with the presiding priest, as he serves the assembly in worship.

Acolyte (Altar Server)

The acolyte ministry involves serving God and His people at mass by assisting the priest and congregation in praising God as well as they can.

Altar servers accomplish this ministry by assisting the priest and deacon carry special liturgical objects and carrying out special liturgical actions during mass.

Why would the priest need altar servers to help him during mass? Even in the early days of the church, people believed that the priest should not take care of every single little detail during mass. Thus, different kinds of people, such as lectors and deacons, helped him during the liturgical celebration. An acolyte’s duty involves preparing the altar and sanctuary at least thirty minutes before the beginning of mass. The acolyte also helps set the pace for all those that take part in the liturgical celebration by becoming very involved in mass. This way, others will better understand the mass and will become involved as well.

Ushers/Hospitality Ministers

“The minute I entered the church, I was made to feel at home by someone who seemed sincerely glad that I had come to the Lyke House. These ushers are way more than just doorkeepers; they are the ‘doors,’ giving open access to the warmth of holy fellowship in the spirit of Jesus!”

-Anonymous Student Testimonial

The usher’s/hospitality minister’s task is to serve the community by helping it become its best self. Being an usher or a hospitality minister requires a person to be patient with all types of people; it requires a person to remain civil with others that have frustrating shortcomings; it requires a person to be understanding, compassionate, and willing to accept people as they are. In other words, an usher/hospitality minister must truly be a people person.

Ushers and hospitality ministers must also be able to put strangers at ease by welcoming them into the liturgical celebration with a gentle smile and a warm hello. They must also be able to welcome visitors and help the physically and mentally handicapped in the same manner.

Ushers and hospitality ministers must arrive at least thirty minutes before the start of the liturgical celebration to arrange all things that must be readied for the mass, and to be on hand to greet people as they arrive for the mass. Ushers and hospitality ministers must look their best, be pleasant, take their places at the entrances (usually the doors leading to the Harambee Atrium), and must make their first word to anyone walking through those doors a joyous word of welcome. They must also look out for new members of the church, visitors, strangers, the elderly, and those that may need special attention. If the usher or hospitality minister recognizes a newcomer, they must invite them to meet some of those already present for the service, introduce them, and help them feel as if they were at home in the Lyke House Catholic Center.

Musicians

The Lyke House Catholic Center is in possession of four drums, a piano, and several instruments of African origin. We are always searching for those who can play an instrument or share their experience or talents in musicianship with the students of the Lyke House. Musicians are wholeheartedly encouraged to join the Lyke House family in any way or fashion they can.

Musicians are also encouraged to participate in choir rehearsal as well. Those interested in the musician ministry can rehearse with the schola.

Cantors, Worship Leaders, the Schola, and the Sr. Thea Bowman Scholars

Cantors and Worship Leaders serve to animate the congregation to participate actively in the worship experience. He or she is responsible for greeting the congregation as a whole, in addition to introducing and leading the hymns for the day’s mass.

The Schola Cantorum is the music group responsible for helping lead the community of worship in song and other expressive forms. They are facilitators for the re-enacting and renewal of understanding of scripture.

The Thea Bowman Scholars are a group of music majors who are invited to participate in the Center’s music program and support the Schola. These scholars are given stipends and asked to help develop the music program at the Center in the spirit of Sr. Thea Bowman, one of the authors of the black Catholic hymnal, Lead Me Guide Me. It is anticipated that they will assist parish music programs wherever they may find themselves throughout the world.

For more about the aforementioned ministries, please contact Mr. Aaron Mathews at (404) 755 – 2646, or by e-mail at amathews@lykehouse.org

Page last updated: January 31, 2009