---
title: "Presiding at Holy Communion"
description: "Parish of St. Thomas, Werneth.  Presiding at Holy Communion."
canonical_url: "https://stthomaswerneth.org.uk/sunday-worship/holy-communion-president/"
---

> Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://stthomaswerneth.org.uk/llms.txt)

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# Presiding at Holy Communion

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written by Nick (25.07.25)

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## Before the Service

- Check that the colour of the **hangings** is correct.
- Check that **the cross** has been put out on the altar.
- **9:50 am** or before: be at St. Thomas' to open the church.
- Support in putting otu chairs and altar table if required.
- Check that the **Raspberry Pi** is on.  You may need to use the purple-fobbed "Organ Chamber" key to open the door.
- Check that the TV is in the right place and is connected to the Raspberry Pi and speaker
- **Microphones** are in the vestry.  The handheld microphone is in the piano stool.  **1** is for those with louder voices.  **2** is for those with quieter voices.
- **Speaker** check that it is on.
- **Raspberry Pi** check that it providing a signal to the TV.
- The **Collect** and **Readings** should be on the table in the vestry.  Feel free to take the Collect in, but do make sure the readings are on the Lectern.
- The president usually sits centrally, facing the congregation, behind the altar table.
- If you are playing the music, try to start it so that it finishes at 10:30 am.
- **Chasubles** are in the cupboard in the Choir Vestry.
- I generally discretely slip in during the music before the service, and prepare myself for the service while the music is playing.

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## During the Service (1)

- **Hymns** Please announce the hymns (no hymn numbers), and ask people to stand.  They will be played on the TV and through the speaker.
- **Stage Directions** I generally encourage people to follow the stage directions themselves (e.g. sit / standing) rather than have them wait for me to announce them.
- **Sung Liturgy** The congregation will sing the Gloria / Kyries / Exsultet / Agnus Dei, but this is the only liturgy that is sung, everything else is said.
- **Sunday School** Please say a short prayer for Sunday School as they leave after the Collect for Purity - generally before the confession.
- The **Psalm** We generally sit for the Psalm.  We use British Sign Language for the signs.

[BSL Dictionary](https://www.signbsl.com/sign/dictionary)

[Christian BSL Dictionary](https://christianbsl.com/)

- The **Gospel** is usually proclaimed from the lectern.
- **Sermon:** You are welcome to preach from where you like.  I generally stand at the front.  A legilium is available.  The pulpit is not normally used.
- The **Intercessions** Please introduce them with one of:

  - "Let us pray for the church and for the world, and let us give thanks for God's goodness"
  - "In peace let us pray"
  - "By the power of the Spirit, and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father" or
  - "We sit or kneel to pray"

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## During the Service (2)

- **The Peace** We usually have a static "sign" of peace, which could be waving to each other, or a BSL sign of peace, or anything appropriate for the day.
- **Collection** There is a collection during the offertory hymn.
- **Holy Communion**
  - We don't have servers at the moment.
  - Everyone stands in a circle round the altar.  I generally start administering to the person standing closest to the High Altar.
  - There should be one Eucharistic Assistant.
  - Everyone should remain standing until all have received Communion, then please say a short sentence of scripture to dismiss everyone.
- **The Notices** If Nick is not present, please give the Notices.
- Please leave after "Go in peace" while the "going out music" is played. People will hopefully remain seated to listen to the music.

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## After the Service

```text
+ I generally catch the early leavers at the exit, or just outside, then go in for tea and coffee afterwards, and mingle. . .
+ Ensure that the speaker power is turned off, the microphones put away, and the Raspberry Pi turned off.
+ Ensure that the altar table and lectern are returned to their places. The blue cloth over the altar table.
+ The chairs can be left out.
+ Check that the door to the organ chamber is closed, and the key returned to its place.
+ Check that the cross has been put back in the Vestry
+ Check that all the ropes are cordoning off the Baptistery, Memorial Chapel and Chancel.
```

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