Many Servants
The congregation is an integral part of every worship service in the Episcopal Church. Lay participation is also central in leading and facilitating Anglican/Episcopal worship.
Laity serves as vergers, acolytes, scripture readers, prayer leaders, ushers, and crucifers. Without people who are willing to serve in these ministries every Sunday, Episcopal services would come to a grinding halt. Below are some of those who have committed to them.
Verger (Marcia Jacob & Barbara Rasplika)
A verger is a committed lay minister within the Church who assists the clergy in the conduct of public worship, especially in the marshalling of processions. Vergers can be full-time or part-time, paid or volunteer. Their duties can be purely ceremonial or include other responsibilities, such as parish administration, leadership of the worship committee or sexton.
A brief history - The office of verger has its roots in the earliest days of the Church's history. It shares certain similarities with the former minor orders of porter and acolyte. Generally speaking, vergers were responsible for the order and upkeep of the house of worship, including preparations for the liturgy, the conduct of the laity, and grave-digging.
Although there is no definitive historical survey of the office of verger, evidence from Rochester, Lincoln, Exeter, and Salisbury Cathedrals indicates the existence of vergers as far back as the 16th century.
A familiar sight in English cathedrals, vergers have maintained the buildings and furnishings of the Church for many centuries. The Church of England Guild of Vergers (CEGV) was formed in 1932 as a fellowship of vergers within the Anglican Communion.
Concerning Vestments and Virges – Verger paraphernalia can be as varied as the duties of the incumbent. The basic vestment of a verger is a black cassock. In some places, especially cathedrals, the cassock may be of another color. And in some parishes the cassock is not worn at all. Over the cassock (or street clothes), when performing a ceremonial function, the verger wears a gown.
One type of gown is sleeveless and resembles a bishop's chimere; the other is cut more fully and resembles a master's academic gown. There are no hard and fast rules about the shape and adornment of a verger's gown.
The virge is the staff that a verger carries in procession. The name comes from the Latin "virga" which simply means a rod or staff; hence, a verger is one who carries a staff. The virge can trace its history back to the ceremonial maces carried before civic and ecclesiastical dignitaries.
The Maces of State used in the House of Lords and the House of Commons of the British Parliament are examples of another modern use of the medieval symbols. Originally a weapon used to clear the way for processions (and control unruly choristers!); its use is now principally honorific.
Again, the size and shape of a virge varies from place to place; but one end has a cross or other Christian symbol mounted on it. A longer variation of the virge is called the "beadle", originally used to lead academic processions.
Vergers Today - The contemporary office of verger is experiencing a rapid expansion within the Episcopal Church. Differing from the church of England, where vergers are often full-time paid employees of the Church, American vergers are more often than not volunteers with a special calling to the ordering and conduct of the Church's liturgy.
Clergy throughout the Church have come to appreciate the ministry of vergers within their congregations. Vergers can relieve the clergy of the burden of liturgical detail so that they can concentrate on their priestly duties to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments.
No longer found primarily in cathedrals and large parishes, vergers are as asset to any worshipping community. It is said there is a verger in every congregation -- whether one has been identified as such or not. In the words of Michael Carrigan, Master-in-Chapel Brambletye School, Sussex, UK (as quoted from The Vergers Voice, "
The best description I know of a verger's role is that of a Parson's Butler. As the butler runs the house of his Master, so the verger runs the House of God."
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Photos and information about our acolytes, ushers, crucifers, readers and others will be posted in September.
