Assisting in Worship
In addition to clergy, a variety of people assist with the worship service before, during, and after the service.
All of these people are volunteers and without them, we could not conduct our worship services. If interested in any of these positions, please contact the Cathedral Office at 313.831.5000 and ask to speak to the person in charge of the positions you are interested in. In most cases, this person will not be a staff member – the office staff will take a message and the appropriate person will contact you.
Acolytes
Acolytes share the duties in serving in all Sunday celebrations of the Holy Eucharist, Choral Evensong, feast days, and other special services of the Cathedral and Diocese. Acolytes assist the service celebrants as torch bearers, crucifers, censers (incense bearers), and banner bearers, and they assist at the altar as servers.
Altar Guild
The Altar Guild enhances the Cathedral worship services by setting up the altars according to the liturgical season; arranging for flowers; cleaning, changing, and maintaining the liturgical vestments and altar linens, lecterns, chalices, and other liturgical objects.
Audio-Video Ministry
One of the ways the Cathedral reaches beyond its walls is through our livestreaming efforts. We reach a tremendous number of worshipers every week on Youtube and Facebook. It takes a team of two to livestream our services – one person runs the audio board, and one person runs the video board. You can sign up to be a volunteer on one or both. No experience is required, we train you, and tech folks receive an annotated bulletin for each service. We are flexible with scheduling, and we ask you arrive 20 minutes prior to the service to start the livestream.
Eucharistic Visitors
Our way of worship is the work of the people. That’s what the word “liturgy” means. The work of the people is very evident in the many ways lay people participate in portions of the Sunday morning services. Eucharistic Visitors take Holy Communion following the service to those who are unable to be present.
Flower Guild
The Flower Guild is a group of volunteers responsible for ordering and arranging the flowers to enhance our worship services.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers
Lay Eucharistic ministers assist the Cathedral’s priests and canons in the handling and distribution of the elements at the celebration of the Lord’s supper.
Lay Healing Ministries
The Great Commission of our Lord to the Church is both to preach the Good News and also to heal the sick. At the Cathedral, healing prayer with laying on of hands is offered at every celebration of the Holy Eucharist, for those desiring healing in mind, body, and spirit for themselves and for others. This Sacrament of Healing is offered by both the clergy and by lay healing ministers who have been called, and trained, and commissioned to this important mission of the Cathedral.
Lectors and Lay Readers
Lectors read the lesson and the prayers of the people at services. Lay readers not only read the lessons and epistles at services, but are also licensed to officiate at services other than the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The 7:30 am Sunday service of Morning Prayer, for example, is often entirely led by lay readers.
Music
The Cathedral Church of St. Paul has a long tradition of excellence in music. There are three choirs at the Cathedral which sing the Sunday Holy Eucharist services, Choral Evensong, and other special services. For more information on the Cathedral’s music programs, please visit the music page.
Open Cathedral Docents
Docents serve on Fridays from 11:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon. They act as both ushers and tour guides for our visitors during Open Cathedral. As we seek to expand this popular program, we are looking to bring on new docents.
Ushers
Ushers lead visitors, newcomers, and long-time parishioners to the pews and through the services at the Cathedral; they also collect and take up the offerings at a given service.
Vergers
The verger’s responsibility is twofold. First, the verger ensures that everything and everyone – vestments, readings, clergy, readers, acolytes, and all other participants in the liturgy – are present and ready for a service before it begins. Second, the verger ensures that the service runs smoothly while it is happening. Vergers lead the readers and clergy to their appointed places and see to it that the service is carried out according to Anglican tradition, “decently and in order.” In essence, the verger assists the clergy in the conduct of the service.
For a more detailed history of vergers and verging, please consult the web site of the Vergers’ Guild of the Episcopal Church: www.vergers.org.
Wedding Guild
The Cathedral’s wedding consultants meet with prospective engaged couples to inform them of the Cathedral’s policies in holding a wedding, and help them plan their wedding liturgy in accordance with Cathedral practice and tradition.