The Most Revd Andrew Chan leads the servers in the renewal of their covenant
On the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, the Solemn Eucharist marking the tenth anniversary of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Servers’ Guild was held in the evening of 2 February at St John’s Cathedral, with the Rt Revd Dr Matthias Der presiding and the Most Revd Andrew Chan preaching.
‘Forty days ago, we celebrated the birth of our Saviour. According to the Gospel according to Luke, when the days of purification were fulfilled, Mary and Joseph, in obedience to the Law of Moses, brought the child to the Temple in Jerusalem to present Jesus to the Lord. On that day, Simeon and Anna met Mary and Joseph carrying the infant Jesus in the Temple; enlightened by the Holy Spirit, they recognised Jesus as the Saviour, and rejoiced exceedingly, lifting up their voices in praise of him.’
In the same way, members of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Servers’ Guild, moved by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, gathered together in the Lord’s holy temple to encounter Christ, and especially to recognise him in the breaking of the bread. As they looked back to the birth of Christ, they also renewed their desire to deny themselves, take up the cross, and walk with him along the Way of the Cross.
The day also marked the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Servers’ Guild, and through this festival of Christ’s Presentation the Guild shared and bore witness to its vision and mission.
During the liturgy, the Most Revd Andrew Chan led all servers in a renewal of their commitment The servers pledged themselves faithfully to fulfil their mission and, through their participation in the worshipping life of the Church and their ministry at the altar, to build up a serving community abounding in the virtues of faith, hope and love. They resolved continually to study the Church’s liturgy so as to equip themselves more fully, and with joyful hearts to serve God in his house, putting the spirit of the liturgy into practice.
In his sermon, Archbishop Chan gave thanks for the Servers’ Guild, which over the past decade has steadfastly supported the Province’s liturgical ministry and rendered invaluable assistance at provincial acts of worship. He pointed out that it was particularly fitting to hold the anniversary Eucharist on the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, for on this day the Church commemorates that, forty days after his birth, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple, making of him a life-offering to God. In Jewish tradition, the offering of the firstborn son signifies the continuation of life; through this act of offering, the work of salvation was fulfilled and human history renewed.
The principal work of a server is to assist the clergy in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, and therefore the spirit of self-offering is of particular importance for servers. Their offering is not only the assisting in the oblations at the Eucharist, nor merely the giving of their time and talents, but above all the offering of the whole of their lives. In co-operating with God and with one another, they help to bring the original blessings of God to the world.
To offer oneself to God is itself a form of life-offering. The appointed reading from the Book of Malachi on that day described how the Lord would ‘suddenly come to his temple’: God is dynamic rather than static, ever ready to come among his people and to be present in their midst.
Archbishop Chan went on to say that, whether as servers, choir members, lectors, intercessors, Sunday School teachers or visitors to the sick, those who serve in every ministry of the Church ought to be formed in three areas: knowledge, skills and disposition in relation to their particular role. First, as servers they should understand the duties proper to their role, including the spirit of the liturgy, the arrangement and furnishing of the church, and the structure of the liturgical year. Secondly, they should be trained to become skilful servers: for example, carrying the processional cross requires careful practice, and during worship they also need the ability to respond appropriately to unexpected situations.
At the heart of serving as a server lies one’s disposition: each server should ask whether they truly value this ministry, whether they have a heart of self-offering and a desire to assist in the sacrificial worship, and whether they are prepared to share in the Church’s mission. Besides possessing knowledge and skills, servers must also cultivate the right disposition, so that their service becomes a living sacrifice, a refining of body, mind and spirit.
The Archbishop stressed that rites, texts and ceremonial, though important, constitute only one part of the liturgy. The Holy Spirit must never be absent from the Church’s worship, for it is the Spirit who, through the liturgy, continually sanctifies the faithful, enabling them to draw near to Christ and helping them to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church’s liturgy is constantly renewed, so as to respond to the needs of the times.
It is even more important, he said, that servers embody the liturgy and live it out in their daily lives. It is not too difficult to remember the rubrics, texts and ceremonial, but to live out the spirit of the liturgy is by no means easy; it is in fact a lifelong pilgrim journey.
Group photo of all participants at the tenth anniversary Eucharist