A Letter from our Vicar

The word liturgy means “work of the people.” For centuries this meaning has been lost
on a worship service that has really been the work of the priest. At Apostles we are
reinstating the true meaning of the word. Hence the title of the manual: “Liturgy: The
Work of the People.” (This manual is available in the Narthex with the other brochures,
calendars, and handouts.)

The “work” of service begins before members of the congregation arrive at the church
on Sunday. All of the ministers -- greeters, ushers, singers, readers, Subdeacons,
nursery attendants, altar guild members, acolytes, bread bakers, Sunday school teachers,
coffee hour hosts, counters, and clergy -- begin their work praying for his or her part in the
liturgy, praying that through worship they will be greeted as if by the Lord. The whole purpose
of prayer is to transform the gathering of people into an experience of the kingdom of God.
           
It is our hope that, through grace, we will leave worshippers with two impressions: that
this community serves God, and that they are important and loved.

The liturgy does not end when the doors are locked and the parking lot is empty. It
continues as we pray and reach out to others by visiting and thanking the visitors for
their attendance and by continuing to meet and work with each other. As we sometimes
say at end of a Sunday service, “When the worship is ended, the service begins.”

The Work of the People

“The Work of the People” arose from the need to make liturgical ministries gracefully
available to everyone. Anyone who feels called to the work of liturgy may participate
according to the gifts he or she has been given.

These ministries are open to newcomers to the community as well as to those who have
been coming regularly for some time. The fact is that many people who are new to
Apostles make the best greeters and ushers because they still remember their first
experience and want to pass on the excitement of being welcomed into the community.
One does not have to have an advanced degree to qualify as a minister of the liturgy; we
provide on-the-job training.

Jobs that are usually hidden in the background are brought into the light as ministry in
this manual. If all ministries are done with grace, visitors receive the message that the
spirit of God is at the heart of this community’s life.

How many ministers does it take to do the liturgy well at Church of the Apostles? The
present goal is that no one person does more than one job on a Sunday, which means we
hope to involve as many people as possible. It also means a constant invitation must be
extended to those new to the community to join this most important ministry. It also
means experienced people will pass on what they know through training and scheduling.