Ministry Spheres at St. Columba’s
Worship
During this time of post pandemic and transition, our services will be conducted online via Facebook and on our YouTube channel. Links to Facebook may be found on our “Welcome” page. A link to YouTube is found in the footer on any of our website pages. For those who prefer to remain safe at home, all services will be livestreamed. The schedule is shown below.
Worship
For the foreseeable future, we will have one service of Holy Eucharist at 9:30 a.m. The service will be in-person and livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube for those who would prefer to worship remotely.
Each Sunday after worship, all are welcome to join the Coffee Hour Fellowship.
For our Contemplative worship, we offer an online Digital Prayer in the Style of Taizé, also via Facebook (and available from our website, Facebook, and YouTube pages afterwards). This service is offered at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month.
On Thursday mornings at 10:00 a.m., the Eucharist is celebrated in the Mary Chapel.
Altar Guild—Gail Hill
The Altar Guild prepares the communion elements for worship services, put everything in its proper place and wash the communion dishes. They then wash and iron the communion linens and have some other responsibilities. Altar Guild members serve every 6 weeks beginning with the Thursday morning service. They serve in teams of 2 or 3.
Flower Guild — Marjo Gardner
Our Flower Guild consists of people serving at least once per month to choose, buy and arrange flowers for the High Altar and columbarium. Occasionally arrangements for the Mary Chapel are requested. During Lent two green houseplants are placed on the High Altar instead of flowers. At Easter and Christmas services a local florist supplies gorgeous floral arrangements for the High Altar and Mary Chapel altar. Special pedestal arrangements have been designed and prepared by one of our members for those celebrations.
Past chairmen for the guild have been Helen Radford; Beth Barker; Joyce Clunis, a particularly gifted floral arranger; and for the past 11 years Marjo Gardner. Current members are Fran Cogswell, Gail DeWolfe, Marjo Gardner, Ann Luthringer, Norma McQuade, Nancy Miller, and Gail Zehmer.
Lin Bowie, visiting Ann Luthringer the weekend of August 21-22, conducted a floral workshop to remind members of The Flower Guild how to achieve airy and colorful arrangements for the High Altar. Every member of the Guild attended, and others who have expressed interest were invited. Not having arranged church flowers for 14 months, we welcomed Lin’s expertise and suggestions to carry on. Sponsorship of flowers is always appreciated, especially this Fall. There are openings in October, November, and December.
Ushers—John and Beverly Pearson
Ushers are the first people you see when you come to a service. They not only provide the Sunday bulletin but welcome newcomers along with every parishioner to the service. They make everyone feel comfortable and provide order and a sense of peace and security during services. Ushers typically serve every 4 weeks.
Music Department—Brett Hanley
Due to the COVID restrictions, the Choir is on indefinite hiatus. We will continue to have singing of hymns, but kept to a minimum.
Acolyte Guild
Acolytes assist the priests and Eucharistic Ministers in supporting the service at either at services, as scheduled. They carry the cross and other candles or banners, support the reading of the Gospel and assist with the set-up of the communion service. Currently, the Acolyte Guild is inactive.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers/Lectors—Bob Waite
Lectors are our readers at services. Lectors attend their normal service (9:3 a.m.) to read the Lessons and lead the Psalm.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers are specially trained members of the congregation who assist the clergy by leading the Prayers of the People and by assisting in the administration of Communion. Eucharistic Ministers serve at the 9:30 a.m. Sunday services and at special services at the direction of the Rector, or Presider.
Lay Eucharistic Visitors
Lay Eucharistic Visitors bring the Eucharist to parishioners who are home-bound or in special care. Currently, with the livestream, this is not an active ministry.
Labyrinth Guild—
The Nancy and Greg Larkin Labyrinth is located behind the Children’s Learning Center play yard, easily accessible from the rear parking lot. Not to be confused with a maze, the labyrinth has a single path from the outside into the center, which is retraced back out to the entry/exit point. Walking the labyrinth is a spiritual aid – a tool, not an end to itself. Anyone in the community is invited to walk the labyrinth.
The Labyrinth Guild has provided nine different Labyrinth walking guides that one may use at various times of the year. To find these guides, click the “Labyrinth” tab on the menu bar above. Then select any of the guides. The document will open as a PDF file which you may print for you use. To exit the page and return, use the “Back” button on your browser.
Biblical Storytellers—
Biblical Storytellers memorize the lessons and tell it to us during the Sunday morning services with words and action instead of the traditional reading. This group meets periodically to practice their craft.
Paul Amendt tells the Biblical stories that are the lessons for Sunday, January 30 (1 Corinthians 13:1-12), and February 20 (Genisis 45:3-11,15).