Deacon of the Day Responsibilities for Chistmas Eve

 

During weeks prior to the service:

   Confirm 4 ushers, and 2 greeters in advance. 

   Call or email church office with names of ushers and greeters for the Sunday bulletin,

o    no later than December 18th.

 

Arrive 60 minutes before Christmas Eve service begins:

   Check switch to automatic door closers is on.

   Parking signs:   (use your judgment  – get help if necessary)

o   Handicapped Parking sign(s) out front on sidewalk.

o   Parking Behind Bank place out front or across the street on the sidewalk corner.

   Confirm hymn #s on board are same as printed in the bulletin.

   Switch on all lights in Sanctuary (switches on wall next to organist).

   Switch on lights in the Parlor, Kitchen, and Bathroom areas.

   Cup of chilled water(no ice-cubes) for minister in pulpit. 

o   Paper cups in Sacistry cupboard and Baldwin Hall kitchen.

   Remove piano cover. Do NOT try to move the piano.

   Place offering plates on table stand at top of steps, next to pulpit.

o   New offering plates are in Sacristy, in the maroon bag.

   Check pews are neat & tidy, hymnals and bibles neatly stored. Remove left-over Bulletins.

o   Bibles in center, hymnals to the outside edges, all books upright with binder on left.

   Office key hanging on keyboard, on blue-green wrist-strap.

   Usher badges/flowers on table in Narthex, and… 

o   Log greeters and ushers in the Log book.

o   Create name tags for greeters, if necessary.  

   Bring out name tag rack and baskets from office to Narthex.

o   Place one name tag basket in Baldwin Hall.

   Visitors’ Table with additional name tags, pen.

   Bulletins and large print Bibles on table in Narthex.

   Hearing aids – place on table in the Narthex. 

o   NOTE: *** These only amplify the pulpit microphone, not the entire service.***

   Review duties with ushers when they have all arrived.

   Open all curtains on sanctuary windows.

 

Within 15 minutes of start of the service::

   Pull bell rope approximately 25 times, or one and one-half minutes (= approx 50 rings).

   Light candles on the altar.  (Matches are in sacristy, in metal box inside last drawer)

   Turn on sound system, if necessary.   Power is turned on by a single orange switch, at lower right of equipment stack.

o   Check power on for single speaker next to choir seating.

   Turn on pulpit light.

   Turn down carillon volume. Key to carillon door is hanging on nail in door frame behind carillion.

   Greeters should be seated when Kristi begins the Organ Prelude, this will help to minimize conversation in the Narthex.

o   Be mindful to be quiet in the sanctuary after Kristi starts the organ prelude.

   Close doors to sanctuary when Kristi starts the organ prelude.

 

During the service:

   Count attendance: include choir, lay-reader, recording operator, balcony, children, yourself, and late arrivals.  Complete attendance form provided, found in Deacon of the Day box.

   Advise ushers when to walk forward for the offering.

   During the collection, receive offering in the balcony using small plates on table in Narthex.

   The offering is received and taken directly to the office to be locked up.

o   Lock the office door.

   Monitor the first floor and be alert for emergencies.

o   Be prepared to call 911 on office phone in an emergency.

  Remember, you have key to the outer office.

   Ring the bell before we sing “I Hear the Bells”   

   Open Sanctuary doors just prior to conclusion of the service.  

 

Following the Service:

   Turn carillon volume back to normal, number 6 on the dial.

   Bring in signs from outside and store behind inner pair of entrance doors.

   Extinguish alter candles, and power off the recording system if still on, and the choir speaker too.

o   Single orange power button, on the lower right of the recording system. 

   Dispose of paper cups with water from the pulpit and the lectern.

   Turn off sanctuary lights, and the pulpit light.

   Help ushers collect the Ritual of Friendship Pad top sheets, place them in outer office on Elise’s desk.  Place the attendance slip on top of these sheets. 

   Replenish ‘Ritual of Friendship’ pads as necessary. Replacements found in Sacristy.

   Save unused bulletins, leave on table in Narthex.

   Clean up pews, check that Bibles and hymnals are neat in racks.

   Place cover on piano.  Cover is labeled underneath on the keyboard end.

   Clean up Narthex…

o   Update the Deacon of the Day notebook with names of Greeters and Ushers if not already done.

o   Collect badges & lapel flowers from ushers and put away in office.

o   Put listening aids back in office.

   Put away Visitor’s table.

   Collect name tags from basket in Baldwin Hall, and put back in rack before leaving.

o   Store them back in the rack, roughly in alphabetical order.

   Roll name tag rack back to the office.

   Turn out lights in Baldwin Hall.

   Turn off switch to automatic door closers.

   Lock both front doors, one deadbolt and one locking rod.

   Lock Baldwin Hall doors and exit there.

 

 Thank You


Record any notes below to discuss at next Deaconate meeting: