Joyce Teusink, Sacristy Guild Chair
Do you ever wonder who keeps the sanctuary in good order? Is someone really responsible for making sure the hymnals and Bibles are all organized and facing the same way? It’s true. Someone takes the time each week to prepare the sanctuary for worship. The group who is in charge of this is called “The Sacristy Guild.”
The work of the Sacristy Guild is to ensure that our sanctuary reflects the holiness and the joy that we all create together in worship. The definition of sacristy is, “A room in a church housing the sacred vessels and vestments; vestry.” Furthermore, the definition of vestry, “In the Anglican and Episcopal churches, a committee of members of the congregation that administers the affairs of the congregation.” The Sacristy Guild could be considered the sacristans, “persons in charge of a sacristy.”
Under the umbrella of the Worship, Prayer and Spirituality Ministry, the Sacristy Guild works closely with our pastors, Gordon and Jill; Laurie Beyer Braaksma, our Church Administrator who sends instructions each week as to what needs to be done; our resident artists, Kari Miller-Fenwood and Rachelle Oppenhuizen; and Ric Beltran, our custodian/caretaker. All of these people work together to prepare the sanctuary for regular services, weddings, funerals, baptisms, concerts, and special events.
The Sacristy Guild oversees a great breadth of coverage. In preparing for each service, Guild members need to change paraments (Ecclesiastical vestments or hangings—they are hanging from each pulpit along with the covering of the Communion table in front of the sanctuary), set out communion ware, make sure the cross is in place, set out the Paschal candle if needed, mark liturgical readings in the pulpit and lectern Bibles, and organize pew hymnals and Bibles. The Sacristy Guild also helps with placing artwork throughout the church, as well as cleaning the linens after a communion service, polishing the silver communion ware when needed, taking the wax out of the votive candle holders, and helping to prepare and then clean the homebound communion kits.
Members of the Sacristy Guild are, Linda Triemstra Cook, Judy Werkman, Michelle Gerig, Rose Mary Cantor, Nancy Rock and Joyce Teusink (chair). Feel free to thank them if you see them, but do so quietly. We would like to remain invisible. Our true thanks is to be part of the worship service, where all of these elements come together with the congregation, giving glory to God. If you have any questions regarding Sacristy Guild, or would like to help in any way, please contact Joyce Teusink.
In closing, the word sacristy stems from the Latin “sacer,” or “sacred.” It is our humble privilege to be a part of the preparation of the sanctuary, trying to maintain a sacred and holy place for worship. To God be the glory.
—Shalom from the Sacristy Guild