Flowers in Autumn
(Summer 2009) As summer ends, it is a good time to collect dry material in the fields for use as fillers during the fall and winter. It is also a good time to recruit new members...
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Power Shots
(Summer 2009) Count the number of photographs in any issue of Epistle. Wouldn’t you like to see more? I would. But we need your help. Here’s a quick lesson on taking photos that will look good in a picture frame as well as on the printed page.
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“Doing” Weddings
Spring (2009) Weddings can be the most exciting and frustrating times in the lives of couples about to be married. They can also be the most exciting and frustrating times in the lives of altar guilds, particularly if the parish doesn’t have an established, written policy and procedure detailing who does what and when and what is allowed — a parish “wedding customary.”
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Wedding Music
(Spring 2009) A church wedding is not primarily a social occasion but a service of congregational worship. The center of the service is God, not the couple, and the music selected for the occasion needs to reflect the majesty of God, to give thanks for the blessings of marriage, and to ask God’s favor on the mutual covenant being made by the couple.
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Faith & Function
(Spring 2009) For the better part of six months, silversmith Marietta Loudon spent countless hours on a single project. The Diocese of Southwest Florida commissioned Loudon, a parishioner at Christ Episcopal Church in Bradenton, FL, to create a new crozier, the shepherd’s staff and symbol of a bishop’s pastoral authority.
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Weaving for the Liturgical Setting
(Spring 2009) Finely woven white linen and vividly colored textiles, even gold threads, have been part of our worship tradition for a very long time. Although you may not be interested in setting up a big floor loom and threading it with dozens of linen threads per inch, there is no reason why you can’t enjoy experimenting with weaving for the altar.
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Lighting the New Fire at Easter Vigil
(Winter 2009) Because the Easter Vigil begins in darkness, one of the most powerful symbols is the lighting of a new fire.
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How to Make Palm Crosses
(Winter 2009) This is my preferred pattern for making Palm crosses. It takes a bit more practice, but looks like the ones I used to get when I was little.
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Cutting Gardens for Churches
(Winter 2009) For those who design floral arrangements for your church and wish to grow your own materials, consider these factors when establishing cutting gardens.
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Flower Notes: Epiphany
(Autumn 2008) Epiphany comes so soon after Christmas that often your greens and plants are still in usable condition. The Epiphany Sunday does often ask for the star colors of white and gold, so in my arrangements for that day, I reach out with those colors like rays. After all the red of Christmas, it is a nice change.
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Flower Notes: Advent
(Augumn 2008) This year, like so many others before, on Friday and Saturday after turkey dinners and turkey soup, we will dismantle all of the golds and oranges and reds, replacing them with evergreens, ivy and magnolia.
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Candles
(Autumn 2008) The name candle comes from the Latin candere meaning “to shine.” While no date can be definitely pinned down for the development of the first candle, we do know that during the Middle Ages, candles became associated with worship...
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Book of Remembrance
(Summer 2008) The Diocese of Long Island DAG maintains a Book of
Remembrance through donations, as memorials for loved ones who were once altar
guild members or involved with altar guild and have passed on.
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Stitches in Time
(Summer 2008) Mary Wagner works to preserve congregational treasures such as vestments and altar hangings, and teaches others how to do it. In this article, Wagner offers a few tips for keeping a congregation’s cloth treasures safe.
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Fall Flower Notes
(Summer 2008) Summer ends and the majority of the flowers fade. Now is the
time to collect seedpods, grasses with plumes and leaves. Also, for the traditional altars and chapels that are still using
vases, here are several suggestions for making graceful arrangements.
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Designing Needlepoint Kneelers for Your Church
(Summer 2008) There is no joy to compare with putting our own work down in
the church, to be there long after we are gone. My
career as a professional ecclesiastical needlepoint designer actually started
the day we broke ground for a new sanctuary, which now has well over a hundred
pieces of needlepoint stitched by parishioners. Along the way I’ve learned a
lot — much of it the hard way — and am happy to share my knowledge with you.
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Seamless Transition: Hobby Becomes Ministry
(Spring 2008) when the bishop-elect couldn’t find a red chasuble that he liked, Canon Zust knew where to turn. Fite, a seamstress who made custom wedding and prom dresses for more than 40 years, answered immediately. “Of course I said yes, yes, yes! I am so honored.”
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Learning to Arrange Flowers
(Spring 2008) Winter is over, spring is here and it is time to look for and plan new floral offerings. As we travel around the town or country, look at the landscapes for shapes and color combinations. . Visit churches to see their altar arrangements; I have learned many things from other flower guilds. Think about
attending a school or flower arranging class...
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Chaplains’ Stoles Up With The Times
(Spring 2008) I was asked to design a more modern and up-to-date stole for our chaplains. The
newly designed stoles come two stoles to a kit, or a set, with
all the bits and pieces needed plus thread and instructions. I have
tried to keep the home sewer in mind and have made every effort to keep
them manageable. I would like to compile a list of sewers that I may call upon when the need arises.
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Behold the Lamb of God
(Spring 2008) So,
often I hear the altar guild being compared to Mary, Martha, and the
other faithful women of the gospel. Women who work quietly and meekly
behind the scenes, never seeking their own glory and never rocking the
boat. It is an image that carries a lot of truth.... However, that image doesn’t even begin to do justice to the first altar guild person that I ever met.
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Book Review: Raise the Banners High
(Winter 2008) There is something about banners that perks people up, brings joy to their hearts, and a song to their souls. Raise the Banners High is not just about making banners but about the theology of banners.
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Decorating the Pascal Candle
(Winter 2008) If you have never decorated the Pascal candle stand, you might want to try it this year.
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Turning This Year’s Palms Into Next Year’s Ashes
(Winter 2008) What is to be done with those leftover consecrated palms?
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The Blessings of Altar Service: Our Lives as Prayer
(Winter 2008) Altar guild is a ministry of service that has its roots in the historical Hebrew tradition of the Levites. We are a part of those people who have been set aside for service. When we offer ourselves to serve at the altar, we are offering ourselves to God as a living prayer.
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Holy Week, Easter and Spring Flowers
(Winter 2008) Holy Week opens with Palm Sunday and we arrange with a variety of palms...Maundy Thursday for some churches means a floral offering in which to place the reserved sacrament...Then a bare Friday and Saturday, until the eager flower guild comes...
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Tips on Selecting New Paraments and Vestments for Your Church
(Autumn 2007) Wow! So you were chosen to be on the committee to select some new paraments and vestments for your church. You thought missing the meeting would be a small matter but you were elected by default. Lucky for you, there are some places to go for help.
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Fix Your Kneelers Before Advent!
(Autumn 2007) Many people slide onto kneelers, which pushes the top fabric towards the back boxing. It is a fairly common problem, and not very hard to remedy.
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Flower Notes: Advent-Christmas
(Autumn 2007) Advent is a season of preparation and anticipation of a wonderful event....Christmas is filled with parish traditions....
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Christmas-At-Sea
(Summer 2007) In 1006 the Seamen’s Church Institute received hand knitted articles from almost 4,000 knitters representing every state. Knit a gift and be a part of this amazing effort. Download patterns for the seamen’s scarf and the mariner’s scarf. They are as easy as can be.
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Wax on the Needlepoint!
(Summer 2007) NEVER take needlepoint to a dry cleaner! Bid Drake, internationally known ecclesiastical needlepoint specialist, offers her tips on how to remove wax from your needlepoint.
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Fall Flower Notes
(Summer 2007) Dry flowers are very usable year around in arranging, either alone or with real flowers as fillers...
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Inside the Sacristy
(Summer 2007) We are now entering the final quarter of the church year and most churches are getting back into their regular routines after a relaxing summer schedule. This time of year is a good time to review—perhaps edit—these manuals as well as to review general guidelines for altar guild work.
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Dentro De La Sacristía
(Summer 2007) Estamos entrando al período final del año ecclesiástico. Muchas iglesias están volviendo a su rutina regular luego de un relajante verano en cuanto al itinerario de los servicios se refiere. La estación del otoño es una ocasión favorable para repasar algunas de las guías generales en la tarea de preparar el altar.
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Barbara Gent Receives First Helen Loring Award
(Spring 2007) When the NAGA board decided to honor Helen Loring by naming an award for her, everyone agreed that the recipient of this award must be a person that exemplifies what service in this organization is about and who continues to contribute the time and talent to enrich this ministry. And as such, the award would not be given every year but only when an extraordinary person appears.
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Replacement Cruets
(Spring 2007) Altar Guild work sometimes requires more than setting the table. It was our privilege recently to assist in replacing a beautiful pair of cruets ...
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Altar Guild Inventory
(Spring 2007) It is very important to maintain a record of all materials and equipment of which an Altar Guild has custody. A good inventory should ...
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Inside the Sacristy
(Spring 2007) Pentecost has begun. It is a perfect time to review and update the sacristy inventory. Linen, or white work, is one of the categories of an inventory. In order to complete this section it will be helpful to review the proper names of the different pieces of linen.
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Dentro de la Sacristía
(Primavera 2007) La estación de Pentecostés ha comenzado. Es el tiempo perfecto para revisar y reemplazar el inventorio de la sacristía. Manteles, o "el trabajo blanco" es una de las categorías apuntadas en el inventorio. Para que esta sección pueda ser de ayuda debemos revisar los nombres correctos de las diferentes piezas.
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Lenten Altars
(Winter 2007) There is probably more variation in Lenten altar arrangements than in any other season. You may find the usual floral arrangement, but more often wood and sticks or greens. I once saw a beautiful cactus garden in a Roman Catholic church. This article will address greens as they are used often in Lent and in summer where there is no air conditioning.
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Dentro de la Sacristía
(Invierno 2007) Miércoles de Ceniza comienza con lo que quizás sea la estación más ocupada de la Cofradía del Altar dentro del calendario litúrgico; la Cuaresma.
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Inside the Sacristy
(Winter 2007) Ash Wednesday begins what is perhaps the Altar Guild's busiest season in the liturgical year, Lent. A meeting of the guild with the priest is one of the best ways to begin getting organized.
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Power Shots
(Winter 2007) A 1-2-3 lesson on taking the most powerful shots you can -- plus handy tips and digitial camera settings.
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Using Symbolism in Your Advent Wreath
(Autumn 2006) Jim Bliek of Trinity Church in Columbus discusses how to create personalized Advent wreaths by adding all sorts of symbolic bits.
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Corporals, Purificators, and the Fabric of Ministry
(Summer 2006) Think about the different pieces of fabric being used next time you dress the altar. Suppose each item represented some of the personalities and ministries in a typical parish...
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Looking for Gluten-Free Altar Bread?
(Spring 2005) A recent sampling of church supply houses would imply that few of them offer gluten-free altar bread. An exception is...
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Wrapping Church Columns in Scented Beauty
Church architecture often features towering columns. Aside from their load bearing value, their soaring beauty is symbolic of trees, mountains, or towers, giving the illusion of joining Earth to Heaven.
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