Worship and Ministry at Atonement
Preparing ourselves for Worship
From the Alban Institute
Mary Marlea Gilbert, Christopher Grundy, Eric T. Myers, and Stephanie Perdew
Few of us give much thought to entering worship. On most Sundays, we consider ourselves fortunate to get out of bed, locate suitable clothing, swallow some coffee, and glance at the newspaper before scrambling out the door, driving to church, and sliding into the pew in time for the prelude. Add children, a partner, a spouse, or out-of-town guests to the mix, and the minimal goal of arriving in time for the first hymn may be the best one can do. At this pace, we might finally feel centered enough to �enter� worship toward the end of the sermon, or maybe not until the final hymn.
We do deserve some credit: by gathering for worship weekly, we demonstrate that worship matters to us; we want the worship of God to be part of our lives. Yet it is difficult for worship to be a full and fulfilling part of our lives, let alone its life-giving core, if we do not allow adequate preparation time. We will not be able to listen for God�s voice if we do not take time to make ourselves ready.
Preparing for worship entails three steps: slowing down, making a transition, and warming up. If we play an instrument, we set aside time before we perform for playing scales or other preparatory exercises. If we play a sport, dance, or practice yoga, we take time to warm up, elevate our heart rate, and stretch properly. These preparations help us make the most of our practice or performance because they help us move our focus from other parts of life to the activity at hand so that we can engage in it more fully. Worship demands this same preparation.
Continue reading �Preparing Ourselves for Worship
LABYRINTH PROJECT AT ATONEMENT
Recently, presentations by Dr. John W. Rhodes. Dr. John W. Rhodes has been trained as a labyrinth facilitator by the Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress at Grace Episcopal Cathedral in San Francisco, California, USA, and certified as a labyrinth facilitator by Veriditas, the Worldwide Labyrinth Project. John also received training in labyrinth construction from Robert Ferre, one of the world's foremost labyrinth builders. John teaches labyrinth classes and facilitates labyrinth events and retreats in the Atlanta area. He is coordinator of the Labyrinth Ministry at Harmony Grove United Methodist Church, Lilburn, Georgia. In addition, he is Chairman of the Research Committee of the International Labyrinth Society and is actively engaged in the fledgling field of research related to the labyrinth and the effects reported by those who walk or otherwise interact with it. In July 2006 John presented the labyrinth at the World Methodist Conference in Seoul, Korea, making the labyrinth available to more than 3,000 conference delegates from more than 130 countries.
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For more information on the Labyrinth:
The Cathedral Labyrinth - Grace Cathedral, San Francisco
Worship MinistriesChoirs The Children’s Choir practices Sunday mornings at 9:00 - 9:30 a.m during the school year and 9:30 - 10:00 during the summer. Children’s choir is lots of fun. We sing, play games and laugh a lot! Please join us on Sunday mornings. More information Contact: Nan Nowell 404-808-9188
Altar Guild is a group of women who are called to serve God by preparing and tending the places where we worship. This includes setting the Altar for all services, washing and pressing the linens, procuring vestments, vessels and all altar supplies. Altar Guild work goes on quietly behind the scenes. Altar Guild has a special role as the priest's liturgical partner in making the worship life of the parish run smoothly. More information Contact: Cathy Leake - 404-262-2969 Baptism
Pastoral Care To demonstratively follow Christ's example, acting in faith as members of His body, to provide intentional support to members of the parish who are requesting prayers or other assistance in times of need, be it for themselves or for others known to them such as relatives or friends. More information. Contact: Lesley-Ann Drake - 770-522-8882
Eucharistic Ministers
Eucharistic Visitors Take Eucharist to members of the parish who cannot come to regular church services to receive the sacraments. Administer the sacraments at worship as needed. Eucharistic Visitors must be members of the Church of the Atonement and must receive training from Father Malone. More information Contact: Trawin Malone - 404-252-3324 Flower Guild Enhance the worship experience at Atonement by providing floral arrangements for the altar at all services. More information. Contact: Beth Ellis - 770-454-8384
Greeters
Liturgy and Music To explore and implement the best practice within the Anglican tradition in which worship and the liturgy become meaningful and relevant to the congregation. More information Contact: The Rev. Trawin Malone - 404-252-3324
Ushers At all services to support the liturgy in the following manner: hand-out service sheets, conduct a head-count and report same to the Rector, bring the sacraments to the altar, facilitate the service offering and bring the offering to the altar, collect service sheets etc., after the service and place in the recycling bin. More information Contact: Patricia Bingham - 770-263-0244
Worship Leaders Schedule readers for the Epistle at all services, throughout the year.
Youth Sunday To invite all children and youth of the parish to participate in the Sunday service, usually scheduled for one Sunday in May. Children and youth are expected to conduct all parts of the service except for the blessing of the sacraments, which must be conducted by a priest. Youth Sunday is a time to especially celebrate and honor the gifts and talents of the children and youth of the parish and to give thanks to God for the children and youth, who are vital and vibrant members of the worshiping community. More information Contact: Paul Appleby - 404-252-3324
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