Altar Guild - A Ministry of People

The Hope Lutheran Altar Guild Ministry offers a wonderful opportunity for members of our congregation to be involved with a part of our worship preparation by creating a welcoming and pleasant experience for all who gather to worship with us.

Before one is an altar guild member, one is a baptized, worshiping, communing Christian. That fact prompts a certain attitude in one's heart: the attitude of thanksgiving to God in the name of our Lord Jesus.

We are not an exclusive club. We invite you to join the Altar Guild or assist us with certain projects throughout the year that are of interest to you. We meet on a quarterly basis and more frequently if needed surrounding the Easter and Advent Seasons. The main responsibilities of the Altar Guild are keeping the chancel and surrounding area in order, changing and maintaining the paraments, table decorations, candles, and wall banners, preparing for the sacraments of communion and baptism, and decorating for the various seasons of the church year.

Below is an excerpt from The Altar Guild Manual, by. Lee A. Maxwell. Lee Maxwell does a great job of explaining the work of the Altar Guild.
"The Altar Guild is to serve. It serves by making sure that the place of worship is maintained and set up for the times and seasons of the church year. It serves by seeing to it that the paraments and linens are put out, cleaned, and stored appropriately. It serves by setting in order, cleaning and putting away the sacramental vessels and linens. It serves by carlng for the vestments of the congregation. It serves by making certain that all the preparations are made for each service and that whatever needs to be done after the service is taken care of. It serves by ordering supplies. It serves by studying topics related to worship and by undertaking projects such as making paraments and vestments. All this, not for themselves, but for the glory of God and the building up of his people."

If serving God in this way is of interest to you, please contact the church office at office@hopesiouxfallsorg to learn more about this important ministry.