Altar Linen Ministry

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Pepsodent: It’s Not Just for Dentures

New Altar Linens ministry members Maria Butts and Carol Desmond sat down with Ministry Coordinator, Kerry Baldwin, to share their experiences serving in this behind-the-scenes ministry.

Seeking a new way to serve God and the community of Our Saviour, Maria and Carol both landed on the Altar Linens ministry. For Carol, September’s ministry fair led her to the Altar Linens table and for Maria, completing her term as vestry member (thank you for serving Maria!) had her seeking a new opportunity. With a son (Travis) and two friends (mother and daughter team Yvonne Becker and Ellen Burdett) on the Altar Guild, Maria chose to join the adjacent Altar Linens ministry. 

Altar Linens is a “light duty” ministry with members serving for two weeks every two months. Used linens are collected and brought home to have wine stains removed, be washed, dried, folded, ironed, and then returned for the next week’s use.

Maria admitted “It’s not difficult but at first I was nervous about it because they are linens and you want to make sure everything is perfect. You have to get the wine stains out and then wash, fold and iron correctly. But it was nice having Travis because he knew all this stuff. I can ask him ‘Is this a purificator or what?’ It’s good having him.”

Carol has honed in on the secret to removing wine stains from delicate white linens. “I have made great use of Pepsodent. Somebody once spilled red wine on one of my white cushions and I was like “Don’t worry - I’ve got Pepsodent!” (Just don’t use the mint version she warns).

These are the tips you learn when you join a ministry!

For Carol, ironing the linens brings back fond memories of her father. “I like it because it’s an easy way to serve our community and to serve Christ. I always used to iron my father’s shirts so it makes me think of that. It’s important to me.”

Now that she’s ramped up with her new ministry, Maria shares “I’m enjoying it. I feel like the linens that we wash and fold for the services is a way of showing our love for God. We’re helping to glorify Him and the altar and those that come to the church.”  

To learn more about the Altar Linen Ministry, contact ministries@oursaviourjax.org