01 · Get in touch
Meet the team.
Tell the parish office you are interested in altar serving. Parents can ask on behalf of a child; returning servers can ask about joining the current team.
Email about altar serving
Altar serving at St. Barts
Close to the altar. Part of the prayer.
Carry a candle. Hold the book. Be ready when you are needed. Altar serving is a concrete way to offer yourself to God and help your parish worship.
Your first step
You can learn. We can help you begin.
St. Barts provides altar-server training at the parish. Start with a conversation about joining the ministry.
02 · Learn at church
Training at St. Barts.
The parish will connect you with the person arranging server training. Ask about the next session, age or readiness requirements, and what to bring.
Training helps you learn the sanctuary, the flow of Mass, and your assigned responsibilities.
03 · Join the rotation
Find your place at Mass.
Share the Masses you can attend and ask how server assignments are arranged. Follow the team’s arrival instructions and let them know early if you cannot make an assignment.
Parish ministry schedules
More than a task
Learn to notice. Learn to serve.
Serving draws your attention to what is happening at Mass: the words, the gestures, the quiet moments, and the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist.
You serve alongside others, learn to take responsibility, and discover how a small act done with care can help an entire church pray.
Mass times at St. BartsServing the liturgy
Simple actions. A sacred purpose.
Responsibilities vary with the Mass and the role assigned. Parish training explains what to do and when.
01
Lead with reverence
Carry the cross or candles in procession, according to the role you have been taught.
02
Be ready to help
Hold the prayer book and assist with the gifts, water, and other needs of the liturgy as directed.
03
Pray with the parish
Listen, respond, and move with care. Your attention helps the whole congregation enter into the prayer of the Mass.
Attention to the little things
Every detail is an act of care.
From carrying a candle to being ready beside the altar, a server’s work is quiet, practical, and prayerful. Training gives you the confidence to help without drawing attention away from the liturgy.
If you are curious but unsure, begin by asking. You do not need to know every step before the first conversation.
Take the first step
For parents and adult volunteers Ask the team about supervision and the requirements for your role. Adults working with children follow diocesan Safe Environment requirements.
Safe Environment informationParish details: St. Barts liturgical ministries. Learn more about the role in the USCCB altar-server guidelines.