View schedules and instructions for people serving during worship.
Acolytes
The Acolyte ministry is a wonderful way to serve as a leader in the parish and to learn about the holiness of worship. Youth in grades 5 and up participate in the sacramental ministry by serving as crucifers, torchbearers, and banner bearers. We also welcome and encourage adults to serve as acolytes. Children K-4th grade can serve as Junior Acolytes, who carry the small wooden cross used during our late (10am) service. It is a wonderful way to include younger ones during worship and helps teach them the importance of serving God in church.
Altar Guild
Liturgy begins and ends with the work of the Altar Guild. To care for the sacred vessels, the bread, wine, and candles, and the linens used for worship in the Church and Chapel is far more than a task—it is a true ministry.
Coffee Team
Every Christian is called to practice hospitality. It is a holy and loving practice. We offer hospitality by sharing with all who come through our doors. A simple way to practice hospitality is by offering and sharing coffee and refreshments after services to those who attend our services on Sunday and at other times. Note: Because of our Covid-19 restrictions, we are not currently serving food after services except for special occasions. This is a changing time and we hope to continue this particular ministry of hospitality as soon as conditions allow.
Eucharistic Ministers & Eucharistic Visitors
Eucharistic Ministers assist the priest by administering the consecrated wine during holy communion. Eucharistic Visitors take the sacraments to those who are ill or otherwise unable to attend church. Eucharistic Ministers and Visitors are licensed through the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee.
Flower Guild & Flower Delivery Teams
Church services should involve all the senses – seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching. Flowers engage the gifts of sight and smell, represent the beauty of creation and remind us of God’s love and power in the world. Our flower guild works hard to make our church beautiful each Sunday. In addition, our Flower Delivery team re-purposes the altar flowers and delivers them to those in our parish family who may be celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, or to those who may be ill, hospitalized, or otherwise unable to attend church.
Greeters
Greeters offer the ministry of hospitality and welcome. It means so much to newcomers and visitors who first approach the doors of Good Samaritan to know that we welcome them and invite them to join us in worshiping God and serving Jesus in the church and the world.
Intercessors
Intercession is, by definition, the act of coming between. In the Christian sense it means coming before God to petition for our relatives, friends, and others who have asked us to pray for them and/or situations. When we pray for others, we have a particular sense that Christ is our Advocate. During church services, the Intercessor prays the Prayers of the People – prayers for our parishioners, family, friends, our community, country, and the world.
Lectors
The office of reader, or lector, is among the oldest of liturgical lay ministries. In the early church, lectors were frequently appointed on a permanent basis. In the Middle Ages it became customary for the lessons to be read by the clergy. The present Prayer Book restored this ancient function to the laity. At Good Samaritan, lectors read the assigned Scriptures for the day. All adults and older youth are welcomed to be a part of this ministry.
Linen Guild
Under the umbrella leadership of the Altar Guild, Linen Guild members care for the linens that are used during Eucharistic services. Team members lovingly wash, dry, press and repair our beautiful linens and see to the care of vestments.
Oblation Bearers
The term Oblation means “an offering of ourselves, our lives and labors, in union with Christ, for the purposes of God”. In the context of our church services, Oblation Bearers bring forth the bread and wine during worship as an offering to God, to be consecrated for Holy Eucharist.
Special Events Team
The Special Events Team decorates our worship spaces for special holidays and liturgical seasons. Team members plan designs throughout the year and then decorate and adorn the Church, Chapel, and common spaces at these special times.
Ushers
Individuals and families usher at our services each week and on special occasions. Ushers greet parishioners, hand out bulletins, assist anyone who needs help, direct the flow of “traffic” during communion, and collect the offering, and help count it after the service.
