The Book of Common Prayer states, “At all celebrations of the Liturgy, it is fitting that the principal celebrant, whether bishop or priest, be assisted by other priests, and by deacons and lay persons” (p.322 &354). Our acolytes, young and old, serve at the 10:30 a.m. service on Sundays and at other major services. Acolytes carry the cross and torches in the procession, assist the celebrant at communion, and carry the incense at special services. We always have room for new acolytes, fourth grade to adult and beyond!

Please speak to the Assistant to the Rector if you are interested in joining this important ministry in the church.

In the preface of her book Meditations for Altar Guild Members, Caroline Conklin offers her feelings about serving on the Altar Guild:

"The silver we shine, the wood we polish, the cloths we launder and iron, the wine and wafers we set out, the candles we replenish all serve to remind us that the active, willing hand of every Christian is needed to keep the Church alive. Especially I have come to believe that we members of the Altar Guild are privileged because we experience regularly and uniquely the thinness of the veil between the sacred and the ordinary."

One member in his second year Memorial Church Choir, says that “without a doubt that it is one of the finest groups anyone could sing with. Under the direction of Doug Forbes, the choir maintains a high level of musical excellence, while keeping a warm and joyful spirit unto the Lord as is particular of a Memorialite.” While modern churches these days are increasingly turning to pop and rock for their style of worship music, the Memorial Church Choir remains devoted to some of the greatest liturgical worship music ever written with a time period ranging from the sixteenth century to the present with composers ranging from Byrd to Dirksen. Like all of Memorial we are always looking to continue to grow, so, if you would like to sing in the choir and can read music, contact Doug Forbes, organist and choir director, for an audition. See the Music Page for more information.

Compline originated in the fourth century as the night prayers of monks in their dormitories. In his Rule, Benedict of Nursia describes the content of the rite in the sixth century: “Let Compline be limited to the saying of three psalms, which are to be said straightforwardly without antiphons, after which let there be the hymn of that hour, a lesson, a versicle, the Kyrie, and a blessing to conclude.” Compline provides a time of quiet to end a busy weekend and a time of reflection and preparation for the week ahead.

from The Book of Common Prayer: " In the course of their Christian development, those baptized at an early age are expected, when they are ready and have been duly prepared, to make a mature public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their Baptism and to receive the laying on of hands by the bishop. Those baptized as adults, unless baptized with laying on of hands by a bishop, are also expected to make a public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their Baptism in the presence of a bishop and to receive the laying on of hands."

The rites of Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation are available several times annually at regional services presided over by one of our bishops. Please contact one of the clergy if you are interested in one of these rites.

Once again, the weather gods worked in our favor and the 50 th annual Festival on the Hill was met with a beautiful October day. Thanks to a lot of hard work all year long on behalf of a whole lot of people, and a fair amount of last-minute magic on behalf of a few, the 2004 festival nearly doubled last year’s number of arts, crafts, and vendor booths; featured an expanded children’s section, complete with ponies; and tallied record gross revenues of over $15,000. In true FOH fashion many of the details were worked out on the morning of October 9, and in true FOH fashion, everyone in the end had a wonderful time—booth keepers stuck with less-than-prime real estate and frazzled festival coordinators included.

The Festival on the Hill is one of Bolton Hill’s richest and most enduring traditions. While on its face it is a fundraiser that splits net proceeds down the middle for the neighborhood and Memorial Church—more than $6,000 each, thanks to this past year’s efforts—it amounts to much more. If any single neighborhood event or aspect reflects the best of this community, and captures the spirit that brings and keeps so many of us here, it is this day in mid-October. As Bolton Hill has grown, so has the festival; and as the neighborhood changes, so goes the festival. That said, let us all keep kicking around new strategies and ideas for keeping the festival vibrant in years to come.

The Memorial Outreach Committee was reconvened in August, 2002, and has met through January. The focus of the meetings has been on exploring possible outreach needs, opportunities, and calling, as well as on inventorying the many ways in which Memorial engages in Outreach currently. These include but are not limited to: a more active partnership with School 11, working with Jubilee, creating a parish nursing program, and working for peace. Everyone is welcome to attend Outreach Committee meetings. Watch the Goldenrod and Memos for times and places.

The first person a visitor to the 10:30 am service at Memorial Episcopal Church meets is usually an usher. The manner in which this usher greets the visitor is an important aspect of the visitor’s first impressions of Memorial Episcopal Church. In addition to greeting visitors and giving them a copy of the order of the day’s service, ushers help those who are unfamiliar with the service and introduce the visitor to a host. In the absence of a host, the usher, at the end of the service introduces the visitor to the minister, invites and accompanies the visitor to the coffee hour, and introduces the visitor to other parish members.

The other duties of the ushers are to take up the collection, to select members to process the elements and carry the food baskets to the altar and, after the service to collect bulletins left in the pews and replace prayer books and hymnals in the racks. During the service one usher remains near the front door to greet those who arrive late and to provide any assistance which may be required during the service. Ushers service approximately once a month.