Serving the water and wine is the most complicated part of the Altar Server's task
1. Accepting the gifts
2. Preparing the Altar
3. Serving the Water and Wine
4. Serving the bowl and towel.
1. Accepting the Gifts
Three people involved:
The person who will be doing the water and the person who will be doing the wine are already chosen because they are the two who begin Mass standing in front of the two altar candles. When the offertory procession starts, they both come and stand beside the priest, each on his or her own side. The third person will have the job of taking the board and he or she will stand beside the other three on the side which the board is going to be placed.
When the gifts are brought up, the water and wine servers will take the bread and wine and the third server will put the board in place. This server can now sit down because there will be only two needed for the rest of the offertory. If this server has to cross in front of the tabernacle to get to their seat he/she will genuflect at the centre of the altar.
2. Preparing the Altar
Servers, without delaying, take everything from the credence table and place them on the altar EXCEPT water, wine, bowl and towel.
3. Serving the Water and Wine
One server takes the wine, the other takes the water.
The cruets are held in the right hand with the handle towards the tabernacle so that the priest can catch the cruet with his right hand. Server's left hand is held flat agains his/her chest.
Servers come forward until they are inside the edge of the altar. And wait there until the priest comes to them for the cruets.
When the priest comes, he will firstly take the wine from the server and give it back, then he will take the water from the server and give it back. When the server receives the water back, both servers bow to the priest, turn in towards each other, return to the crecence table and put down the cruets.
4. Serving the bowl and towel
Then one server takes the bowl of water while the other takes the towel. Server with towel will open the towel and hold it across both palms, server with bowl will hold it with both hands.
They come to the altar as before, wait until the priest has washed his fingers, bow to the priest, turn towards each other and return to the credence table.
When they have put back the bowl and towel they return to their seats using this procedure:
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Water server leads.
Each server stops at the candle on his/her own side.
Genuflect together.
Turn in towards each other.
Walk down to the seat.
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