AltarServerManual

SacredHeartofJesusParish

Nekoosa,WI

ProperPostureatMass:

Standing,standstraightandSitting,sitstraightandtallwithhandsfoldedinyourlaptallwithhandsfoldedoronyourthighs

Kneeling,onthekneelersoneithersideofthetabernacle.Uptotwoserversperkneeler.Iftherearemorethanfourserverssomewillhavetokneelonthefloornexttothekneeler.

PreparationforMass:

• Arriveatleast15minutesbeforeMassistobegin.• FindthepropersizeAlbandthecinctureofpropercolor.Tiethecincturearoundyour

waisthangingtoyourrightside.• LightthecandlesontheAltar.• Whenitistimetogotothebackofchurchoneserverwilltakethecrossandonewill

takethebasketwiththegifts.

Entrance:

• Theserverswilllineupfortheentranceprocession.Thecrossleadstheprocessionwiththeotherserversbehind.2Servers;† 3Servers; † 4Servers; † • • • • • •

• WhentheLectorannouncestheopeningsong,ringthebellsonthewall3timesthenwalkSLOWLYtothefrontstandingstraightwithhandsfolded.

• Whenyougettothefrontspreadoutatthebottomofthestairswiththemainservergoingtotheright,thecrossbearertotheleft,allothersdivideevenlyrightandleft.

• Leaveaspaceinthemiddleforthedeaconandthepriest.• Whenthepriestgetstothefrontandgenuflectsorbows,all,exceptthecrossbearer,

genuflectorbowwithhim.Payattentiontothepriest.Ifhebows,youbow.Ifhegenuflects,yougenuflect.

• Thenthemainservergoestothechairontherightnexttothecredencetable;allothersgotothechairsontheleft.

IntroductoryRite:

• Allserversremainstanding.• AftertheGloriaFatherwillsay“Letuspray.”ThemainserverwilltaketheMissalfrom

thetableandbringittothedeacon,ifthere,orfather.• Thedeacon,ifthere,willopenthebooktothecorrectpageandhanditbacktoyou.• Themainserverwillthenstepinfrontoffatherholdingthebookforhim.• Besuretoholdthebookhighenough(yourupperchest,nearyourshoulders-asinthe

picture)sothatfathercanseeit.

• Aftertheprayerfatherwillclosethebookandyouwilltakeitbacktothetable.

LiturgyoftheWord:

• Allserverssitforthefirst2readingsandtheresponsorialpsalm.• WhenfatherstandsfortheGospelandthealleluiaisstartedallserversstandand2

serverswillmovetotherightoftheAltar.

• • Whenfatherstartsacrosstotheamboorwhenthedeaconwalksupbehindyouwith

thebook,goandstandoneithersideoftheambofacingeachotherwithyourhandsfolded.

•

• AftertheGospelisreadthe2serversreturntoyourseatsandallserverssitandlistentothehomily.

LiturgyoftheEucharist:

• AfterthehomilyallstandfortheCreedandthePrayersoftheFaithful.• AfterthePrayersoftheFaithfulallsit.• Aftertheannouncements,ifthedeaconispresent,thedeaconwillgotothealtarand

themainserverwillbringtheitemsoffthecredencetable.Firstthemainchalice,thenthe2smallercups,thenthebookandstand,andthenthewater.

• Whentheushersarealmostdonewiththecollectionthecrossbearerwilltakethecrosstothebacktoleadthegiftsforward.Nootherserversaccompanythecrossbearer.

• Whenfatheranddeacongetuptoreceivethegiftsthemainserverwillcomedownandstandatdeacon’sright.

• Themainserverwillbehandedthedecanterofwineandwillcarryituptothealtar.• Holdthedecanteruntilfatherordeacontakeitfromyou.• Afteryoutaketheemptydecantertothecredencetablegetreadytowashfather’s

hands.Onlythemainserverneedstodothis.• Drapethetoweloveryourrightarm,holdthebowlinyourlefthand,andthewaterin

yourright.

• • Afterwashingfather’shandsallserversstandinfrontofthekneelers.• Afterthe“Holy,Holy,Holy…”allserverskneel.• Attheconsecrationthebellswillbeontheledgenexttothemainserver.• Whenfathersays“Takethisallofyou,andeatofit:forthisismybodywhichwillbe

givenupforyou”andliftsthehost,ringthebells3times.• Whenfathersays“…Dothisinmemoryofme”andliftsthechalice,ringthebells3

times.• Stand,inplace,aftertheEucharisticprayerisdone.PraytheOurFather,andatthesign

ofpeaceshakeeachother’shands.• AftertheLambofGod,kneel.• WhenfatherturnstogiveoutcommunionstepforwardnexttotheEucharisticMinisters

toreceivecommunion.• Afteralltheministersgodowntodistributecommunion,themainserverwillclearthe

altarofeverythingexceptthelidtotheciboriumfromthetabernacle.Thensitdown.

ConcludingRite:

• Afterthecommunionsongisdone,andfatherstands,themainserverbringstheMissaltothedeacon,ifpresentortofather.

• Thedeaconwillopenthebookasbeforeandhanditbackandholdthebookforfatherasbefore.

• Whenfatherisdonehewillclosethebookandyouwilltakeitbacktothecredencetable.

• Whenfatheranddeacongotothealtartokissthealtarthecrossbearerwilltakethecrossandalltheserverswillcomedownoneitherside,gotothebottomofthesteps,andstandfacingthealtar,likeatthebeginningofMass.Besuretoleaveroominthemiddlefordeaconandfather.

• All,exceptthecrossbearer,genuflectorbowwhenfatherdoes.• Weallturnandprocessoutthesamewaywecamein.• Whenwegettotheback,fatherwillhandhishymnaltooneoftheserverswhowilltake

itbackupfrontandputitonfather’schair.• Putoutthecandles.

Conclusion:

WeatSacredHeartwouldliketothankyouforyourservicetoGodandhischurch.Donotbenervousaboutserving,whetheritisyourfirsttimeoryour50thandtheMassisdifferent.Justpayattentionandfollowdirections.Makesureyouwatchforwhenyouarescheduledtoserve.Ifyoucannotmakeitwhenyouarescheduled,pleasefindareplacement.Pleasetakeyourresponsibilityseriouslybyshowingupontimeandpayingattentionsothatyoucanfollowlastminutedirections.Godblessyouall.