Sunday Worship Leadership – 

Worship doesn’t “just happen” – a whole team of folk work both behind the scenes or “up front” to make it happen. Some of the ways that teams or individuals may serve in support of worship include:

planning & creating

• Choosing Music: The hymns we sing are chosen monthly by a team meeting by Zoom, where they choose among recommendations based on the planned readings. They also choose the seasonal liturgy setting to express the “mood” of the season within the liturgical year. 

• Creative Expression: There is opportunity (i.e., Pastor Jean would relish the partnership) for creative sorts to help craft seasonally fitting or thematic environments for the worship space over the course of the year. 

• Preparing the Altar: an Altar Guild is responsible for caring for all things related to Holy Communion and the Altar. Some people focus on bread making, others set up and/or clean up for the weekly meal, while others care for the altar clothes, change the paraments (decorative cloths) and banners to reflect the liturgical season, or maintain the “eternal” candle. 

greeting and guiding

Welcoming people into the building or into the worship space is an important part of hospitality – especially when someone is participating for the first time and might be nervous. 

• Greeters serve at the front doors, help start the day with positive interactions, as they welcome people with a smile and friendly greeting. (Sometimes they may get asked “where to go” types of questions.)

• Ushers are the next folk who interact with all who gather. As people arrive, they distribute the worship folders and any other items to be shared that day, and when they note someone is a visitor, they share a remembrance cup from the congregation, and ask the guests to fill out an information sheet if they want to receive the newsletter. In worship ushers gather offerings, watch to make sure general comfort needs are met, and help guide all forward for Holy Communion. 

reading & assisting

Liturgy is a word used to describe the structure of the worship, but also refers to the shared nature of worship – the work of the people – not just a professional religious folk like pastors or staff – that is so important to form a community worship experience.

• Assisting Ministers help lead worship by speaking certain parts, assisting in the distribution of Communion, guide acolytes or fill their role as needed, and on very rare occasions, serve as a runner. 😀

• Cantors are those who are comfortable intoning or singing portions of the liturgy. Not all the liturgies used at BSLC require a cantor, but those liturgies that do are for many people the most valued. Often cantors will sign up to also serve as Assisting Minister but that is not an expectation.

• Readers do what you might guess – they read selected parts of the scripture to the congregation using a mic. Some weeks when the reading is longer, it is helpful to have several people take on “roles” as a reader theater, while other weeks one reader is enough. The person identified as the “Lead Reader” (the first to sign up!) also speaks the prayers, often from their seat “among the people” (with a mic). 

• Acolytes are those people who carry the flame to light the candles, receive the communion plates when the ushers bring them forward, assist with Holy Communion, and after snuffing the candles at the end of the worship service, they carry the light back out (to symbolize the light of Christ going out into the world through us). 

 

 

Making Music

While Beautiful Savior is blessed with a gifted organist and gifted choir directors (vocal and bell), there is always room for other musical offerings! If you wish to share special music, or be a part of creating an alternative worship experience, please contact Pastor Jean or talk with the music leaders serving BSLC. Otherwise, please join in these opportunities as you are able:

 

Choir Opportunities – one for children & one for “everyone else”

Love to sing? Consider joining the choir at Beautiful Savior Lutheran! Choir practices (mostly) weekly from September - the first of June. No prior music knowledge is necessary, though knowing how to read music is a plus! You are invited to join the music ministry of our congregation, as we sing to God’s glory!

• Jr Choir: Kids grade 2-6 are welcome to join weekly  to practice, with the goal to sing in worship once a month. They also present a mini-musical every other year (last musical, June, 2023)

• Adult Choir: (teens, too!) are welcome. We harmonize together as we enjoy a wide variety of music.

Bell Choir: WE RING TO THE GLORY OF GOD

Beautiful Savior is blessed to have three octaves of handbells to enrich our praise of God in worship. The music chosen varies from familiar much-loved hymns to classical works by well-known composers. It is hoped that it speaks to the hearts of the listeners and bell-ringers alike.

Ringers are not required to read music – the music is marked in a way that helps even someone with no musical knowledge at all to be successful. Being able to count beats, however, is essential. 

Bell ringers are asked to participate consistently in both rehearsals and presentations for the congregation. We play regularly throughout the school year, with summers off. Please contact the church office for more information.

Property & Building Care

Dreaming & Guiding

 

Youth and Adult Choirs

 

Youth and Adult Choir are a vital part of the worship experience at Beautiful Savior. Adult Choir meets on …. For practice while youth choir meets ..