Vergers
St. Luke's presently has five Vergers: Charlie Alfaro, Herb Brewer, Will Brown, James Dennis, Nancy Hawkins, and Michael Mortensen. They are members of the Vergers' Guild of the Episcopal Church.
The verger is a uniquely lay ministry of the church largely exercised behind the scenes providing support for all those, ordained and lay, who participate in our worship. The verger is often seen wearing a distinctive vesture of simple cassock and modified academic gown.
When leading processions the verger usually carries a verger's wand or verge. The men and women who serve as vergers carry out their ministries usually in a quiet and unobtrusive manner.
The office of verger has it roots in the earliest days of the Church's history. It shares certain similarities with the former minor orders of the porter and acolyte. Generally speaking, vergers were responsible for the order and upkeep of the house of worship, including preparations for the liturgy, the conduct of the laity, and grave-digging.
Although there is no definitive historical survey of the office of verger, evidence from Rochester, Lincoln, Exeter, and Salisbury Cathedral indicates the existence of vergers as far back as the 12th Century. A familiar sight in English cathedrals and televisions broadcasts of royal weddings and funerals, vergers have maintained the buildings and furnishings of the Church for many centuries.
The contemporary office of verger is experiencing a rapid expansion within the Episcopal Church. Differing from the Church of England, where vergers are often full-time paid employees of the Church, American vergers are more often than not volunteers with a special calling to the ordering and conduct of the Church's liturgy. Clergy throughout the Church have come to appreciate the ministry of vergers within their congregations. Vergers can relieve the clergy of the burden of liturgical detail so that they can concentrate on their priestly duties to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments.
No longer found primarily in cathedrals and large parishes, vergers are an asset to any worshiping community. It is said there is a verger in every congregation- whether one has been identified as such or not.
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