EUCHARISTIC MINISTER TRAINING For use in the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii The Rev. Leo Loyola
Mahalo to the Rev. Giovan King for the use of her reference materials in making this booklet 2
WHAT WILL BE COVERED? Walk-through of Holy Eucharist for Eucharistic Minister (EM) Licensing Requirements Who can be an EM? How long the EM license lasts? What an EM should know?
HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE GOD'S LOVE AS YOU SERVE AS EUCHARIST MINISTER? 4
WALK-THROUGH OF HOLY EUCHARIST FOR EM Implements Located on Credence Table For the bread Bread box, Paten, Ciborium, Pyx For the wine Cruet, Chalice For the water Cruet, Lavabo bowl, Towel 5
WALK-THROUGH OF HOLY EUCHARIST FOR EM Setting the Lord's Table Bread box, still covered Opened cruets, handles out Opened cruet of water, towel on wrist, lavabo in other hand Collecting of offerings from ushers for blessing Ringing of chimes Serving wine from chalice: "The blood of Christ, the cup of salvation", wiping rim when necessary with towel Clearing the Lord's Table General rule: Listen for Celebrant's directions 6
POP QUIZ 1) What are the vessels used to contain the bread? What are each used for? 2) What are the two vessels used to contain the wine? 3) What do you say as you serve the wine to each recipient? 7
LICENSING REQUIREMENTS (COMMISSION ON MINISTRY) What is the Commission on Ministry (COM)? Advisory body to Bishop: ministry discernment and formation, for both lay and ordained ministries Focus on lay and clergy formation Definition of Eucharistic Minister (Title III, Canon 4, Sec. 6) A lay person "authorized to administer the Consecrated Elements at a Celebration of Holy Eucharist" Acts "under the direction of a Deacon, if any, or otherwise the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith" 8
WHO CAN BE A EUCHARISTIC MINISTER? Must have received Confirmation A communicant in good standing of the Episcopal Church and congregation. Faithful in corporate worship in previous year, unless for good cause prevented Faithful in working, praying, and giving for the spread of the Kingdom of God Invited to this ministry, normally by clergy Must possess an ability to administer the elements in the context of public worship 9
HOW LONG DOES THE EM LICENSE LAST? The answer is up to three years. The renewal of your EM license is to be done every three years per diocesan guidelines. The applicant's formation and fulfillment of all licensing requirements must be attested to in writing normally by clergy. 10
WHAT MUST A EUCHARISTIC MINISTER KNOW? Training of EMs must include the following: A knowledge and respect for the sacrament of Holy Eucharist; A knowledge of the history of Eucharistic ministry and its connection to Baptismal Covenant; Familiarity with the rites and options of the Book of Common Prayer and other rites authorized by General Convention and/ or the Bishop of Hawaii; Familiarity with the seasons of the Church year and the use of the lectionary; and A recognition of the role of his/her ministry within life of the Church 11
WHAT IS THE SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST? Sacrament = "Outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace (BCP 857)." Holy Eucharist = "Sacrament commanded by Christ for the continual remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection, until his coming again (BCP 859)." 12
A HISTORY OF EUCHARISTIC MINISTRY Early Church Clergy and lay Christians shared in role of bringing Holy Communion to ill and infirmed. Controversy arose over the permission of lay people brining the elements home to administer to themselves or others. Later, lay people were no longer permitted to do so. Beginning in 650 AD It became forbidden to place bread and wine in people's hands, fearing they might take them home. Bread placed on tongue; priest administered the wine, no longer allowing lay people to hold chalice. Over time, lay people given to laity only in emergency situations and only when bishop/ priest not present. Years passed and deacons and lay persons were forbidden from administering sacraments. This ruling came into effect because the Church discovered priests neglecting their duties to the ill and those near death The Roman Catholic Church reopened the doors for lay persons serving in this capacity. They were permitted to administer to the ill only if the congregation was too large for clergy to handle alone. 13
A HISTORY OF EUCHARISTIC MINISTRY, CONT'D. Late 1800s The Episcopal Church permitted candidates for Holy Orders to conduct services. They were not permitted to administer the bread and wine. 1900s The Episcopal Church permitted only male lay persons to administer the wine at the Eucharist. Deacon given back the responsibility of administering elements to ill and infirmed. 1967 Only male lay readers could serve as chalice bearers. 1969 Women finally permitted to serve as lay readers and chalice bearers. 14
A HISTORY OF EUCHARISTIC MINISTRY, CONT'D. 1985 onward General Convention of the Episcopal Church recognized that lay readers and chalice bearers needed to be trained separately, seeing them as separate and distinct ministries. The term Lay Eucharistic Minister (LEM) became the official title of chalice bearers. LEMs now had full authority to administer to ill and infirmed. However the Episcopal Church recognized that the two roles of the LEM were also separate and distinct ministries, requiring different training. Thus those who administered the elements during at the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist were called LEMs; those who administers the elements to ill and infirmed were called Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEVs). Today 2003 General Convention: the word "lay" removed and LEMs became EMs and LEVs became EVs. Further, the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii reviewed Title III of the Canons, regarding the training, continuing education, supervision of EMs and EVs. So what has history taught us about the role of the Eucharistic Minister?... 15
YOUR ROLE AS EUCHARISTIC MINISTER IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH Sacramental ministry is inherently clerical in nature When the celebrant is assisted by a deacon or another priest, it is customary for the celebrant to administer the consecrated Bread and the assistant the Chalice...In the absence of sufficient deacons and priests, lay persons licensed by the bishop according to the canon may administer the Chalice (BCP 408) Thus licensed lay Eucharistic ministry is not lay ministry! YOU ARE BEING DEPUTIZED IN A RESTRICTED SENSE TO SHARE AND SERVE IN THE SAME ROLE AS A PRIEST OR BISHOP. 16
HOW WILL YOU SHARE GOD'S LOVE AS A EUCHARIST MINISTER? 17
THE TWO MAIN RITES OF BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER Rite I Rite 2 Liturgies reflect the language and piety of the Elizabethan era and the first BCP. However their structure reflect the influence of modern liturgical scholarship. Penitential in tone, it focuses upon the forgiveness of sins as God s primary saving act through Christ Liturgies reflect the influence of the Liturgical Movement, contemporary theology and inclusivity in language 18
EUCHARISTIC PRAYERS OF RITE II Prayer A Prayer B Prayer C Prayer D Short; less penitential than Rite I, its focus is on forgiveness of sins Focus upon the incarnation of Christ: "word made flesh"; recommended for Advent and Christmas More congregation participation required; expresses gratitude to God for all of salvation history from the Creation to the human race; purpose of incarnation=general Used during solemn occasions; appropriate for Maundy Thursday and baptisms. 19
SEASONS OF THE CHURCH YEAR Season Duration Narrative Advent 4 Sundays Awaiting Messiah Christmas 12 days Messiah arrives Epiphany Varies upon when Lent starts News of Messiah revealed to world Lent 5 Sundays Solemn preparation for new birth Holy Week Week before Easter Death to sin Easter 50 days Rebirth Pentecost Varies upon when Easter starts Birth of the Church, a lifetime of following Christ 20
REVISED COMMON LECTIONARY Three-year cycle of weekly lections adopted by many mainline churches. Year A=Matthew; Year B=Mark; Year C=Luke; John read throughout A through C. Each year begins with first Sunday of Advent. What year are we in? Year A always begins on the Advent 1 of years divisible by 3 (e.g. 1992, 1995). Or go to lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and lectionarypage.net The RCL reflects the life of Christ, just as the church calendar does. Built around the Christian calendar, it includes four lections: OT, Psalm, Epistles (NT), Gospel. Additional readings said on major feast days. Gospel=focus of day; other lections support this theme During Easter, OT replaced by Acts of Apostles During Pentecost, we may follow one of two tracks. Track one is mostly sequential, starting with Genesis: Year A=Patriarchs and Exodus story; year B=monarchial narratives; year C=Prophets. In Track two, the OT readings are thematically related to Gospels. 21
WHAT IS THE "BAPTISM IS EUCHARISTIC AND EUCHARIST IS CONNECTION BAPTISMAL." BETWEEN THE Our baptismal covenant EUCHARIST serves as a reminder of our initiation into God s covenant the Church, and it is a AND OUR family, ritual cleansing of sin. The is both the spiritual BAPTISMAL Eucharist nourishment of this family and a celebration of being fed COVENANT? by and with our Lord. The Rev. Porter C. Taylor 22
That's it! Now all you need to do now is complete the Application for Eucharistic Minister and Eucharistic Visitor Licensing (PDF). But before we go... NAME ONE THING YOU'VE LEARNED TODAY THAT WILL HELP YOU TO BETTER SERVE AS A EUCHARISTIC MINISTER? 23
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God! 24