The Ministry of Altar Guild

The Altar Guild is the liturgical partner of the Priest. The altar guild is a ministry - a gift of time and talent to serve God in His house. It is a very great privilege to serve God in this way. The housekeeping and decoration of God’s house should be done with sincere devotion and dignity in good taste.

The duty of the altar guild is to prepare all the things necessary for the celebration of the Eucharist or any of the other sacraments and offices of the church. These services are included in the Book of Common Prayer and the Book of Occasional Services.
Altar Guild also cares for the sanctuary of the church. The work of the Altar Guild is to ensure that our sanctuary reflects the holiness and the joy that we all create together in our worship.

Each team has members that have one or more of the talents needed to serve on God’s altar: flower arranging, silver and brass polishing, washing, ironing, vacuuming, dusting, watering plants, trimming candles, marking the Bible lessons, or mending.

For more about Altar Guild and guidelines for its work, click here.

National Altar Guild Prayer

Most gracious Father Who has called me Your child to serve in the preparation of Your Altar, so that it may be a suitable place for the offering of Your Body and Blood; Sanctify my life and consecrate my hands so that I may worthily handle Those Sacred Gifts which are being offered to You. As I handle holy things, grant that my whole life may be illuminated and blessed by You, in whose honor I prepare them, and grant that the people who shall be blessed by their use, May find their lives drawn closer to Him Whose Body and Blood is our hope and our strength, Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.