Purple is the
traditional color
for seasons of
penitence such
as Lent.
Worship Services
Worship Times
- Sunday, 8:30 am Holy Eucharist Service (said).
- Sunday, 10:30 am Holy Eucharist Service (with Choir and Hymns).
- Wednesday, 5:45 pm Eucharist & Prayers for Healing.
Volunteers
make it
happen:
Acolytes
Acolytes assist the priest at the altar. They are often youth, ranging from 4th through 12th grade; however, a lay person of any age is welcome to participate in this role. The acolytes are responsible for lighting the candles, carrying the cross, and assisting the priest in preparing for communion. St. Albans currently has ten trained acolytes. Two acolytes are present at each service. They are vested for the service and process into the church behind the cross. Anyone interested in participating as an acolyte should phone the church at 302 478-7778.
Altar Guild and Flower Guild
The Altar and Flower Guilds work together, and often meet together.
The Altar Guild is the group which prepares the altar for worship — at the eucharist, weddings, funerals, the daily office, and other ceremonies — and cleans up after those occasions. The responsibilities include making sure that the altar hangings are the proper liturgical color, adding oil to various candles when necessary, and arranging the altar paraphernalia — chalice, paten, purificators, corporal, and burse — to suit the Celebrant. New members train with current members before doing this on their own; interested persons should leave a message for the Director by phoning the church at 302 478-7778.
St. Albans orchid
at Longwood Gardens.
The Flower Guild purchases and arranges the flowers for all services, creatively beautifying the church and enhancing worship. Flowers for a specific occasion — to remember an anniversary, birthday, memorial, etc. — are made by selecting a specific week and making a donation to St. Albans - Flowers. Flower Guild members try to distribute the flowers after the Sunday services to members who are ill or in nursing homes. Persons interested in joining the Flower Guild should phone the church at 302 478-7778.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers
Lay Eucharistic Ministers, also known as Communion Assistants or Lay Readers, assist the priest at the altar. They are trained and licensed by the Diocese to read lessons, psalms, and prayers appointed for the day, as well as serve the chalice to communicants. They may perform the functions of acolytes if none is present at a particular service. At St. Albans, we have 14 Lay Eucharistic Ministers ranging in age from teen-aged to the 80s. They are vested for the service and process with the choir, priest, and acolytes.
Lay Eucharistic Visitors
Lay Eucharistic Visitors are lay Eucharistic ministers who take the consecrated elements to home bound parishioners. They receive special training from the Diocese and are empowered to conduct a brief service of Holy Eucharist at the person’s place of residence.
Lectors
Lectors are another group who assist at services. We have six lectors who are trained within the parish to read one of the appointed lessons at a service. They do not wear special vestments and walk to the lectern from their seats in the pews, returning there after the reading. Like lay Eucharistic ministers, they represent a variety of age groups.
Ushers
A convenient way to meet others in the congregation and to provide a very meaningful service is to volunteer to be an usher. Ushering duties involve arriving 30 minutes before the service, greeting parishioners, handing them service bulletins, making an attendance count, taking up the offering, and guiding the parishioners to the communion rail for Eucharist. Assignments are arranged in advance every three months to meet your schedule. We can always use new ushers in our schedule. To volunteer, call the church at 302 478-7778.
The Welcoming Group
All members of Saint Albans are responsible for welcoming newcomers to the parish by greeting them, providing a Welcome Packet (available in the Narthex), and encouraging visitors to sign the guest book located to the right of the doors as you leave the Narthex. The Welcoming Group’s role is to concentrate on providing back-up and support by sending notes to visitors and, when possible, following up with telephone calls.
In order to express an interest in participating in any of these ministries, please call the church at 302 478-7778.