MINISTRY TRAINING 2009
It is important that you arrive early – 20 minutes for lectors, ushers and servers, 15 minutes for Eucharistic Ministers. That seems like a long time before mass, but by then people are coming to the sacristy to volunteer. The mass coordinator doesn’t know whether or not you are coming, (s)he just knows that you aren’t here yet, and might replace you. So please! – St. Mary’s needs you as a worship minister and wants you to participate! – but when you are scheduled part of your ministry is getting here on time!!
WEB TERMINAL – The web terminal makes communication very easy. Use this interface to:
sign up by specifying which mass times you attend and which weekends you do not want
to be scheduled
access your schedule
request subs
volunteer for more assignments
change your password
WEEKLY REMINDER – An email is sent out on Mondays to ministers who are assigned the following weekend. If you will be coming, or if you have found a sub, there is no need to reply.
BLESSING AND COMMISSIONING WORSHIP MINISTERS – One weekend soon at the masses we will bless and commission all the worship ministers. The priest will ask you to stand up at that time (probably at the end of the homily).
If you have any questions, contact Bobbi at 523-2153 or bkinne111@stmaryoxfordohio.org.
Preparing for your ministry is part of the commitment to be a Lector. You are not “just reading a story” – you are proclaiming the Word of God, YOU are “the Word made flesh”. Practice the readings out loud in the week before you proclaim the readings at mass. Lectors receive a workbook that includes the readings for all Sundays and Feast Days. The workbook also includes a brief explanation of the readings, suggestions for emphasis, and pronunciation of words. Practice both readings out loud at least twice. New workbooks arrive in November – pick one up from the boxes in the sacristies. Readings are also available at http://www.usccb.org/nab/index.shtml but this webpage does not contain the helpful extras.
Come 20 minutes early. Arriving early gives the Lectors the opportunity to review the Prayers of the Faithful and the Announcements. There is a pronunciation guide in the sacristy chest upper drawer for many words in the scriptures that may be unfamiliar. Come 20 minutes early.
Please choose a seat near the front and on the aisle so that it does not take a long time for you to approach the ambo. When Mass is extremely crowded, Lectors should make certain that their seat has been reserved!
The Lector who will be welcoming the congregation and reading the announcements should place the Lectionary on the ambo then return to the sacristy. Going by the clock in the sacristy, go out to the ambo at Mass time. As long as you can see that the presider is in the vestibule, begin.
The second Lector carries in the Book of Gospels and places it on the altar during the entrance procession. NOTE: On the first weekend of the month, the Book of the Gospels is placed on the altar before mass and the Book of Petitions is carried in.
The server with the cross leads the procession and the priest goes last. The other procession members (usually just the lector and the other server) go in between them, in any order.
The Lector should move to the left of the altar, hold the Book of Gospels, and wait for the presider and other ministers to bow. If you are holding the Book of Gospels, you do not bow. After the ministers bow, you then place the Book of Gospels on the altar (in the clear stand), then go to your seat.
After the Opening Prayer, the Lector for the first reading goes into the sanctuary to the ambo for the reading. You may want to stop and reverence the altar with a slight bow. Remember, you should not “sneak” up to the ambo. Yours is a very important role, and therefore it is important that people see you!
If you notice that many people are still trying to find seats, wait until things quiet down before you begin the first reading.
After the reading, return to your seat.
After the Responsorial Psalm, the second Lector goes to the ambo for the second reading. After the reading, place the lectionary under the statue of Joseph.
The Alleluia follows the second reading, then the homily, then the Creed.
After the Creed ends, the second lector goes to the ambo and reads the Prayers of the Faithful. This is different from the way St. Mary lectors were instructed in the past. Previously, lectors walked to the ambo during the Creed. We are now instructing the lectors to wait until the Creed ends. If someone says you are doing this "wrong", please tell them the procedure has changed.
Stand at the ambo until the presider finishes the closing prayer at the end of the Prayers of the Faithful.
And remember, come 20 minutes early!