Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Guild!

It has occurred to most of us at some time or other "What is that called"? "What is that used for"?. etc.

Perhaps this may have been looked at before, but I have no knowledge of such .Would therfore a booklet containing all one needs in the above context be a sensible way forward?. I have in mind particularly the new folk entering the Guild for whom this would be a boon.

How often at a Guild meeting has the secretary asked for volunteers to carry out a specific duty?- when perhaps most present would like to help but don't know how?

I feel that this might be considered by the council and that those qualified to produce such information would do a tremendous job for the Guild.

Your thoughts and suggestions would be most helpful

Michael V.A.Smith Chapter of St Luke 15/102 

REPLIES

10/2/04 from Craig Aburn

What a splendid idea. I would be happy for the Council to support such a project and would hope that we would be in a position to do so.

Craig Aburn Group Councillor LG5&6 

11/2/04 from David Froud

There is a splendid item at 50 p from the guild called "Guidance Notes for the Ceremonial of the Guild Office." This explains the role and duties at the Guild Office. 

The members of one of my chapters has produced a booklet/mediation on Benediction. This explains the roles and meanings of this service.

I also have available notes on some of the items e.g. humeral veil, etc.

I have some copies of "A Manual for Acolytes - the duties of the server at Liturgical Celebrations" by Dennis Michno. This was written for the USA using the 1928 BCP.

With the plurality of 'Common' worship, it would be difficult to cover all variations!!!!

This matter could be raised at the General Council Meeting if there is enough interest.

David Froud Group Councillor PG10  

11/2/04 from Richard Hawker

There are several books in existence, which are mostly out of print, which could be useful here. "The Ritual Reason Why" is the crowning glory of this genre, but is out of print, although not to hard to come by. It gives a very good explanation of what we use and why, going through each of the Services of the Church- The Mass, Solemn Evensong, etc, in a question and answer form, but unfortunately it is out of print, along with several other books. There is one, which I forget the title of, which was a servers' manual, and gave descriptions of everything, as well as detailed notes on each of the services, and the servers' duties. 
I think that if such a thing as this were to be resurrected, it should be published reasonably cheaply, but it could also be published on the Guild website, so it may be of use to others who aren't necessarily members of the Guild. 
There could also be, if there were people willing to undertake the task (and it would be a very great task indeed) to attempt to complete something along the lines of the illustrious "Ritual Notes", giving an idea of basic Western Rite serving, as so many Parishes have so many different styles of serving, but if something could be produced which provided a universal manner of serving, which could be adapted if need be, it would be of a great help. 
I think that our RC counterparts- The Archconfraternity of St. Stephen- have published a book of this form, giving basic ceremonial, and a glossary of Liturgical Terms, although how accurate it is, I don't know- Rome is a very different world since the days of Fortescue and O'Connell (who would probably be spinning in their graves if they saw what was going on in Sanctuaries up and down the Country now!) 
PAX Yours in Christ 
Richard Hawker 
Sacristan of St. Peter's, Highfields, Parish of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, Leicester 

15/2/04 from Ben Heffer

All the texts mentioned in replies to this forum item sound very interesting but seem to be either out of print or focused on ceremonial practice of the past. What appears to be missing is a really good publication that takes account of liturgical renewal and reflects as far as is possible the general practices of today. 

I think that such a publication should be compiled and published by the GSS. If the GSS could become know and respected in the CofE for its clear guidance and leadership on matters of serving and ceremonial, it could assume its position as a mainstream C of E society for servers and eucharistics ministers. My godson, a Roman Catholic and a server, was recently welcomed into the Guild of St Stephen. It occurred to me how much more mainstream their altar server society is and therefore widely supported. Perhaps this is really down to whether we want to remain a catholic pressure group or move forward as a resource for all altar servers within the CofE or which there are many, not all members of the GSS.

Ben Heffer, St Birinus, Oxford