A Working Manual for Altar Guilds - Dorothy C. Diggs

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in the center of the sanctuary, surrounded by the communion rail, and the pews are in a circle outside this. Such an altar presents a different approach in preparing for the services.

      The altar is the center of the Church's life and is the major concern of Altar Guilds. It should be vested with the greatest care and always kept in immaculate condition. By ancient custom the standard vestments of the Altar are, in this order: cerecloth, frontal and fair linen. To these may be added whatever is needed for any particular service. Instead of a frontal, some churches use a superfrontal, which is shorter and may be of the season color or simply of lace. (Lace should not be used during Advent and Lent.) Some use a frontal with superfrontal as well.

      The white altar coverings should be made of linen, if possible, although synthetic materials are now often used. What the 1979 Prayer Book calls “a clean, white cloth” we have always known as “the fair linen.” The fair linen is the “fair white linen cloth” required by Prayer Book rubric. It should hang at least eighteen inches at the ends of the altar. On a solid stone or wood altar, it may hang to within a few inches of the floor. It should not touch the floor. If the altar is a table type with a recessed foundation, the fair linen should not hand much, if any, longer than eighteen inches or it will tend to ripple. Common sense should determine which length is most suitable for any particular altar.

      Except when preparing for the Holy Communion, the fair linen should always be covered. If any service other than the Holy Communion is to take place, a white cloth should be put upon the fair linen, which for want of a better term may be called a prayer cover or prayer cloth. This is a white linen cloth which exactly fits the mensa, or top of the altar, and does not have ends overhanging. The reason for this cloth is that the fair linen will not long remain either “fair” or “white” if constantly exposed.

      When the altar is in repose between services, it should be covered by a dust protector. This protector should completely cover the top of the altar and hang over the ends to the edge of the fair linen. It may be of virgin blue, green, or dark red, with a simple cross upon it to denote its sacred use, or it may be quite elaborate, made of a rich material with embroidery, if desired. If frontals in the colors of the Church seasons are used, a dust cover which harmonizes with these might be chosen.

      There can be a difference between a free-standing altar and an altar standing free so that one may walk behind it. With either there will have to be a flexible approach to vesting it. If the altar stands out from the wall so that the priest may celebrate facing the people, the usual frontal or superfrontal may still be usable. If celebrating behind the altar is a new procedure and the six office candles have previously been used, they will have to be dispensed with. Some churches are designed with gradines or re-tables in or under the reredos. The office candles might be put there as well as the flowers. If not, the design of the sanctuary will determine what is to be done about flowers as well as the necessary adjuncts to the services.

      For an “altar-in-the-round” or one on a platform on the nave floor, the traditional frontal can hardly be used. The frontal could be omitted entirely and the altar vested simply in cerecloth and fair linen with the two candlesticks. For this type of altar a Jacobean frontal, or a modified version of it, could be used. This covers the altar on all sides and hangs to the floor. Care must be taken not to use too heavy material or make the frontal too full lest it bunch up at the ends and possibly get in the way of the officiants at services.

      With the coming of the new Prayer Book there has been a number of changes in procedure. Each parish priest will decide what is best for that particular congregation. Altar Guild members will follow instructions and be helpful and cooperative in order that the transition from the customary Prayer Book rite may be as easy as possible for clergy and people.

      Morning and Evening Prayer are choir offices, which means they were said in the choir, not in the sanctuary. This is not possible now except in traditional churches. The altar is covered with the prayer cloth over its standard vestments. Nothing else need be upon it.

      When there are two gradines or retables behind the altar, the cross and candlesticks may be upon the upper retable.

      Flowers in appropriate color for the Church season should be carefully arranged and put upon the lower retable. Some churches have niches for flowers at the sides of the altar—others use stands. Some have corbels (see definitions, page 110).

      The candles must stand straight in their sticks and be as nearly the same height as possible. As they burn down, the tallest should be put next to the cross and the rest graded proportionately down.

      If the church has an altar without retables, the candle sticks and flowers can be put along the back of the altar itself.

      Alms basins are placed on or under the credence table, or perhaps in a wall niche.

      For Morning and Evening Prayer the clergy are normally vested in cassock and surplice with tippet, and academic hoods if desired. Some priests wear stoles in place of tippets, especially if they are preaching. Stoles, if worn, should be the color of the Church season.

      The Bible marker and pulpit fall follow the color of the Church season. The altar service book is marked at places specified by the clergy.

      Altar Guild members should arrive for duty at least a half hour before the service is to begin, in order not to be seen at work by the congregation. They should remain in the sacristy until the arrival of the clergy to carry out any requests or changes. They should not go into the sanctuary after the service is over until the congregation has left the church.

      After the Morning or Evening Prayer service is concluded, the prayer cloth should be removed from the altar and the dust protector put upon it. The candles should be trimmed or straightened, if necessary, and the sanctuary carefully checked and made tidy. Kneeling cushions should be put straight and books closed.

      The Bible usually stays permanently on the lectern and is left closed. Some ministers prefer the open Bible and have it left so at all times.

      There should be a special box or bank bag in which to put the offerings after the service. Alms basins, if brass, should be kept in felt or flannel bags to protect the metal.

      For this primary service of the Church, the altar is vested in its standard coverings of cerecloth, frontal or superfrontal or both, and fair linen, spotlessly clean. This is the only service at which the fair linen is exposed, that is without a protecting prayer cloth. Upon the fair linen go the two eucharistic candlesticks. On a free-standing altar these are placed toward the front of the altar and equidistant from the ends.

      The altar service book, or missal, upon the missal stand, is placed on the epistle side near the normal side for celebration. It should be marked with a ribbon, placed at the beginning of the communion service at locations specified by the clergy, and the book left closed.

      Appropriate flowers should be carefully arranged in the vases or containers, brought to the altar and placed at one side, or on the retable, or in a suitable niche, according to the altar design.

      If there are two credence tables, the offering plates are put upon the one on the gospel side of the altar. If there is but one credence table, it should be upon the epistle side of the altar and the alms basins may be put on the shelf underneath it or in a suitable niche.

      On the epistle side credence table go the two cruets of wine and water, the wine customarily on the right, the water on the left with the handles facing rearwards. The bread box, with sufficient bread, is placed between them at the back, with the lavabo bowl and lavabo towel beside it at the left.

      At an early celebration of the Holy Communion, the vested chalice may be put upon the altar and the corporal spread, or it may be put upon the credence and brought to the celebrant at the proper place in the service, usually by the acolyte. If a guest priest is celebrating, it is wise to ascertain beforehand just what the procedure will be because some priests prefer to carry the vested chalice to the altar themselves.

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