Altar Guild

Our Altar Guild is a valuable part of our worship experience. Because of their attention to detail and organization, our altar is an area of beauty in our Sanctuary and reminds us that God is always near. Below are the duties of the Altar Guild. If you have an interest in being a part of this team, please contact the church office.

Regular Duties

  1. Change altar paraments in the Sanctuary as required (paraments and schedule are in Sacristy)
  2. Contact flower donors about flower preferences (if there’s no signup, contact church office)
  3. Order Sanctuary flowers from Regina, 630 904 0164, 152 W Gartner, Ste 112, Naperville 60540
  4. Make sure candles are filled in the Sanctuary
  5. Let the office know when supplies (oil, wicks, candles) are running low
  6. Mend and clean dirty paraments as needed
  7. Move the used altar flowers to the Welcome Center for display. After one week, dispose of the flowers, clean the vases, and leave them on the counter nearest the Benton Street entrance for pick up by Celidan
  8. Keep pews stocked with pens and attendance pads as needed. Suggested months for thorough assessment: February, June, and November. These supplies are kept in the usher closet at the back of the sanctuary. Notify office staff when supplies are running low.

Palm Sunday Palms

  1. Order from Concordia Supply six weeks before Palm Sunday
  2. Put palms in baskets at the back of the Sanctuary for the services
  3. Order Palm Sunday arrangements (ferns and calla lilies) from Regina, 630 904 0164, 152 W Gartner, Ste 112, Naperville 60540

Good Friday

  1. Before the Good Friday service, put the large black fabric found in the sacristy closet on the altar.
  2. During the Good Friday service, remove the paraments from the lecterns, as well as the wooden candle holders and wooden cross from the altar. Store in the sacristy.

Easter Saturday

  • On Easter Saturday, return the white paraments and brass candlesticks and cross to the altar in preparation for Easter Sunday.

Easter Flowers

  1. Check with Indy Mitchell at Countryside Flower Shop, 815 459 8130, in February about what’s available and pricing
  2. Church office to create an insert for ordering flowers/online form for the three weeks prior to the deadline
  3. Give numbers to Countryside Flower Shop by the deadline (numbers will come from church office) and arrange for delivery on Holy Saturday, remind them to water the flowers just before they deliver
  4. Give the invoice to the church office
  5. Water flowers
  6. Set up flowers in the Sanctuary
  7. If Good Friday service is in the Sanctuary and flowers had to be delivered sooner than Holy Saturday, remove the flowers from the Sanctuary and put them back on Holy Saturday
  8. Continue to water flowers weekly until the Sunday after Easter
  9. The Sunday after Easter, any leftover plants are to be placed in the Welcome Center

July in the Park

  1. Take flowers from the office to the park at 9:00 am and place them on the altar
  2. Bring flowers to Welcome Center after worship

Thanksgiving Altar

  1. Altar gets decorated for the Sunday the week before Thanksgiving
  2. Decorations in Room 103 (craft room)
  3. Decorations get removed on Thanksgiving Friday or Saturday (coordinated with Christmas decorations)

Christmas

Christmas poinsettias

  1. Order three to four pots of poinsettias
  2. The poinsettias go on the altar for the first Sunday in December
  3. Water the poinsettias every week
  4. The poinsettias get removed before the first Sunday in January

Christmas Eve

  1. Candles for Silent Night for family service and late service
  2. Candles are in baskets in Room 103
  3. Check the condition of the candles and prepare 150 candles, place in two baskets
  4. If more candles are needed, the church office will order from Cokesbury
  5. Baskets to go in the back of the Sanctuary
  6. Put candles back in Room 103 after Christmas Eve services
  7. Children’s Ministry will supply glow rods