Job Description for Worship Assistant

(Revised November 26, 2008)

Preparation

1. Arrive at least 30 minutes before the service.

2. Greet the speaker.

3. Go over the order of service with the speaker. If you haven't already done so, find out a few things about the speaker to be able to give a very brief introduction at the beginning of the service.

4. Pick the announcements that you plan to read aloud. Usually, you should choose only announcements about events happening that day or that week.

5. Before the service begins, ask a member of the congregation to light the chalice for you during the service.

Script

1. Opening Words

"Good morning! I'm __________, a member of Saltwater Unitarian Universalist Church. While our minister, Reverend James Kubal-Komoto, is away, we welcome __________ to our church this morning." Give a very brief introduction of the speaker.

At this point, either the worship assistant or the guest speaker may provide opening words. Opening words can be found in the back of our hymnal.

2. Hymn

"Our opening hymn this morning is _____ . Will you please stand as you're able to sing?"

3. Chalice Lighting

"Will you please remain standing as we light our chalice this morning?"

Use the Chalice Lighting printed in the order of service. 

After the Chalice Lighting, tell people, "Please be seated."

4. Welcome and Special Announcements

"'If you are visiting us for the first time this morning, I’d like to offer you a special welcome.

"Saltwater Church is a Unitarian Universalist congregation. Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religious tradition that seeks wisdom from many sources while affirming individual experience as the ultimate authority for one's beliefs.

"If you'd like to find out more about Saltwater Church and Unitarian Universalism, please stop by the Newcomers Table in the Welcoming Room and pick up a visitors folder. If you haven’t already done so, I’d also like to invite you to fill out a visitor card at the Newcomer’s Table. Finally, please join us for refreshments and conversation in the Welcoming Room after the service.

"I hope you will read through the announcements in your orders of service. I'd like to highlight just a few announcements". (List three announcements at most, highlighting events happening today or in the coming week.)

5. Meet and Greet Your Neighbor

"At this time, I’d like to invite you to take a few moments moment to greet and introduce yourselves to the people seated around you. Please make a special effort to say hello to anyone who is new."

(Ring the bell after one minute. Introverts hate this part of the service. Don’t make them suffer too long.)

6. Offering and Offertory

“As part of our Share-the-Plate program, during the month of __________ , we are sharing half of the undesignated funds in our offering with __________ . It is now time for this morning’s offering. Please be generous.”

7. Candles of Joy and Sorrow

(Tip: When facilitating candles of joys and sorrows, hold on to the microphone. This works better for two reasons: [1.] If you hold the microphone, the person will be briefer. [2]. Most people don’t hold the microphone close enough to their mouths.)

"This is the time in our service when we light candles of joy and sorrow, and we do this because we believe that a joy shared is a joy made greater and a sorrow or concern shared is made easier to bear.

"When you come forward to light a candle, please tell us your name and briefly share your joy or sorrow.

"Would anyone like to come forward to light a candle?"

(After people have finished lighting candles): "I light this last candle for all of those unspoken joys and sorrows among us."

8. Meditation

"As we reflect on these candles of joys and sorrow and reflect on the joys and sorrows of our own lives, let us now be together for a few moments of shared silence, opening ourselves to those sources of love, joy and peace within us and amidst us. After a the shared silence, we’ll sing __________ (check the order of service)."

(Signal the pianist to begin after about one minute.)

 9. Readings

When we have a guest speaker, either the worship assistant or the guest speaker may do the readings.

10. Musical Meditation or Special Music

Sit and enjoy.

11. Message of the Morning

Sit and enjoy.

12. Extinguishing the Chalice.

“We extinguish this flame but not the light of truth, the warmth of community, or the fire of commitment. These we carry in our hearts until we are together again.”

13. Closing Hymn.

"Our closing hymn this morning is _____. Will you please stand as you’re able to sing?"

14. Closing words

Either the guest speaker or the worship assistant may do the closing words. If you do the closing words, either choose closing words from the hymnal or use the following.

"As we leave this place of worship, may we do so with ever more awareness of the sacred around and within us, with ever more compassion and acceptance for ourselves and for all those with whom we share this world, with ever more gratitude for this precious gift of life we share, and with ever more commitment to making our world more loving in just. Go in love, go in joy, go in peace. Amen."