Description of Altar Guild Program and Activity:

• Assisting clergy as requested.
  
• Caring for vessels, linens, vestments, and furnishings as required for regular services or special occasions.
  
• Total number of members: 16
  

Budget: The financial needs of the Altar Guild are primarily met by the generous contributions of parishioners for flowers and memorials. Additionally, St. Francis Anglican Church Vestry includes our Guild in the “Vestments and Worship  Material” line of the general budget when contributions do not cover expenses.

Sources of Income: Purchase of Ordo Kalendars that are sold to the St. Francis congregation. Memorials through the year and especially at Easter and Christmas pay for flowers. If members wish to recognize anniversaries, birthdays or any other special day in their lives we gladly accept money for the flower fund. Checks should be given to the flower committee members, Angie McCown or Nancy Critchfield-Jones.

Purchases Made This Past Year: The Altar Guild made two major purchases this year.

• A gift was received from a generous anonymous donor to purchase hangings for Rose Sunday. This purchase included a altar frontal, chalice veil, and lectern hanging. This gives St. Francis a complete set of all the liturgical hangings for our church calendar year. The purchase also included a matching chasuble and stoles for our priests to use on Rose Sunday.

• A generous anonymous gift just before Christmas this year enabled us to purchase two new solid Brass Candelabras and two new Eucharistic candles. The purchase included all new oil candles (16) that are guaranteed for life if they ever need to be replaced.

Highlights/Thanks/Recognition:

• I am happy to report the year long revising of the Altar Guild Manual has been completed and distributed to the Altar Guild Members. The computer skills and many hours put in by CJ Wright made this possible. I could not have done it without

her help.

• Nancy Critchfield-Jones is the Treasurer for the Altar Guild and we all submit our receipts for reimbursement to her. Nancy also orders the Ordo Kalendars for the church and keeps track of the sales. This is in addition to her regular Altar Guild duties.

• A special thanks to Elaine Williams, who as you know now resides in Tennessee, she kept track of the communion wafer supply and purchases them as needed even though she has two small children. Sally Looke has now taken over this duty.

• Angie and Steve McCown take care of the setup arrangements in the church for all baptismal services.

• Thanks to Chris Denslow for assisting in purchase and delivery of the Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies this past year.

• A special member of our team is Audrey Woodgate. She is so faithful in calling Altar Guild Members to remind them of dates and special events the members need to know about.

• Special thanks to Rebecca Hoard who guides us in how to make Palm Crosses each year.

• Special thanks and recognition to all the unofficial members of the Altar Guild – the husbands of our members. We appreciate their help in lifting some of the heavy objects.

• I want to thank Gayle Harrell and Sally Looke, our substitute Altar Guild Members. They are called on to help out a team when a substitute team member is needed.

• Victoria Stults is our only Junior member and is fully trained to act as a substitute.

• A special thanks to all the Altar Guild Members who have been very faithful this year. We have had Ordination of two Deacons, Ordination of two Priests, Confirmations, and many Baptisms. This required many extra hours for everyone.

Plans/Goals/Needs/Anticipated Changes for 2011:

• To answer and inform any church member showing interest in the Altar Guild. I am willing to work with their schedule while they are in training. We can always use more substitutes.

• To continue replacement of communion linens as needed.

• If I had a wish list I would like to see a communion chalice and paten that match.

Shirley G. Ellis