Customary for Evening Prayer Officiants

St. John’s Episcopal Church

Overview

Evening Prayer at St. John’s begins at 5:05 PM and follows the 1979 Book of Common Prayer with an order of service provided at the chapel entrance. Officiants play a key role in ensuring a smooth, reverent, and welcoming experience for all attendees, even when only the Saints are present.

Arrival and Setup

1. Arrival Time: Officiants should arrive no later than 4:55 PM.
2. Lighting: Ensure the middle rows of lights are on.
3. Candles:
   - Light the main candle near the St. Mary icon.
   - Light the lectern candle.
4. Materials: Prayer Books will be on the chairs and order of service cards will be on the table at the entrance of the chapel.

Conducting the Service

1. Order of Service: Follow the structure outlined on the order of service card.
2. Posture Guidance: The officiant’s posture cues the congregation’s posture:
   - When the officiant stands, the congregation stands.
   - When the officiant sits, the congregation sits.
3. Sitting: The officiant should sit for the contemplative silence, the Angelus (Advent), readings, and psalms.
4. Standing: For all other parts of the service, the officiant should stand.
5. Announcements: Before starting the service, announce:
   - The psalm and canticle to be used.
   - Instructions for reading the psalm antiphonally by whole verse, with a pause at the asterisk. The officiant’s side begins.
6. Contemplative Silence: After announcements, observe about one minute of silence before beginning the service.
7. Advent Angelus: During Advent, recite the Angelus after the contemplative silence and before the opening acclamation on page 117. The Angelus text is included in the order of service card.
8. Collect of the Day: Choose a collect from pages 123 or 124 of the Book of Common Prayer or the collect for the appropriate Feast Day.
9. Collect for Mission: Use only one of the Collects for Mission.
10. Intercessions and Thanksgivings: Introduce these with, 'I now invite your intercessions and thanksgivings.'
11. Concluding Prayers: After intercessions, proceed immediately to the General Thanksgiving, followed by the dismissal and concluding sentence.
12. Scripture Reading: Read the Gospel passage assigned for the day.
13. Praying Aloud: Pray aloud, even if no one else is present, as latecomers may arrive.

Guidance for Latecomers and Newcomers

1. Latecomers: Continue the service without disruption.
2. Newcomers:
   - Reassure newcomers that it’s normal to feel lost.
   - Encourage them to follow the order of service as best as they can.

Duration and Attendance

1. Service Length: The service lasts approximately 15 minutes.
2. Attendance Recording: Record the number of participants, including latecomers, on the attendance sheet located on the counter to the right of the chapel entrance.

Closing Procedures

1. Extinguish Candles:
   - Extinguish the lectern candle and the main votive candle.
   - Do not extinguish votives in the sand; they will burn out on their own.
2. Building Security:
   - The chapel doors unlock at 4:45 PM and lock automatically at 5:20 PM.

Reporting and Support

1. Supplies and Issues: Report low supplies or any other issues to Father Tom or the church office.
2. Feedback and Questions: Contact Father Tom if you need further support or wish to provide feedback.
3. Cancellations: Officiants will be contacted if the service is canceled.

Thank you for serving as an Evening Prayer Officiant! Your ministry supports the prayerful life of St. John’s and provides a space for reflection and connection with God.

If you have additional questions or need clarification, please reach out to Father Tom.

Thank you for serving the People of God and our sanctifying our neighborhood through this service. Know God delights in your work.

A Collect for Officiants: Make me conscious, dear Lord, that you have called me to serve you and your people in this liturgy. May I carry out my ministry with diligence and in happy cooperation with others, and because this work demands my full attention, accept it as my prayer and grant that I may come to know and love you in this work, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.