The New Altar Guild Book

Rating:
Summary: An essential guide
Review: This little book is an indispensible resource for any person who serves on an altar guild, the lay ministry in the episcopalian church responsible for making sure that everything on the altar and in the sanctuary is ready for worship.

Altar guild ministry isn't for everyone, but it's both absolutely essential for the liturgy and a symbolic reminder of the necessity for conscientious labor in the everyday world. It's the way of Martha, of quiet, unobtrusive household work that goes on in the background. In making sure that vestments are laid out, candle wicks are trimmed, altar clothes ironed, hymn numbers displayed, and so on, the altar guild member serves both God and his or her fellows. It's a ministry of what Henri Nouwen called "downward mobility" that encourages anonymous service, loyalty, and discipline.

Barbara Gent and Betty Sturges take the ministry seriously enough to have put together a book that takes altar guild members through the sometimes arcane language of the sacristy (what exactly is the difference between a lavabo and a baptismal towel? where does the word "amice" come from? and what in the world is a cerecloth?!), gives step-by-step instructions on setting up an altar or decorating the church according to the church calendar, and explains how to prepare for special occasions such as funerals. The authors wisely recognize that many procedural details can and should be worked out by individual churches. What's the point of over-regulating? But there still remain many procedures uniform to all congregations, and it's these that they cover in their book.

If I have any reservation at all about this useful little guide, it's that I wish there was more of a discussion on the spirituality of altar guilding. But one book can't do everything, and what this one does it does extremely well. Highly recommended.