Altar Guild

The Altar Guild is the organization of women of Emmanuel who care for and prepare the sanctuary and chancel for the services of the Church. Members of the Altar Guild are usually invited to serve by the Rector of the Church, but volunteers are always welcome. The Altar Guild performs its duties under the direction of the clergy.

The Altar Guild is responsible for the sanctuary altar and the chapel altars. This involves care of the communion silver and other vessels as well as the altar linens and those used in the communion service. Additional responsibilities are the vestments of the clergy, the frontals for the altar, hangings for the pulpit and the lectern Bible, and the crosses and flags used in procession. The sacristy where these items and supplies are stored and maintained is also where preparations are made for each service. The Guild manages the supplies used for worship, including the wine, wafers and candles.

The Altar Guild presently has approximately seventy members. Its Chairman is Debra Lassiter. The members of the Altar Guild are organized into teams of five persons, and each team serves for one month of the year. The service period begins on the Saturday before the first Sunday of a month, and continues through the Friday before the first Sunday of the following month. If a team member is unable to serve, then she obtains a substitute from a list of substitutes or from another month. During seasons when there are more than the usual number of services, such as Christmas, Christmas Week, Holy Week, and Easter, extra members are added to the team as needed. While all of the silver and much of the brass are polished regularly, special brass polishing days are held prior to Easter and Christmas, so that all of the large brass pieces, the pulpit, the lectern, the altar crosses, the candlesticks, the candelabra, and the communion rail gates are polished and shining for these holy day services.

A subcommittee of The Altar Guild, known as the Flower Guild, has 26 members, and serves in teams of two persons each month. Jenny F. Broadnax is Chairwoman of the Flower Guild. Flowers are gathered from the gardens of parishioners and bought from florists with memorial donations and income from trust bequests. Costs of flowers for weddings usually are borne by the bride and flowers for funerals are frequently given as memorial gifts, but flowers are always provided for such services. All flowers in the church are prepared by members of the Flower Guild.

The Altar Guild has received trust bequests from Mrs. Mildred VonderLieth Rhodes, Mrs. Elizabeth VonderLieth Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford L. McLeroy, and Mr. Leighton M. Ballew. These trust bequests are administered by Emmanuel Parish Endowment Fund, Inc., and the income distributed to the Altar Guild Is used for flowers, vestments, and the adornment of the altars of Emmanuel Church. Memorials and other donations to the Guild are also used to fund purchases of linens, hangings and other supplies as needed.

The Church, through its budget, provides wine, wafers and candles used in services.

Altar Guild work is a personal expression of devotion to the Church through dedicated and careful preparation for the services of the Church. Those who wish to make a commitment for this extra measure of devotion should call the guild leader and discuss their interest and availability. The Flower Guild is also open to volunteers. It is preferred that those interested will first serve on the Altar Guild to become thoroughly familiar with all of the preparations for the services of the Church as well as flower arranging.