The Vergers Guild of the Diocese of Dallas

About the Guild:

The Vergers Guild of the Diocese of Dallas is a non-profit group of lay people (that is, people who are not ordained as ministers) who serve the church.

The Guild consists of vergers who serve at churches throughout the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas. Vergers in the Diocese of Dallas are encouraged to join but it is not required. Some members become associate members of the National Vergers Guild and the Church of England Guild of Vergers. These memberships and billet vatican are also not required.

The purpose of the Guild is:

Fellowship: The members of the Guild enjoy conversation and food with one another and learn about the different churches of the diocese. The Guild also communicates with vergers from the Church of England.

Worship: The members and their guests join together and worship.

Education: The Guild shares information on the work of a verger and has educational programs on a wide range of topics and serves as a resource to those who want more information.

Prayer: Members listen to each other’s prayer requests and pray daily. The Guild chaplain – a member of clergy – also hears our prayer needs and joins us.

Outreach: The Guild serves others with work and financial gifts.

Communication: Vergers and clergy communicate on a variety of topics and discuss events on the calendar.

Service: Members are contacted to serve at diocesan events such as convention, convocations, ordinations, and diocesan confirmations. In addition, on occasion and with permission from clergy, vergers serve from time to time at other parishes to help fill a special need. If one church has a large event but not enough vergers, they can ask their fellow vergers to assist.

Training: The Guild is a resource for training new vergers. Some parishes do not have a verger ministry. The Guild can talk to the clergy and those interested in the ministry, and assist in the development of a guild at that parish if needed.

Retreats: From time to time, vergers schedule overnight retreats to relax and just enjoy each other’s company.

Links

The Vergers Guild of the Diocese of Dallas receives no portion of proceeds/profits from any business entities on these links.

Testimonial:

(Leigh Riley-Verger St. Matthew’s Cathedral, Dallas)

I ordered a ‘Got Vergers’ Oxford shirt and received a Polo/Golf Shirt. I contacted the Verger’s Guild Shoppe and told them of the mistake. David Solomon promptly returned my call and rectified the mistake by not only getting the correct shirt sent, but allowed me to keep the Polo Shirt, as well, at no additional charge ! It’s a pleasure to see there are business entities that value your business.

Thank you David and the Got Vergers Organization.

Documents:

Verger Duties at a Wedding

Prior to the Service:

Arrive about an hour earlier than you would for a regular Sunday service because there are a few more things to be done. This gives you plenty of time to vest, find people, determine what needs to be done, and to do them without being in a rush.

The verger’s duties are nearly the same as a regular service, but with the following additional responsibilities:

Reserve sufficient pews at the front of the church on the Epistle side. You should have an idea of the size of the wedding party from talks with clergy, so be sure to reserve enough pews. Put a few bulletins in the pews and a box of Kleenex.

Usually, the groom and his men gather in the oratory. The bride and her ladies are normally in the parlor as it is far away and near the ladies’ lounge. Put a pitcher of ice water and glasses in both rooms. As family gathers before the service, guide them to the correct room.

Usually, the groom and his men go into the cathedral for professional photographs, and closer to the time of service, the ladies go for their photographs.

The verger usually reminds the groom and men to not leave the cathedral after the service. It is typical that after the service, everyone wants to go to the reception; however, usually the photographer wants to take photographs of the entire wedding party before they go to the reception. Encourage the men to help with this task and to not wander off, shake hands, or look for coffee and restrooms after the wedding. Doing this can help the photographer to more quickly conclude the photo shoot. The Best Man can usually be a great help, as dads and grooms often are distracted.

Find a time to remind the wedding party to turn cell phones to silent or airplane mode. Remind them that flash photography is discouraged. Make them spit out their chewing gum.

A few minutes before the service, the priest will usually meet with the wedding party to tell what to expect. Remember, the family gathering will include members of the parish as well as friends and family who go to church elsewhere.

Verger Duties During to the Service:

In many cathedral weddings, the clergy and men process first into the nave. Be sure you know which hymn goes with what part of the wedding so that you will know when to enter. Check the men to make sure they are not chewing gum. Process in with the men. The clergy and men usually stand at the crossing and the verger goes up to the verger bench near the oratory. From this point on, the verger usually just has normal worship service duties, except perhaps to guide people as they come up to the rail from the center aisle and cue them to leave through the side door.

Clergy, acolytes, and verger usually do not process out following the service.

The Ministry of Thurifer

The ministry of thurifer at the Cathedral Church of Saint Matthew is fulfilled by lay persons (non-clergy persons). The thurifer carries the incense in a thurible, swinging the thurible back and forth at several points during the service.

When Incense Is Used:

Incense is always used at the seven principal feasts of the Church:

Easter Day
All Saints Day, November 1
Ascension Day
Christmas Day
The Epiphany, January 6
Day of Pentacost
Trinity Sunday, first Sunday after Pentacost
Incense is also used at ordinations and our festival Eucharist for our patron saint, Saint Matthew.

Additionally, we use incense for the Stations of the Cross when we follow the way of the outdoor stations.

Incense may be used on other occasions as determined by the Dean of the Cathedral.

The Work of the Thurifer:

The thurifer serves at four times during the worship service:

At the procession into the church
At the reading of the Gospel
At the Holy Eucharist
At the procession out of the church

The thurifer should arrive about 45 minutes before the worship service. The boat boy or boat girl should arrive no less than twenty minutes before the worship service.

Forty five minutes before the service:
The thurifer collects the charcoal, fire starter, lighter, incense, thurible, and boat (the boat is the brass bowl that holds the incense) and takes these items to the Bishop Garrett Meditation Garden. The thurifer lights the fire starter and puts coals on the rack above the flames to heat the coals.

The thurifer meets with the lead verger of the service. The verger and thurifer review the bulletin and determine when the verger should get the thurifer. The thurifer will normally need about five minutes lead time, so the verger and thurifer should review the bulletin and readings, psalms, and hymns, and determine appropriate times.

The thurifer then vests and returns to the Bishop Garrett Meditation Garden and work the coals. Remember – black pants, black shoes, no exceptions. If sleeves show, the shirt must be white.

Fifteen minutes before the service:
The verger should look for the boat boy or girl and send the boat boy/girl to the Bishop Garrett Meditation Garden once vested.

Ten minutes before the service:
The thurifer puts incense into the boat and gives the boat and a spoon to the boat boy/girl. The thurifer then taps the coals to knock off ash and places four coals flat into the thurible. Before leaving the garden, the thurifer adds some coals to the fire so that coals will be ready for the next part of the service.

The thurifer carries the thurible in the left hand with the lid raised so that air can pass over the coals to keep them hot.

The thurifer and boat boy/girl walk outside along the church and wait for the celebrant. When the celebrant arrives, wait for his/her cue to come over. The thurifer and boat boy/girl walk over. The thurifer raises the thurible. If the bishop is celebrant, the thurifer should kneel down on one knee and raise the thurible. The celebrant takes the boat from the boat boy/girl, puts incense on the coals, and blesses the incense. The celebrant hands the thurible to the thurifer and the boat back to the boat boy/girl. The thurifer bows to the celebrant and closes the lid of the thurible tightly. The thurifer and boat boy/girl move to the front of the procession.

At the procession into the church:
The thurifer processes immediately behind the verger and in front of the crucifer. The boat boy/girl stays to the left of the thurifer anytime they are inside the church. They should process at a stately pace swinging the thurible in long graceful swings. The thurifer and boat boy/girl process at a distance of four or five pews behind the verger.

In general, in large open areas, the thurifer swings the thurible in long graceful swings. In confined areas, the thurifer should minimize swings.

The thurifer and boat boy/girl process onto the chancel and into the sanctuary. The thurifer and boat boy/girl move around to the altar and stand near the bishop’s throne out of the way of the altar party arriving behind them. The thurifer should secure the lid of the thurible, as it is likely to come loose during the procession.

The celebrant comes over sometime before the processional hymn ends. The thurifer hands the thurible to the celebrant and bows. The celebrant bows and then circles the altar censing it, then returns the thurible to the thurifer. The thurifer bows to the celebrant. The thurifer and boat boy/girl leave the sanctuary and return to the Bishop Garrett Meditation Garden.

The thurifer dumps out the coals and incense and scrapes the bowl of the thurible with a spoon to remove all melted incense.

The thurifer tends to the coals to prepare for the next trip into the church.

At the reading of the Gospel:
The verger gives notice to the thurifer about five minutes before the Gospel is to be read. The thurifer gives the boat and a spoon to the boat boy/girl. The thurifer then taps the coals to knock off ash and places four coals flat into the thurible. Before leaving the garden, the thurifer adds some coals to the fire so that coals will be ready for the next part of the service.

The thurifer carries the thurible in the left hand with the lid raised so that air can pass over the coals to keep them hot.

The thurifer and boat boy/girl walk to the ambulatory near the chancel. The verger opens the door to the chancel. The thurifer and boat boy/girl walk through the chancel and inside the sanctuary directly up to the celebrant. The thurifer raises the lid to the thurible. If the bishop is celebrant, the thurifer should kneel down on one knee and raise the thurible. The celebrant takes the boat from the boat boy/girl, puts incense on the coals, and blesses the incense. The celebrant hands the thurible to the thurifer and the boat back to the boat boy/girl. The thurifer bows to the celebrant and closes the lid of the thurible tightly. The thurifer and boat boy/girl move to the chancel about half way to the chancel steps. They turn around and face the altar and wait for the Deacon of the Word, subdeacon, and torches to line up. When they turn around, the thurifer and boat boy/girl turn around and walk into the nave. The thurifer and boat boy/girl stop at about the fourth pew and step to the side. The torches and subdeacon pass by. The deacon stops even with the thurifer. The deacon announces the reading then turns to receive the thurible. The thurifer hands the thurible to the deacon. The deacon censes the Bible and hands the thurible back to the thurifer. The thurifer and boat boy/girl step behind the deacon. The thurifer swings the thurible gently left and right during the reading.

At the end of the reading, the thurifer and boat boy/girl turn around, walk onto the chancel, and exit through the side door, and return to the Bishop Garrett Meditation Garden.

The thurifer dumps out the coals and incense and scrapes the bowl of the thurible with a spoon to remove all melted incense.

The thurifer tends to the coals to prepare for the next trip into the church.

At the Holy Eucharist:
The verger gives notice to the thurifer about five minutes before the Great Thanksgiving is to be read. The thurifer gives the boat and a spoon to the boat boy/girl. The thurifer then taps the coals to knock off ash and places four coals flat into the thurible.

The thurifer carries the thurible in the left hand with the lid raised so that air can pass over the coals to keep them hot.

The thurifer and boat boy/girl walk to the ambulatory near the chancel. The verger opens the door to the chancel. The thurifer and boat boy/girl walk through the chancel and inside the sanctuary directly up to the celebrant. The thurifer raises the lid to the thurible. If the bishop is celebrant, the thurifer kneels down on one knee and raises the thurible. The celebrant takes the boat from the boat boy/girl, puts incense on the coals, returns the boat to the boat boy/girl, and blesses the incense. The thurifer secures the lid to the thurible and hands the thurible to the celebrant. The celebrant takes the thurible. The celebrant and thurifer bow to each other. The celebrant circles the altar censing it and returns the thurible to the thurifer. The thurifer takes the thurible, bows, steps back, and censes the celebrant with three sets of doubles. The celebrant and thurifer bow to each other.

The thurifer and boat boy/girl turn and walk into the chancel all the way to the steps, then turn around and face the altar party. The thurifer bows, and then censes the altar party center, left, right with big swings.

The thurifer bows and turns around. The thurifer bows, and then censes the congregation center, left, right with big swings. The thurifer bows and turns around.

The thurifer and boat boy/girl turn around and walk back to the altar rail and kneel at the altar. The thurifer swings the thurible left and right on the other side of the rail in short swings (chain held short) continuously.

The thurifer, though still kneeling, raises the thurible high and censes high at these times:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might
Do this for the remembrance of me (bread)
Do this for the remembrance of me (wine)
…in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever, AMEN

The thurifer and boat boy/girl stand and walk out of the chancel and exit through the side door, and return to the Bishop Garrett Meditation Garden.

The thurifer dumps out the coals and incense and scrapes the bowl of the thurible with a spoon to remove all melted incense.

The thurifer tends to the coals to prepare for the next trip into the church.

At the procession out of the church:
The thurifer and boat boy/girl return to the chancel to receive communion or blessing. The thurifer returns to the Garden to prepare the thurible and return for the procession out of the church.

The thurifer gives the boat and a spoon to the boat boy/girl. The thurifer then taps the coals to knock off ash and places four coals flat into the thurible.

The thurifer carries the thurible in the left hand with the lid raised so that air can pass over the coals to keep them hot.

The thurifer and boat boy/girl walk to the ambulatory near the chancel. The verger opens the door to the chancel. The thurifer and boat boy/girl walk through the chancel and inside the sanctuary directly up to the celebrant. The thurifer raises the lid to the thurible. If the bishop is celebrant, the thurifer should kneel down on one knee and raise the thurible. The celebrant will take the boat from the boat boy/girl, put incense on the coals, return the boat to the boat boy/girl, and bless the incense. The thurifer secures the lid to the thurible and bows to the celebrant. During that time, the verger moves to the chancel steps. The thurifer and boat boy/girl move about half way down the chancel. The torches and crucifer line up in front of the altar when the celebrant and altar party step up and line up.

When the celebrant turns around, the thurifer and boat boy/girl turn around (as well as the rest of the altar party).

The verger processes out. When there is a reasonable distance between the verger and the thurifer, the thurifer and boat boy/girl begin to process out of the church. They should process at a stately pace, and at a distance of four or five pews behind the verger.

The thurifer and boat boy/girl return to the Bishop Garrett Meditation Garden. The thurifer dumps out the coals and incense and scrapes the bowl of the thurible with a spoon to remove all melted incense. The thurifer and boat boy/girl clean the garden and return everything to storage.

New Fire using Alcohol and Colorants

Always have a fire extinguisher and plan of action ready when igniting any alcohol fire!

Be careful and practice several times before the Great Vigil – Do this at your own risk!

Alcohol fires are a quick, easy way to light a small fire. Alcohol, possessing a low flash point and being highly flammable, is extremely easy to light. It does not burn as hot as more conventional fires, allowing for a relatively cool flame and reduced risk of damaging surrounding surfaces.

Basic Alcohol Fires:

Ingredients:

Alcohol (either Isopropyl or Ethyl, 70% or 90+%)

Sodium Chloride (table or rock salt), if desired.

Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom salt), if desired

Procedures:

Isopropyl Alcohol

This type of alcohol will always burn primarily yellow, even when you add colorants to it. This type of fire is fairly benign. The more alcohol, the higher the flame and the hotter it will burn. The wider the opening of the container you use, the faster the burn time, also.

Alcohol may be burned in either metal or stone containers.

If you add salt, the flame will turn gold at the end of the burn if properly mixed. It may turn the flame slightly more golden during the burn, but typically isopropyl alcohol mostly burns yellow anyway.

Epsom Salt is believed to tame the fire a bit. It does not produce a noticeable effect on the flame color with isopropyl alcohol.

The alcohol and salt should be mixed a little in advance (a half-hour or hour is fine). A 1:1 mix is suggested.

It will be very easy to ignite either with a match, or a spark from flint and steel.

Ethyl Alcohol

At 70% concentration (what you can buy at the drug store) it will burn mostly blue with a bit of yellow capping the flame off, depending on the impurities present in solution and container. 90+% should burn almost totally blue or even almost invisible.

The procedure for using ethyl alcohol is the same as isopropyl alcohol.

Ethyl alcohol is more easily influenced by colorants to alter the flame color. Table salt or rock salt will cause a gold/yellow flame. Epsom salt will be a lighter flame that retains some of the blue base that is visible with the pure ethyl alcohol.

Basic Warnings:

· Alcohol fires flare prominently when ignited. Care must be used when lighting.

· When using flint, remember to strike the sparks toward the vessel with the ingredients but not toward people or combustible items.

Advanced Alcohol Fires:

READ ALL WARNINGS IN THIS DOCUMENT AND ON YOUR CHEMICALS. This is real chemistry, please take it seriously.

Ingredients:

Alcohol (either Isopropyl or Ethyl)

Colorant:

Magnesium Sulfate (Espom Salt) – Yellow or white flame

Flame Color

Chemical

Blue

Cupric chloride, 125g

Red

Lithium chloride, 100g

Strontium chloride, 100g

Green

Copper sulfate, 500g

Borax (Sodium borate), 1lb.

Orange

Calcium chloride, 500g

Purple

Potassium chloride, 100g

Yellow

Sodium chloride, 500g

Sodium carbonate, 1lb.

White sparks

Magnesium ribbon, 12"

Yellow sparks

Iron filings, 1lb.

Most of the colorants and the 95% ethyl alcohol are available at the Science Company’s website.

http://www.sciencecompany.com/sci-exper/flamecolors.htm#2

Advanced Warnings:

· Most of the metal salts listed above are caustic. Care must be used to avoid contact with skin and eyes. Children should not be allowed in the area of this material.

· Some materials react more prominently with alcohol! Lithium chloride generates heat instantly. Copper/cupric chloride burns somewhat violently! Use extreme care with it. TEST all of your burn projects in small amounts first. Then test again with the same amount you will be using for your final display.

· Keep a record of the quantities you are using and the length of time that the fire lasts. Use the same vessel for testing as for the church service because the depth and width of the vessel impacts the length of time that a flame lasts. Make sure your flame can last as long as the Service of Light portion of the Great Vigil. Assign someone to remain with the brazier (not process) such as an usher. If the flame lasts longer than anticipated and the procession begins, you will want someone to watch over the brazier until the flame goes out.

· Strontium chloride reacts with some metals. Do not use it in a metal container.

Procedures:

Follow the same guidelines as for the basic fires; add a small quantity of the colorant.

Isopropyl alcohol does not readily display different colors. For example, if you mix lithium chloride, you will get some red flames, but the principal flames will remain yellow. For table salt, you will get a yellow flame until the end, when it will turn golden.

Ethyl alcohol is therefore required for colored flames. The metal salt must be premixed with the alcohol, but not more than sixty minutes in advance. Several will react with the alcohol and form a paste that may require a bit more alcohol added to keep them wet.

Instructions for the Bishop’s Chaplain

Bishop’s Attire:

The Bishop’s Mitre is not worn during;

· PRAYERS

· PROCLAMATIONS (Gospel, Creed)

· THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

Make sure the Bishop has the Crozier during;

· PROCESSIONS

(processing in, processing out,processing to baptismal font)

· READING OF THE GOSPEL

· THE ABSOLUTION & THE FINAL BLESSING

The responsibility of the Chaplain is to meet the Bishop, assist him with his vestments, and provide him with whatever else he may want or need prior to, during, or following the service. The Chaplain should arrive early at the church and be vested and ready to greet the Bishop as soon as he arrives, helping him carry his luggage to the place designated for him to vest. The Chaplain should also make sure there is a designated parking place for the Bishop.

Arrive early and vest immediately. When you serve as the Bishop’s Chaplain, you do not take on any other tasks and you stay with the Bishop unless he directs you to do something else such as retrieve something from his car or office. At larger services, a Verger might be assigned to the Bishop and be available to assist you and the Bishop for anything you need.

Make sure there is water, coffee and if possible some sort of refreshments for the Bishop in the room where he will vest. After a service, it is difficult for the Bishop to enjoy refreshments, as he is usually busy visiting with people. So it is a great courtesy to have something for him in the room where he will vest.

Put a copy of the Order of Service (bulletin) in the vesting room.

Keep an eye out for the Bishop. As soon as you see him, go to him and take his luggage and take him to the room assigned to the Bishop. You can unpack the suitcase and hang his vestments and offer him refreshments. It is good to be present, quiet, out of the way and pleasant but not chatty.

In the procession, the Chaplain processes immediately in front of the Bishop and behind the Deacon. The Chaplain will carry the Bishop’s Crozier, if the Bishop wishes him to do so. Just ask. Be very sure the crook is facing forward. The Chaplain should sit at the Bishop’s left hand, if that is convenient. If not, the Chaplain should stand on his left, so the Bishop can hand things to him/her and retrieve them as needed.

During Confirmation, the Deacon should stand on the Bishop’s right, and the Chaplain should stand on his left, holding his Crozier.

If there is no Chaplain, be sure to have an acolyte available to hold the Bishop’s Crozier during the confirmations. The Deacon will take care of his Crozier and miter the rest of the time, in that event.

During the Great Thanksgiving, the miter is place on the left front corner of the altar, standing up, with the lappets hanging down the front of the altar. The Chaplain should not assist with administering Communion, as the Bishop may need him/her for assistance at some point for something else.

Following the service, the Chaplain assists the Bishop with his vestments, makes sure everything is put away carefully, and takes the vestments to the Bishop’s car.

Following are the times the Bishop will need his Crozier:

· During the reading of the Gospel (the Chaplain should stand nearby, but not next to the Bishop, to take his Crozier following the reading, so the Bishop can proceed to the pulpit if he is preaching).

· While giving the Absolution

· During Confirmation (held by the Chaplain or an acolyte as noted above).

· During the final blessing. The Chaplain should be ready nearby with the Crozier during the Postcommunion Prayer, so it can be handed to the Bishop immediately upon the end of the prayer.

Please remember: The Chaplain should not have any other responsibilities on that day, e.g., verging, reading lessons, administering Communion, etc. Your role is strictly with the Bishop until he departs.

Officers and By-laws

Contact:

President
    
    
    
    Outreach
    
    
    
    Treasurer
    
    
    
    Education
    
    
    
    Parliamentarian
    
    
    
    Secretary
    

By-Laws

VERGERS’ GUILD of the DIOCESE of DALLAS

MISSION STATEMENT AND GUIDELINES

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of the guild shall be the Vergers’ Guild of the Diocese of Dallas.

ARTICLE II. MISSION STATEMENT

The Vergers’ Guild of the Diocese of Dallas is a lay ministry of the Episcopal Church. The purpose of the Guild is to serve Jesus Christ and His Church through our individual parishes, and to equip the Office of Verger in the Diocese of Dallas and among its parishes by providing opportunities for:

  1. Verger participation in the liturgical worship services of the Church;

  2. On-going verger liturgical training, outreach, and education; and

  3. Fellowship among vergers and other interested lay persons.

The mission of the Guild is summarized in its motto, “Servants of the Servants of Christ.”

ARTICLE III. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND OFFICERS

The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the Chair, the General Secretary, the Treasurer, the Training Officer, the Assistant Training Officer, and the Outreach/Evangelism Officer. Each shall serve a three-year term, elected on a rotating basis. The purpose of the Executive Committee shall be to support the Mission of the Vergers’ Guild by coordinating the business and administrative functions of the Guild in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Guild, and shall bring policies and procedures to the general membership for approval by vote.

The Chair shall provide leadership and vision for the Vergers’ Guild, shall act as chair of the business sessions and meetings of the Executive Committee, shall represent the Guild at official functions, shall serve as Bishop’s Verger, and shall otherwise promote the Office of Verger throughout the diocese.

The General Secretary shall provide leadership in the administrative aspects of the Vergers’ Guild, such as functioning as the Guild’s chief logistics officer and scheduling source for planning and recording meetings, and shall carry on the correspondence, and non-financial business of the Guild.

The Chaplain shall serve as spiritual director, advisor, and liturgical support for the Vergers’ Guild. The Chaplain shall be recommended by election of the membership and confirmed by the Bishop.

The Treasurer is authorized to accept monies, make authorized disbursements, and keep books in accordance with the guidelines of the Diocese.

The Training Officer shall plan programs for general meetings and coordinate, with the General Secretary, other training events in support of the Mission of the Vergers’ Guild.

The Assistant Training Officer shall assist and support the Training Officer.

The Outreach/Evangelism Officer, in coordination with the General Secretary and the Training Officer, shall establish within each convocation of the Diocese, a leader who, after training, will interface directly with the parishes and missions to help establish Verger positions, will provide on-going training to all Vergers within each convocation through the Outreach/Evangelism Officer, will provide resource materials and on-site training for liturgical functions as required, and provide fellowship among Vergers and other interested lay persons.

ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP

A person is a member of the Vergers’ Guild of the Diocese of Dallas when they have paid their dues. The dues structure shall be reviewed at the annual business meeting and the dues structure shall be effective the following January 1st.

ARTICLE V. NOMINATING, ELECTION, AND BALLOTING PROCEDURES

A Nominating Committee is to be established at the May meeting each year. The Committee shall be comprised of four members; three of these members shall be selected by the voting membership. The fourth member shall be the General Secretary of the Guild, who shall serve as Chairman and is a non-voting member of the Committee. The purpose of the Nominating Committee shall be to select candidates for the positions to be filled in the forthcoming election.

Candidates shall be qualified, voting members of the Guild, defined as a person who has paid their annual dues to the Guild in a timely manner. The cut-off date for determining who fits into the “qualified member of the Guild” is June 30 of each year.

By the first week of July, the Nominating Committee shall receive a list of qualified candidates. The four-member Committee shall meet as a group at the July meeting. By the first week of August, final selections are to be made and specific assignments for contacting the prospects for their acceptance are created.

The slate of candidates shall be presented in writing at the September meeting. Floor nominations are accepted. Each person accepting nomination will present a curriculum vitae, in writing, and this will be distributed to the general membership.

Elections shall be held at the November meeting. The General Secretary shall prepare ballots, and the three-members Nominating Committee will count the ballots.

Newly elected officers will take office January 1st of each year.

ARTICLE VI. QUALIFIED VOTERS

A qualified voter is defined as a person who has paid their annual dues to the Vergers’ Guild in a timely manner. If unable to attend the November meeting, qualified voters will be sent a ballot, upon request to the General Secretary. All absentee ballots must be received by the General Secretary not later than the Wednesday prior to the November meeting.