The serving team at Holy Nativity at the 2019 Palm Sunday service
with the Bishop of Ebbsfleet in attendance.

Holy Nativity has a team of servers who are there to assist the Priest as he conducts the services. A rota is produced each month to ensure that the appropriate servers are available.
The main service of the week is the Parish Mass on a Sunday morning.
Ideally for this service we would have the following serving team:

MC:  Responsible for ensuring all goes well. Assists the Priest as necessary.
Thurifer :  Holds the thurible which contains hot charcoal on which incense is put to produce smoke used since early times to do honour to people & things. In this service we incense the altar, the Gospel book, bread & wine and the people. Leads the procession in.
Boat boy or girl: Holds the ‘boat’ which contains the incense.
2 Acolytes:  Carry candles in procession and assist at the Altar by receiving the bread & wine from  the
offertory procession, moving the chalices used for the wine to the Altar and receiving the collection.
Crucifer:  Carries the Cross in procession.

During the week, on a Friday morning,  there is a Low Mass which requires one server to assist the Priest.
On special occasions  there will be other services such as Evensong and Benediction for which a team will be required and a team will also be required for funerals.
At the  moment due to the corona virus we are unable to provide a team of servers but look forward to being able to some time soon.
We always welcome newcomers to the team.
Most of us serve every week but if an individual wishes to serve, say, once a month that would still be helpful.
Male, female, young or old all welcome and full training will be be given so no previous experience necessary. Our ‘uniform’ of Cassock (the black garment)  & Cotta (the white one) are provided.
Finally : it’s an excellent way to get involved in the life of the Church, and to my mind very enjoyable!
John Chamberlain (Head Server)

The team headed up by John Chamberlain who is always
looking for additional servers.

Here is the server team from the 1950's.
The team includes Gordon Baker, Keith Gibbs and
the late Ernie Stroud who became an Archdeacon.