Lay Ministries
Presbyterian Altar Guild
Purpose: To prepare Presbyterian Communion when it is celebrated.
Description: Volunteers maintain and prepare the Communion table and utensils, prepare the bread, and juice, and clean the Communion utensils after worship.
Time/Training: Presbyterian Communion is celebrated approximately twelve times per year: 6 at the 8:00 service and 6 at the 10:30 service. Volunteers work in teams of two and are trained by experienced members of the committee. It takes approximately thirty minutes before the service to prepare the elements and set the communion table, and then another thirty minutes after the service to collect the glasses from the pews, wash them, and put all Communion utensils back in the storage cupboards. Committee members are asked to prepare communion three or four times a year.
Contact: Susie Myers at 891-7730
Episcopal Altar Guild
Purpose: To prepare and maintain the altar for all worship services in a reverent and respectful way.
Description: The Altar Guild is a group of dedicated people who work behind the scenes to make sure that everything is in place for the celebration of the Eucharist. The Altar Guild prepares the altar before all Sunday services and special services, including weddings, baptisms, and funerals, and maintains the altar after each service. Members also provide ongoing upkeep of altar hangings, utensils, altar supplies and all things pertaining to the altar.
Time/Training: Altar Guild members, working in teams, are typically scheduled to work four times per year for two weeks each time. Initially, there is some adjustment, but it is a great way to stay in communication with your church. Giving back is what counts. Training is done by teaming new members with those who have been serving for some time. Altar Guild members are a dedicated group. Women and men are welcome!
Contact: Jane Birckhead at 561-4431
Lectors and Lay Eucharistic Ministers
Purpose: To involve members of the congregation in the leadership of worship through the reading of Scripture on Sundays and through serving Eucharist.
Description: Lay Readers (Lectors) are scheduled to read four to six times a year. At Presbyterian worship, the reader is responsible for the appropriate preparation and reading of one lesson. At Episcopal Eucharist, the Lay Reader is responsible for one lesson, the psalm (unless it is sung by the choir), and the Prayers of the People.
Lay Eucharist Ministers administer the Chalice at Episcopal sacramental worship. Training is provided by IHC clergy and licensing is completed by the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio.
Time/Training: Clergy provide instruction and training when needed and take care of licensing by the Diocese. The only requirements are an interest in public speaking and sharing in the leadership of worship.
Contact: The Main Office at 513-561-6805
Sunday Offering Counters
Purpose: Verify and summarize weekly IHC collections and make cash deposit to the bank.
Description: Tally weekly cash and checks from IHC collections, worship services and mail delivery. Verify ushers’ offering cash counts. Prepare summary including all cash and checks. Make cash deposit at PNC Bank and return deposit receipt to IHC Business Office.
Time/Training: One hour training and one hour per week.
Contact: Agnes Boswell at 561-5881 or 313-9301
Ushers
Purpose: To assist the clergy and the congregation in worship on Sunday mornings and at special services, to help newcomers and visitors feel at home, and to provide other assistance as needed.
Description: Responsibilities include making sure the church is ready for worship before each service, greeting parishioners, handing out bulletins, helping people be seated, directing overflow crowd, taking the offering, assisting people in receiving Episcopal communion, cleaning up after the service, counting the offering and setting up and removing the flags.
Time/Training: The Head Usher assigns team captains who then take responsibility for scheduling the members of their team for the 8:00 and 10:30 services in the given month. Each usher team serves two months of the year with those times being six months apart. Consider ushering with family members, for example: Husband/Wife, Father/Son or Mother/Daughter. A complete list of duties and answers to questions are provided, and experienced ushers are teamed with new ones.
Contact: Dan Meyer at 513-236-2517
Seasonal Decorations
Purpose: To decorate the sanctuary for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and other special occasions.
Time/Training: There is no special training necessary. It takes just a few hours to decorate the church on a pre-determined morning before each holiday. If you have an interest in helping the church, this is a friendly and fun group. The work is rewarding and appreciated by all.
Contact: Kate Lawrence at 317-1689, Mardie Off at 561-4884 or Rosemary Ballard at 561-1062