Adults and Young people grades 3 through 12 are invited to be part of the acolyte corps. The acolytes serve on Sundays at the 10:00 a.m. worship service and on major feast days. The purpose of the acolytes is to assist the congregation in the worship of God.

The Altar Guild is a quiet but joyful ministry that continues to celebrate the preparation of worship for the glory of God and our church family.

Chalice Bearers, once licensed by the Bishop, assist the Celebrant in distributing the Sacrament in the form of consecrated wine when the people of God gather to worship and celebrate the Holy Eucharistic.

For over 10 years the worship music at St. Christopher’s By-the-Sea has been recognized as a shining jewel of liturgical performance in south Florida. Under the direction of highly skilled organist and choir master, John M. Barrow, our professional and volunteer choir has earned well-deserved praise. In addition to exploring the extensive canon of Anglican music every Sunday morning, the choir also presents special services including Advent Lessons and Carols, All Souls requiem services, as well as special Christmas and Easter programs. We are blessed with great musical talent, and we delight in making a joyful noise unto the Lord!

Following the 10 AM service, coffee hour is the place to be for conversation and catching up with the lives of fellow parishioners. Refreshments and desserts are available for adults and children—a merry time to enjoy each other. Duties include preparing coffee and  setting up the desserts and pastries.

Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs) are licensed by the Bishop to carry the Sacrament from Sunday worship to those who cannot be present in the church. The Diocese sets the number of LEMs for each parish based on the parish size and provides training and refresher classes for LEMs each fall. Normally, LEMs will make their visits on Sundays.

LEMs, meet monthly with the clergy and their coordinator to share experiences, to gain a new skill, and to pray together.

The Daughters of the King is a lay religious Order including women in the Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran (ELCA) and Roman Catholic churches. Each Daughter has taken a lifetime vow to enter into a spiritual discipline of daily prayer and service. The emblem of the Order is the silver Greek cross which Daughters wear at all times as an outward and visible sign that we cannot live a day without Christ in our lives.

The cross is inscribed with the words “Magnanimiter Crucem Sustine,” a Latin phrase meaning “With heart, mind and spirit, uphold and bear the cross.” Also inscribed are the letters FHS, representing the motto of the Order, “For His Sake.”

The primary mission of the Daughters of the King is to support the Rector and the needs and concerns of the parish, our families and friends, and the world, with prayer. The order is open to all women who want to share a journey of prayer and service with others. Our meetings are held the second Sunday of the month. Training classes for new members are held in the Spring. Please call the church office for more information or contact Ruth Foss, parishioner and Diocesan DOK President 

Lectors are people who recite the Hebrew and Christian Scripture lessons and lead the Psalm at the appointed time during the Service. Lay readers usually look over the Scripture readings beforehand, so they can spend time “reading, marking, learning and inwardly digesting them” (Collect of Proper 28, BCP) in order to be effective communicators of their meaning.

Pastoral Care is under the guidance of Rector and our Deacon, Deacon. Visiting the sick or shut-in is a ministry that requires a personal commitment and the desire to comfort another person in times of illness or times when someone is in need of emotional/spiritual support.

An usher plays an integral role in the church because they are the first ones to welcome a member or a visitor who comes through our doors each Sunday. They make sure each person has a bulletin. They make sure the bread and the wine arrived at the altar at the appropriate time as well as assisting with the collection of the alms. They also help with our record-keeping by counting those who worship with us each week. Those who offer their time and talent to this special ministry consider it a sacred privilege and another way of extending hospitality. We encourage those who are interested in a unique and spiritual fulfilling ministry to join our “team” of ushers.