The Worship Ministry is organized to provide for orderly, animated and meaningful liturgical celebrations, especially, of the Eucharist and the sacraments, and other para-liturgical activities in the parish center and in the different BEC Communities. It also exists to promote the growth and deepen the commitment of the different liturgical ministries and organizations meant to enhance worship life. Finally, the Ministry promotes devotion to the Eucharist, to Christ the King, after which the parish is named, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The ministry consists of several sub-groups. The Worship Ministry coordinator couple is Leila and Peter Banico.
a. Lectors and Commentators
The lector-commentator (LeCom) group has the duty and privilege of bringing to life the scriptures at liturgy. Lectors proclaim the Word of God to the community so that all may more meaningfully share in the Eucharistic celebration. They proclaim the Word in a way that challenges, confronts, and captures the hearts of the assembly. Lectors give voice to God’s healing, strengthening and promise-filled Word, aiding all of us to be moved closer to Him and bring greater glory to His name.
For weekend masses, two lectors and a commentator are usually assigned. The first lector marches ahead during the processional, carrying the Gospel Book slightly elevated, unless a Deacon is present. He reads the First Reading followed by the Responsorial Psalms – unless a Cantor or Psalmist is present. The second lector will read the Second Reading and later comes back to read the Prayers of the Faithful. Alternatively, the Prayers of the Faithful may be read by a non-commissioned lay person or family.
The commentator leads the assembly in responding to the mass presider, reading the introductions to the readings, and reading the pre-mass reminders and parish announcements. For the 6 am, noon and 6 pm masses, the commentator also leads the praying of the Angelus – or Regina Coeli during the Easter Season. For the daily masses, there is only one lector and the commentator – unless a Solemnity or a special celebration is being observed where there are three readings (1st, 2nd, and Gospel). All lectors should be able to fulfill the commentator role and vice versa.
The lector group meets regularly to discuss new procedures as well as to learn techniques for more effective reading that will enhance the congregation’s experience. Once a year, all lectors must attend a half-day LeCom Renewal Seminar in the diocese head office at Lantana, Cubao. Failure to attend the diocese renewal seminar means having to take a leave from the service in 2017 until attendance in the 2017 renewal. Those who do attend the renewal seminar also need to be “commissioned” during a designated mass celebration date. Again, those failing to attend during the designated commissioning date will need to take leave from the service. The new lectors were already commissioned last August 14. Not complying with these hurdles automatically means not being eligible for the Renewal Seminar.
The parish’s lector-commentator group number slightly over 150. The minimum allowed age is 16 and 75 is the diocese-mandated ‘retirement age’.
LeCom Coordinator is Monette Najar and Trix Deleña is the Assistant LeCom Coordinator.
Also reporting to the LeCom Coordinator are the Mass Coordinators for each of the ten weekend masses and three daily masses, the four village mass/LeCom coordinators (Acropolis, White Plains, St. Ignatius, and Corinthian Gardens). The mass coordinators confirm lector and server assignments in preparation for the celebration of the liturgy and assist with countless other tasks. Their service assures that the details are covered so that Mass is celebrated well.
b. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC)
Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers assist the priest in administering the Eucharist during Communion at Mass, taking communion to the sick, and giving it as a viaticum to the dying.
Christ the King Parish Greenmeadows is fortunate to have many members of the parish who joyfully and reverently help distribute the Eucharist at Mass. Given the full-capacity assembly at most of the weekend masses, the EMHC group usually assigns 5 to 10 extraordinary ministers to every mass. Weekday masses at the Lower Church will usually have 2 to 3 while weekend masses at the villages will usually only have one EMHC assisting the presider.
The EMHC group meets regularly and in addition will often be requested to attend formation talks. As with lectors, once a year, all extraordinary ministers must attend a half-day EMHC Renewal Seminar in the diocese head office at Lantana, Cubao. Failure to attend the diocese renewal seminar means having to take a leave from the service in 2017 until attendance in the 2017 renewal. Those who do attend the renewal seminar also need to be “commissioned” during a designated mass celebration date. Again, those failing to attend during the designated commissioning date will need to take leave from the service.
At present there are 86 EMHCs in active service at CTK, with four (4) new EMHCs, three (3) returning EMHCs and two (2) who will be retiring this year. EMHC Coordinator is Benjie Jimenez and Assistant EMHC Coordinator is Manny de Leon. As with lectors, 75 is the retirement age for EMHC.
Any male member of the parish may be commissioned as a Eucharistic Minister. To be called from among the community, you must have an essential unity between your life inside and outside the liturgy; in other words, ministers should show themselves to be generous and self-giving. Every weekend, the parish needs 60 to 70 ministers to serve at the ten scheduled Main Church masses, in addition to the six or so needed for the village masses. The three daily masses require an additional 4 to 6 extraordinary minister slots per day or at least 20 ministers from Monday to Saturday.
In addition to the distribution of communion to the faithful during the weekend and daily masses, the other important duty of the Eucharistic ministry is the giving of communion to the sick and the elderly who are unable to go to church. Visiting the sick is also in answer to the call of the Pope to do corporal acts of mercy during this special Jubilee Year of Mercy. “I was sick and you looked after me, and you came to visit me . . . truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:36).
At the moment, there are twelve (12) EMHCs who are involved in giving communion to the sick or elderly who reside in White Plains, Corinthian Gardens, St. Ignatius Village, Ivory Court, Greenmeadows and Blue Ridge.
c. Greeters and Collectors
The Greeters & Collectors (GreCols) are tasked in welcoming everyone to the masses on the weekends, ushering people to their seats, distributing and collecting the collection boxes, prompting for Holy Communion, and providing scarves to the female parishioners who may need one.
The Greeter-Collector is the first of Christ’s faces to greet God’s people as they gather and assemble for prayer. They are present to all who enter our Church with a word of greeting and an offer of assistance. They also act as ushers, leading parishioners to still-available seats and assisting the elderly, especially in receiving the Eucharist. The four or five greeters-collectors at every weekend mass help set the tone of hospitality that ultimately pervades the entire gathered community.
The Greeters & Collectors coordinator is Tes Turingan. With the addition of the five new members for 2016, the Ministry of Greeters and Collectors now has a total of twenty-six (26) members.
d. Music
Music is an integral and vibrant part of our worship together at Christ the King. Through vocal music, our desire is to enhance the prayer of and lead the gathered assembly into a deeper faith experience.
Given the number of mandated organizations and renewal movements active in the parish, it was inevitable that these organizations would put up their own choir, bring in professional trainors and coaches, and over time create their own unique sound and repertoire. So at CTK, we are blessed to have a variety of choirs which vary in size, voice blends, age range, song selections, and musical style. Some have been around for a longtime and have earned major accolades from their peers. Case in point is the Hangad Group, which sings every Sunday at 5 pm and have released their 10th liturgical music album recently at Ateneo’s House of Gesu. The other notable choir is Coro Amadeo, which sings at the first and second Saturday anticipated masses, which recently won the 2016 edition of ‘Himig ng Kabataan Alay kay Don Bosco’ tilt held at the St. John Bosco Parish. Other prize winning choirs who regularly sing for CTK include Chorus Paulinus, Novo Concertante Manila, and AP-LOC Choir.
For any questions or comments about the Music Ministry at Christ the King, please contact Arwin Tan.
e. Altar Servers
The most common path to the religious vocation is via the Altar Server role. The privilege and honor of serving at the altar and assisting the priest and the deacon has been a long-standing tradition of the Catholic Church. Altar servers, who assist the priest as he offers the Sacrifice of the Mass, are indispensable to making Sunday Mass run smoothly. They prepare the altar and sacred vessel, carry the cross, the processional candles, hold the book for the priest celebrant when he is not at the altar, carry the incense and censer, present the bread, wine and water to the priest during the preparation of the gifts or assist him when he receives the gifts from the people, and wash the hands of the priest.
On the part of the servers, the role is a great way to increase your own faith and knowledge, while providing an invaluable service to your church community. Altar Servers may also be called on to assist at special liturgical functions such as Holy Week, Holy Day Masses, Weddings and other special Masses throughout the year, and the Stations of the Cross during Lent.
The Altar Server Coordinator is JG Gonzales and Altar Server’s Parents Coordinators are Louie and Lei Abando. Those wishing to be servers need to participate in training sessions facilitated by the coordinator. The altar server group is open to girls and boys who have completed at least fifth grade.
f. Mother Butler Mission Guild, or, MBMG
The Mother Butler Mission Guild is a mandated organization. At the same time, However, they are involved with Worship through some of its functions:
• Production of liturgical articles, e.g., chasubles, stoles, altar linens, robes, etc.
• Assistance in laundry of altar linens
• Provision of vestments for concelebrated masses and vests priests in special occasions
• For Christ the King Parish, the MBMG has also been tasked to handle the counting of mass collections
The CTK arm of MBMG’s social dimension includes caring for terminal paraplegics in Bahay Liwanag, alms giving, and feeding street children. The Mother Butler Mission Guild is headed by Betsy Tenchavez.
g. Apostleship of Prayer, or AP
The Apostleship of Prayer, headed by Wanda Reyes, is the second mandated organization that is also partly with the Worship Ministry. They handle the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus particularly the First Friday Holy Hour and Mass and the Novena Masses in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
