The worship of the church is often referred to as the Liturgy. ‘Liturgy’ comes from a Greek word which originally meant a public duty or a service to the state
undertaken by a citizen. It is sometimes said that liturgy is the work of the people, and our worship is the work of God’s people. As such, all participate in the liturgy. The priest presides
at the celebration fo the Eucharist and most services, however the participation of all people is necessary.
Our church uses non-ordained persons for many roles in the service. These roles are:
St. Philip’s provides training for all positions to any who are interested. If you are interested in serving in any of these roles, or if you are interested in learning more about the positions,
please use call the church office or email Anne Donally, Parish Administrator. Be sure to include your contact information. Information on the duties
and responsibilities of a liturgical minister is provided in the customary for the position. Click here to view the St. Philip's customaries or choose "Resources" from menu on the right (under "Liturgical Ministries"). The Resources page also lists books and references
which are helpful for liturgical ministers.
Eucharistic Ministers, Eucharistic Visitors and Worship Leaders require a license by the Bishop but the other positions do not. The license is valid for two years. Continuing education is required for licensed positions; the continuing education requirement met by attendance at one event during the two-year license period.
Verger
Leonard Mackey, Vicki mackey, and Barbara Crain serve as Vergers at St. Philip's. The role of the Verger has its roots in the earliest days of the Church's history. It shares certain similarities with the former minor orders of "porter" and "acolyte." Generally speaking, in the olden days, vergers were responsible for the order and upkeep of the house of worship, including preparations for the liturgy, the conduct of the laity, and grave-digging. Today, the Verger is a person within the church who assists the clergy in the conduct of public worship. It is said that the Verger serves the church in a ministry of welcome, and the duties of the Verger vary from parish to parish. Vergers can be full-time or part-time, paid or volunteer. Their duties can be purely ceremonial or include other responsibilities such as parish administration, leadership of the worship committee, sexton, etc. He or she may serve in other capacities throughout the church such as Sacristan, Acolyte Master, Sexton, Chalice Bearer, Lay Reader, Usher, Master of Ceremonies or anything else that the parish requires. The office of Verger dates back to the Middle Ages when the Verger was the "Protector of the Procession." He led the procession into the church or cathedral, clearing the way for the procession and protecting it from vagabonds and animals that tried to attack it. Today, in many parishes and cathedrals you will see a Verger ceremonially leading the procession. The Verger wears a gown and carries a Virge (staff of office) to help clear the way, and point the way for the procession.