Christian Liturgy is a public official worship – rites, ceremonies, sacraments and patterns of prayer of the church, as opposed to private devotions. The Church finds it very necessary and appropriate to form a parish Liturgy Committee, an umbrella body to coordinate various ministries that can periodically meet to review and plan parish worship in an enriching and solemn manner.
Composition:
The Liturgy Committee is composed of the pastor, the coordinators (heads) and/or representatives of various parish ministries, for example, Music, Readers, Hospitality, Communion, Altar servers, Sacristans, Children’s Liturgy, Decorators or other interested persons.
Purpose:
It exists to plan and provide for the spiritual development of church’s public worship and of each member of the parish community through transforming liturgical celebrations, days of prayer and spiritual renewal, and any other special devotions; to collaborate among ministries; to bond and form small Christian Community.
Functions:
- To recruit and train members of the parish community to serve the various ministries.
- To coordinate these ministries by appointing coordinators and developing guidelines for each of the various ministries.
- To educate itself through study, prayer and participation in workshops and seminars, and to encourage other parishioners to participate in these programs and those sponsored by the diocese.
- To review the community worship celebrations to ensure they serve liturgical needs of the parish and to identify areas that need development.
- To ensure advanced planning and preparation is carried out for each of the major liturgical seasons: i.e., Advent/Christmas, Lent/Easter/Pentecost.
- To work with other parish committees to co-ordinate parish celebrations of Baptism, First Communion, First Reconciliation, Confirmation, RCIA, Marriage, and the Sacraments of the sick and funerals.
Some of the big questions that a liturgy committee might ask include: Are our liturgies life-giving and praise worthy? Are parishioners able to participate easily in the Liturgies? What critiques are people making and how do we address them?