The altar is the center of the Christian Church. Around it the people of God gather to celebrate the mysteries of Christ's body and blood. That sacrament, the Eucharist, along with our baptism,  is what binds us to Christ. Whatever we do in the world to live out the Christian life -whether it be prayer, study, work for social justice, ministry to the sick, care of the dying, tending the needs of the poor, and the hungry — all Christian activities arise from the presence of Christ within us and that presence begins at a baptismal font, and gets renewed, and nourished at an altar.

- National Altar Guild Association

The altar guild is a volunteer group of the parish whose ministry is to care for the altar, vestments, vessels, and altar linens of the parish. Altar Guild members prepare the sanctuary for services, and clean up afterwards. Altar Guild members frequently supervise the decoration of the sanctuary of the parish with flowers.