Book of Order – Chapter 5: Altar Preparation

Book of Order – Chapter 5: Altar Preparation

HOOM History Book of Order

The sanctuary should be taken care of by someone who has declared that he is going into the priesthood and is under second vows where possible. A Sister should preferably do this conditioned with type of station.

Consult with the priests who are to serve before setting up to learn whether they wish to use their personal chalice or Bible in the service and remove others not needed. Then see that the altar is in readiness before priests arrive that their full attention may remain upon the spiritual function. Ask the priest what kind of service is planned – whether to prepare for a baptism or other special events.

Do not disturb those priests performing the service for at least one-hour before Service time.

Sanctuary:

Neither non-members, novitiates, nor first-vowed students may sit within the sanctuary itself to meditate, unless so directed for a specific purpose by the priest working with him and for that day only.

Chapel Preparation:

Preparation begins on Saturday. All cleaning, washing and ironing of linens and checking of supplies is to be done in advance, not on Sunday. Setting up of chairs, flowers, etc., should be done at least one hour before services, so all activity is over by 10:30 for the 11:00 AM Mass.

At this time all is in readiness for those who choose to meditate (not a requirement). There should be no talking inside or outside the chapel during this time, and all should enter quietly. Lower heat if any is being used for the duration of the service.

Soft classical or sacred music is permissible before service if desired – the type of instrument as approved by Council. If some disturbance has occurred, a song may be used to clear the atmosphere before starting service.

One person should be appointed to act as host throughout. This is not necessarily the person who sets up the altar. He is to see that the chapel is in order for all public services, adequate seating prepared, and flowers arranged. He should welcome and assist strangers, latecomers, and new students as to where they should sit. He should be so seated as to handle any situation, which might arise, inside or out, firmly with the least disturbance. He will have an understanding with the priest in charge of the house as to handling of guests and who may stay after the services or who ought not.

Try to have flowers, preferably in brass, silver or blue vase. (Green is not normally used in the sanctuary.) These may be placed at any height even on the wall if space requires it but not directly in front of the altar and not in the working space where they could tip over or obstruct the view.

Chapel Seating:

All priests not serving should sit in the front row, behind them first-vowed students, and at the extreme rear second-vowed students. Between these are the novitiates and visitors. Thus is formed a field of Power or creative pattern. But do not become too regulation conscious. Do not hamper the Spirit but smooth the way that it may freely flow. Keep the doors clear. Arrange proper seating for priests.

Setting Up:

First kneeling to prepare themselves, the attendants enter to set up the altar on the right (creative) side of the sanctuary and without shoes, but not barefoot. Clean soft white slippers in the sanctuary are suggested for the priests who serve, being of good appearance, or white socks, or nylons.

Incense may be carried through the chapel if desired. It is never placed directly on the altar: it should be burned before the priests come into the sanctuary.

In cutting the matzos or bread, cut it in narrow strips, which can be easily broken by the priest into small bits as served.

If in doubt as to the amount of wine required, a suitable dispenser containing wine (or second chalice) can be kept unobtrusively near by in case it is needed. The altar attendant should be prepared to get this for the priest if needed, without too much notice. If not blessed, it may be poured back into bottle. Do not manifest bottle in view of those attending service.

On the altar the bread is placed on the left, wine at the right.

For baptism, in setting up, the olive oil is on the left, the water on the right. If combined with a communion service both are on the right.

For marriage, in setting up, water is on the right.

Ablutions may be taken either by the priest or the person who sets up the altar. If too much is left over either the priest or someone he appoints should assist.

Chalice is cleaned right after services with a linen cloth, not washed in soap and water. A dampened cloth may be used if necessary; or chalice may be rinsed slightly with water, which the attendant then drinks.

Altar cloths and chalice covers are washed with warm water and soap. Bleach may used when needed. These are preferably washed by hand, not on Sunday.

Return sacrament books, chalices, and Bibles to the priests who loaned them or used them for the service.

Altar:

Candles

Eternal Flame: When establishing a new altar, or going into a place for the first time, a priest should bless the Eternal Flame and set it going. Thereafter the sanctuary attendant takes care of this, lighting a new flame from the old before it goes out.

In case it should go out, a priest again lights and blesses the new flame.

In missionary stations, where only the missionary is in charge, he himself will bless the new flame.

A seven-branched candlestick is placed on the left side of the altar and a five-branched candlestick on the right.

On a small altar, where you have no large Law candlesticks, the three candles are placed on the altar itself, with the Eternal Flame, either hanging above the altar or placed in the middle of the triangle of the three candles.

The Law candles are lighted before setting up; altar candles just before (or as) the priest enters. These are lighted counter-clockwise. Start with the Son to light them, then the Father then the Holy Spirit. You are setting up the Light to work in.

In lighting both the Law candles and the candelabra start at the left and go toward the right.

See diagram next page.

Altar

Son (1) Holy Spirit (3)

Father (2)

Lighting Candles

Altar

Son (3) Holy Spirit (1)

Father (2)

Putting Candles Out

Altar cloths should be of white linen. The altar cloth should not hang over the front or back edge, but if altar is regular, square or oblong in shape, seven inches of the cloth may hang down at both ends.

*Exception is for the Mass of the Christos, the sacrament of Light, when the altar cloth is purple satin, and seven wooden candlesticks are used with 6-inch candles, and a picture of Christ Jesus. The cloth should hang exactly as described above.

Chalice covers should be of white linen and reach down to the altar; however, chalice covers may be designed which fit over chalice in box-like fashion.

There should be a sacrament box. It should not be black, where the sacraments are to be kept in it, unless it also serves as a carrying case. It should have purple lining.

A silver chalice and paten should be gold-washed inside.

The chalice for water is brass.

The chalice for oil is copper lined with gold. “Copper is an insulator to cosmic rays, preventing interference.”

The square covers are of wood, to represent the elements of growth of vegetation. The linen is cemented on. A golden triangle on the chalice cover represents spiritual law.

The cover for bread shows a red square.

The cover for water, a blue circle with an orange dot in the center.

The cover for oil is small, with an emblem of the Order painted on it in the Order colors, red square, blue circle and gold triangle and Cross. We are being baptized under the sign of the Order.

SACRAMENTS

A morning Communion service is held daily at 6:15 AM and a Sunday morning Mass at 11:00 AM, to which all are invited. We do not withhold the sacraments from any person.

Any singing or music should be before the gospel.

“When you take on the Mantle of God you take on the theme of OBEDIENCE, in accordance with the laws laid down by Creation.”

“In another Age, it might be a different set of laws (for that Age). You are also susceptible to the influence of the Host, which is part of this. And you are protected it is not a one-way deal.”

“BAPTIZE ALL WHO HAVE NOT BEEN BAPTIZED. THIS MEANS ALL PRIESTS, ALL BROTHERS, FIRST-VOWED, SECOND-VOWED, AND TEACHERS — ALL PEOPLE IN THE ORDER, AND I WILL TAKE CARE OF THE HIGHER LEVEL ONES IN BAPTISM.”

Revelation of May 25, 1972

SERVICE

“Those in my service shall have long days and short nights.

Unto him who giveth his life in service, will I give all of My Life unto him.”

From the Book of Activity

Let us consider with humility that we are but vessels of service to unite a crystalline planet with the others of the solar system in bonds of service and reality of life and expression.

We serve the Higher Being for the good of Mankind in any form. Our hands were given into Service of the Holy Order of Mans binding upon our being from Eternity to Eternity, world and Life without end. Now it is time we stop looking at the Holy Order of Mans strictly upon this plane of existence and look at exactly what these terms and words mean in their workings and reality.

The fullness of Christ will surely manifest and nourish our oneness of purpose and mind into a form which will be the Order of Earth, hence we have a NEW Earth. Then the Orders above, of which this is merely a part, will incorporate and propagate new Beings to fill that order as the Brothers see fit.

But this can be accomplished only through selfless service to serve willingly and knowingly those here, by being of oneness of mind, body, soul, spirit and Order. Then have we achieved and become a wholly-Holy, or whole, ORDER OF MANS.

PUBLIC SUNDAY SERVICES

The priest prepares himself in the sanctuary through prayer.

Glorification of the Father, assembly standing.

Public Announcements, class times, special occasions, General welcome by second priest, if there be two.

Student sermon, three to five minutes. Someone who needs this should be chosen. (Symbolizes drawing into the temple those from the outer edge.)

Songs. This prepares the sanctuary for the priest before reading the gospel.

Reading the gospel from one of the first four books of the Testament. This is the Word of the Master, or bringing down the Word of God, assisting priest, from Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

Sermon, by officiating priest. This is the bringing of the Word of God to the people, as the priest steps out onto the podium. Text may be from any appropriate source.

Mass or Communion. Bringing others into the body of Christ.

Benediction. The first priest opens and closes the service.

Evening prayers should not be treated as a ritual. The simple service should be varied according to the needs of the day, giving healings at the finish if so desired.

SILENCE

“To him that would be silent that he might hear my voice, without speaking to his brother – let him also look within that he shall see my Child.”

Silence is occasionally used correctively to help novitiates disengage their attention from the “mass mind”. But it should be administered as punishment only when the student has by his speech violated some principle in speaking to another student or an outsider. (A student when counseling with a priest is not restricted in speech, but encouraged to let go of all this thoughts, without fear of reprisal.)

Short periods of silence for the entire house are beneficial to all.

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