Acolyte Guidelines

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Acolyte Guidelines

The following is an excerpt (the first page) from the new and completely revised acolyte guidelines. The new guidelines are filled with step-by-step directions on what to do as an acolyte. These directions are not only expressed in words, but also in pictures. To view the complete guidelines in full color, click here.

Introduction
The word “acolyte” comes from the Greek word “akolouthos” which means a servant. Acolytes have a long history of being a part of worship. In the Old Testament (the Jewish tradition), Samuel was the “servant of the priest” (acolyte) for Eli, the priest of the temple. Since Christianity emerged from Judaism, the Christian tradition kept the idea of acolytes, just like it kept many other Jewish traditions.

What do acolytes do?
Acolytes keep the worship services running smoothly. As an acolyte, you assist the worship leaders and the congregation in worship. There are a few duties that are part of virtually every service and that are the same (or similar) every time, but as an acolyte you will occasionally be called upon to do things above and beyond that normal routine. The important thing is that you learn to be flexible, so that you can be called upon at any time to do something that needs to be done.

How should acolytes behave?
Since you are assisting the congregation in worshiping God, you should be on your best behavior. Because you are in front of the congregation most of the time, you will be setting an example for others. That means that you need to pay attention during worship, participate together with the congregation, sit when everyone sits, stand when everyone stands, etc. No chewing gum, no playing with your cincture (rope), no goofing around, etc. Remember that you are dealing with holy items during worship. Treat them properly, with respect and reverence. When you pass in front of the altar, bow towards it. When you are carrying the cross, hold it straight up, and don’t swing it around like a javelin or a spear. In general, if you simply remember that you are in a holy place handling holy items, then everything else should fall into place.

What do acolytes wear?
It depends on what type of service for which you are acolyting. For a traditional service (like our 8:30 am and 10:00 am services), you would normally wear an alb (robe) and cincture (rope/belt). The explanation for how to put these on appears on page 5. For a more contemporary service (like our 11:15 am service), wear the clothes that you wear to church. Either way (with alb or without) dress nicely. No flip-flops, no sandals, no athletic shoes, no shorts, no T-shirts, etc. Remember that you are serving God and he wants to see you at your very best, which includes wearing your good clothes. You should also try to make sure that your hair is combed, you’ve brushed your teeth, etc.