"...through your goodness we have these gifts to offer
 which earth has given and human hands have made..."

In the Eucharist, God starts with the human – the bread and wine on the altar, and the bread and wine of our human lives – and he brings out the the divine, in them. Bread and wine, the work of human hands, becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. But the change doesn’t end there: by sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ, we become what we receive!

For ministers of Holy Communion, there is another dignity and responsibility: you must become what you give. You must become and live as the Body of Christ that you give to your brothers and sisters. 
 

Before Mass:

• Please check in and consult the Ministers Schedule for any changes.

• If there are insufficient ministers, please take a moment to assist in securing additional ministers.

• Dress appropriately.  (If asked to serve at the last minute, the topic of clothing should at least be considered, but not necessarily a determining factor.)

• Please arrive 15 minutes before Mass, and check-in in the Sacristy.

• A guest concelebrating priest, or, an additional deacon automatically supersede one of the Lay Ministers..  This is not only Liturgical Guideline, but also how we demonstrate our welcome and hospitality.

• After signing in, gather with your famiy and the community in the assembly.

• If you are scheduled, but arrive late, please pause before entering the sanctuary for communion. Another minister may have been asked to replace you before Mass began.

At the Sign of Peace:

• At the Sign of Peace, the ministers of communion make their way into the sanctuary. This movement should be completed before the Lamb of God is begun.
While important to share in the greeting of peace, your primary ministry at that celebration is to serve the whole community. As a result, greet your brothers and sisters, but do not prolong the action unnecessarily.

• When you approach the altar, gather to the right and left sides of the altar. Guidelines for the Diocese of Manchester request that we do not form a line behind the altar in the manner that concelebrating priests would do at Mass.

• Once the priest and deacon have received, they will minister the Precious Body to            each extra-ordinary minister.

• Once everyone has received Eucharist in the form of Bread, the priest (or deacon) will offer a Communion Chalice to each of the ministers with a purificator. Once you have received the Precious Blood, consumed it yourself, then offer it to those extra-ordinary ministers who are distributing the Precious Body.  The priest (or deacon) will meanwhile begin to distribute the ciborium to the other extra-ordinary ministers.

• Once everyone has their appropriate vessel for communion, the ministers, priest (and deacon) will move to their places for distribution to the community.  At any given Mass, the priest may choose to take a different position than either side of the center isle. Should this occur, and you are in that position, simply take what would have been his place at the center isle.

• As distribution of Eucharist ends, ministers with the Precious Body return their ciborium to the altar where it is combined by the priest or deacon. Please do not approach the altar from the front. Bring the ciborium to credence table side (left) of the altar. The deacon, and in his absence, the priest will return the consolidated Eucharist to the tabernacle.

• As distribution of Eucharist ends, ministers with the Blood of Christ, return their chalices to the altar in the same fashion. Each extra-ordinary minister may consume any additional Precious Blood, or offer it to another extra-ordinary minster, the priest (or deacon) to assist.
The purificators are to be placed on the credence table.

• As each minister completes their responsibilities, form a line to the credence table side of the altar, lower platform, and wait for the priest to return the ciborium to the tabernacle. Bow as the priest genuflects. Once the tabernacle door is closed, return to your place in the community without further ceremony.

• Lastly, thank you for your ministry to the Body of Christ gathered in the community of worshipers.

GLUTEN FREE HOSTS

• Gluten Free Hosts will be consecrated as needed for the community.  Those needing the Gluten Free host can simply indicate their need as they approach any of the ministers distributing the Body of Christ.