Worship Ministries

Acolytes

Youth can serve as Acolytes beginning in 6th grade. This ministry is a key part of St. George’s worship services and is a fulfilling and fun part for many of our youth. If you are interested in being involved in this ministry, please contact Kay Neal or call 385-2150, x261.

Altar Guild

The Altar Guild prepares for the many services of the church including weddings, baptisms, and funerals and is responsible for the upkeep of the sanctuary and sacristies. The Altar Guild is an excellent way to serve the church at the very heart of its life - The Altar. Membership in the Altar Guild is open to all women of St. George's Church. Please contact Debbie Townsend at 665-1573 if you are interested in joining St. George's Altar Guild.

Flower Guild

The Flower Guild is responsible for flowers in the chapel and can assist with flowers in the Church as necessary. Open to all parishioners, the Flower Guild is part of the broader Altar Guild. Please contact Lynn Terry at 383-6055 if you would like to join St. George's Flower Guild.

Lay Readers & Chalice Bearers

The licensed Lay Readers and Chalice Bearers (Lay Eucharistic Ministers) assist the clergy of St. George's by participating in the scheduled services on Sunday and weekday mornings. Lay readers read the Lessons and the Prayers of the People at Holy Eucharist services, conduct the service of Evening Prayer at 5:00 p.m. on Sundays, and assist in ministering to those who are homebound, hospitalized or confined to a nursing home. Contact the Rev. Marcia King if you are interested in becoming a Lay Reader or Chalice Bearer.

Youth Lectors

This is a chance for 6th - 12th graders to be involved in Sunday morning worship in a different way, as they read the Old Testament lesson at the 8:45 a.m. service. Contact Holly Rankin Zaher at 385-2150 x 248 if you are interested in becoming a youth lector.

Ushers

Being an usher is a volunteer service open to all members of the parish. Ushers help direct people during services. If you are interested, please contact Rebecca Teel or Marcia King in the Church office at 385-2150.

Greeters

An Invitation to the Ministry of Greeting

Interested in greeting people as they enter and leave the church on Sunday mornings? This simple yet profoundly important ministry may be just for you. If you are interested in exploring it, we invite you to a Greeter Orientation and Training.

The first will be held Sunday, July 13th, at 9:00am. The second will be held Sunday, August 3rd, at 11:30am (immediately following the 10:00am service).

These informal and informative sessions will help attendees become more effective and intentional in welcoming visitors. We have some simple, practical coaching tips that can make your greeting even more meaningful, and your experience more satisfying. It is necessary to attend only one of the two.

For more information, contact Brad Thomason at 604-3109 or The Rev. Tim Jones at 385-2150 x 217.

St. George's Newest Icon: The Ascension

St. George’s icon is here! To quote the artist, The Rev. John H. Walsted,

“This icon of the Ascension is based on a 16th-century prototype from the Russian city of Pskov. Stolen by the Germans during World War II, the icon now hangs in the Novgorod Museum.
The Feast of the Ascension is the feast of salvation consummated. The whole process of salvation: birth, passion, death and resurrection is completed in the Ascension, when Jesus takes the human nature He assumed at the Annunciation into the Godhead.
The iconography of the Ascension is based on the account of Acts 1:6-11. The Virgin Mary is not specifically mentioned as being present at the Ascension, but since she is reported in Acts 1:14 to be one of those who were devoting themselves to prayer after the Ascension, all Orthodox icons depict her as present. The Mother of God in icons always represents the believer. The viewer is always intended to identify with the Virgin, for baptized Christians bear Christ within themselves, just as the Mother of God bore Him first in her womb.
The principal place in the Orthodox icon of the Ascension is given to a group consisting of the Mother of God, angels and apostles; the principal figure is the ascending Saviour. According to the Holy Scriptures, the Ascension of our Lord took place on the Mount of Olives; as the olive trees show. The Saviour Himself is represented as ascending in glory sitting on the richly ornamented throne. His glory is shown as a mandorla composed of several concentric circles, the symbol of the high heavens; the ascending Saviour abides outside the earthly plane of existence. The mandorla is supported by angels.
In the foreground, with the Mother of God in the center, we see two groups of apostles and two angels. Placed directly below the ascending Saviour, she is, as it were, the axis of the whole composition. The direction of movement of the entire group in the foreground, the gestures both of the angels and the apostles, the focus of their eyes and postures, everything is directed upward.
The gesture of the Saviour points towards the external world. He blesses with His right hand and holds in His left hand the scroll of the Gospels, the symbol of the teacher, of preaching. The icon shows that the Lord, while dwelling in heaven, remains not only the source of blessing but also the source of knowledge for His Church gathered below. The inner link between Christ and His Church is expressed by the whole structure of the composition, the group on earth with its consummation in heaven.
The two angels standing behind the Mother of God and pointing towards the Saviour announce to the apostles that the ascended Christ will come again in glory.”
The painting is composed in the same medium used in western art during the Medieval period, that is egg tempera and gold leaf on gessoed board, rather than oil paint. The style is a blending of the mysticism of Eastern Orthodoxy and the Italian tradition characteristic of Siena in the late 14th century.