Lay Assistants at Holy Communion
LAY ASSISTANTS AT HOLY COMMUNION
Area Bishops will authorise lay people to assist in the administration of Holy
Communion under the following conditions:
- Proposed Lay Assistants should be communicants in good
standing, nominated by the Incumbent and approved by the PCC.
- The Parish priest should give Lay Assistants careful
instruction as to how the distribution should be made, the words used and
particular customs of the congregation.
- Lay Assistants should be encouraged to prepare themselves
for this ministry by careful preparation and prayer.
- The people or person should be given the permission
publicly by the Bishop or parish priest at the main Eucharist on a Sunday
or Festival.
- The number of people given such permission will differ
from parish to parish according to the number of communicants and the frequency
of use.
- Lay Assistants need not be robed: this should depend
on local custom, though proper regard should be had to the special nature
of Holy Communion. It is acceptable for Lay Assistants to come up from the
congregation at the time of Holy Communion.
- Permission applies to the distribution of either the
consecrated Bread or Wine, as the celebrant shall decide.
- Permission will normally be for a period of three years,
at which time the permission will be reviewed by the incumbent and PCC with
a recommendation to the Bishop.
- The Bishop will issues two certificates: one should
be presented to the Lay Assistants in the presence of the congregation and
the other kept in the church safe along with other records.
- Permission is for the Lay Assistant's parish and no
other.
- The Bishop may revoke the permission at any time.
- If a Lay Assistant leaves the parish or the Area Bishop
revokes the permission, the certificate held by the Assistant should be returned
to the Bishop and the copy in the church safe should be destroyed.
