Minister's Notes: Morning Prayer

Before the Service

We may or may not have a choir, but they no longer process in as per the Order of Service.
Ensure that the altar-lectern is under the credence table.
9:30 am Opening the church by you or others - whoever gets there first.
Switch on the sound system.
Microphones are on the desk. Please attach one to you, centrally to your chest if possible. Assistant is for people with quieter voices than Minister
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 on the right hand presidential chair as you face the congregation,
If you are playing the music, try to start it so that it finishes at 10:00 am.
I generally discretely slip in during the music before the service, and prepare myself for the service while the music is playing.

Hymns Please announce the hymns, 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.
The Psalm We generally sit for the Psalm.
The Gospel is usually read from the lectern.
Sermon: You are welcome to preach from where you like. I generally stand at the front. Others use the lectern. The pulpit is not normally used. There is a portable lectern available.
The Intercessions I generally 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"
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 only a retiring collection at the moment: not during the hymn before the prayers.
The Notices Auriel will be happy to do the Notices.
The Dismissal Please leave after the dismissal while the "going out music" is played. At St. Paul's, people generally remain seated to listen to the music.

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 audio system power is turned off - but not the chargers for the microphones.