The roles of the Volunteers are described below, these positions do attract a number of benefits, and prospective volunteers should note that there are a number of requirements associated with the roles too.
Benefits:
- Become part of a friendly, supportive and welcoming community of volunteers
- Invitations to monthly coffee mornings with quizzes and talks; annual Garden Party and Epiphany Party (including a guest); visits to places of interest
- Priority booking to services such as Nine Lessons & Carols
- Free entry to the Christ Church site at any time (when open) with family or friends
- 10% discount in the Christ Church shop.
Requirements:
- Read and follow the Christ Church Cathedral Volunteer Safeguarding Guide
- Complete Church of England Safeguarding Training – Basic Awareness, and Foundation modules
- Read and sign the Volunteer Agreement
- Complete induction training which will include Health & Safety, Fire, Security, as appropriate for the role
- Depending on additional advice received from the UK government or Church of England, you may be required to attend additional training sessions
- Attend Volunteer Days and training sessions as appropriate for the role
Cathedral Guides - Role Description
Supervision: Volunteer & Visitor Coordinator (VVC), Head Guide
Time commitment: individual sign-up; on a rota basis
Purpose and function: To greet all visitors so that they feel welcomed and ready to explore. To inform and assist.
Role profile:
- Enthusiastic about the Cathedral and its mission
- Excellent communication and customer service skills
- A positive, friendly, helpful and flexible attitude
- A willingness to learn in order to attain an excellent grasp of the history, architecture, life, and purpose of the Cathedral
- Able to operate as part of a team and to follow instructions
- Able to use initiative and judgement
Duties:
- Offering a warm and friendly welcome at the entrance to the Cathedral
- Being visible and available for questions or assistance
- Engaging in conversation with visitors if it feels appropriate
- Assisting visitors with the multimedia guides if required
- Informing interested visitors about tours, talks, events, and services
- Offering the ‘prayers on the hour’ in the absence of a Chaplain
- Collaborating with fellow volunteers and members of staff
- Supervising the property to help make sure everyone is safe and the site secure
- Leading organised guided tours (Cathedral Tour Guides)
Cathedral Singers of Christ Church - Role Description
Supervision: Director of Cathedral Singers of Christ Church
With relation to Cathedral administration: Volunteer & Visitor Coordinator (VVC)
Time commitment: Rehearsals and services, typically 5pm rehearsal for 6pm service on days when the choir is in session. Commitment within this is flexible – please see www.cathedralsingers.org.uk for more information.
Purpose and function: To deputise for the main Cathedral Choir during school holidays and other absences. The Choir forms part of the Cathedral Music Department, with its own professional staff of Director and Organist. While the majority of its work is to sing for services in the Cathedral, the choir also undertakes concerts, tours, and other activities
Role profile & duties:
- Experience of choral singing, with good sight-reading
- Conscientiously to prepare music ahead of committed services
- Enthusiasm for the life and work of the Cathedral
- Willingness to undertake training where relevant, and awareness of responsibilities towards others in the Cathedral setting
- Attendance at a certain number of rehearsals and services per session
New experienced recruits of any age, including students, with good sight-reading skills are always welcome!
Change Ringers - Role Description
Supervision: Ringing Master or deputy
With relation to Cathedral administration: Volunteer & Visitor Coordinator (VVC)
Time commitment: As agreed with the Changer Ringers Committee
Purpose and function: To carry out bell ringing in the Wolsey Tower and Tom Tower for key national, College and liturgical occasions, and to a high standard. Also, ring bells at weddings upon request.
Role profile and duties:
- Enthusiastic and capable ringer
- Can handle a bell safely and ring to a rhythm
- Should be able to ring at least Surprise Royal, preferably Maximus, to a high standard
- Willing to undertake training and do appropriate preparation in their own time
- Must be prepared to make regular attendances at the Cathedral and other venues
- Must be able to work as a part of the team and take instruction
- Must ring to as high a standard as possible at all times
- Should be prepared to help with the organisation of bands for ringing if required
- Ringers to attend practice nights and ring for services as arranged and confirmed by Christ Church Cathedral
Beginners can be trained by the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers (odg.org.uk) at St Aldates or St Giles; and students at Oxford and Oxford Brookes Universities have their own society (ouscr.org.uk).
Chaplain Guides - Role Description
Supervision: Volunteer & Visitor Coordinator (VVC)
Time commitment: Sign up according to your availability (no minimum requirement)
Purpose and function: As Ordained and Lay Ministers, Chaplain Guides are a key point of pastoral contact for visitors. They provide a visible and easily accessible source of support for visitors needing pastoral care and serve as a reminder of the Cathedral’s primary function as a house of prayer and place of worship. Cathedral clergy have many other duties and are unable to carry out this ministry of being visibly present and constantly available to visitors throughout the day.
Role profile:
- Be ordained or a Licensed Lay Minister or in another form of authorised ministry (on a case by case basis)
- Enthusiastic about the Cathedral and its mission
- Excellent communication, listening and pastoral skills
- A positive, friendly, helpful and flexible attitude
- Able to operate alone and as part of a team
- Experienced in using initiative and judgement
Duties:
- To provide a ministry of visible, prayerful presence to Cathedral visitors and volunteers
- To have a prayerful, helpful, welcoming, friendly attitude
- To engage in conversation with visitors if it feels appropriate
- To provide any and all of the following, responding to the needs and requests of visitors: a listening ear, personal prayers, practical and spiritual advice, and (in the case of ordained ministers) confession and absolution
- To offer brief prayers from the pulpit (not exceeding two minutes, text provided) on the hour every hour
- To report any concerns about individuals and to seek support from staff in case of difficulty
- To offer short talks or tours on occasion (as agreed with the VVC)
Embroiderers - Role Description
Supervision: Volunteer & Visitor Coordinator (VVC), Head Embroiderer
Time commitment: To meet once a week for a three-hour session. Occasionally some projects may be worked on at home.
Purpose and function: The care and maintenance of textiles used in the Cathedral. To be a centre of excellence, promoting high standards of design and workmanship. To provide advice and help to the Diocese.
Role profile & duties:
- To understand the history of the Cathedral and its liturgy
- To have some knowledge of basic stitchery, and be willing to learn more advanced techniques
- To be able to work in a team in a positive, friendly way
- To take direction from the head of the group
- To be able to assess personal work and accept the need to improve
Although most of the embroiderers are highly trained and experienced, new recruits both with and without experience are welcome to join, and we will teach them.
Flower Arrangers - Role Description
Supervision: Volunteer & Visitor Coordinator (VVC), Cathedral Flower Coordinator
Time commitment: As directed by the Cathedral Flower Coordinator
Purpose and function: The Cathedral Flower Arrangers provide flower arrangements throughout the year. The flowers enhance the beauty of the Cathedral and its worship and thereby deepen the faith of the congregation, staff and visitors. Flowers are chosen to match the liturgical colours which serve to illustrate the continuing rhythm of Cathedral life and the celebration of the Daily Offices.
Role profile:
- An ability to arrange flowers to a high standard, in a Cathedral setting
- Enthusiastic about the Cathedral and its mission
- A positive, friendly, helpful attitude
- Willing to undertake training
- Able to operate as part of a team and to follow instructions
- Able to use initiative and judgement
Duties:
- Arrange and maintain flowers in the various areas of the Cathedral, as per the rota. Arranging normally takes place weekly on a Friday although this may change in line with the demands of the Cathedral and the liturgical calendar
- Ensure that all areas of the Cathedral and flower room are left clean and tidy, all rubbish is disposed of correctly and any spillages are mopped up
- Create flower displays or decorations appropriate to the Cathedral calendar, such as Easter and Christmas
- Be aware of security risks at all times, including any unattended items. Do not leave scissors, secateurs or knives unattended in the Cathedral at any time
- Report any accidents or incidents
Readers - Role Description
Supervision: Volunteer & Visitor Coordinator (VVC), Precentor
Time commitment: As scheduled by VVC on a quarterly basis
Purpose and function: To read the lessons at the Sunday Eucharist or Holy Communion services, and other services as required.
Role profile & duties:
- Enthusiastic about the Cathedral and its mission, and potentially a member of the Cathedral congregation
- A positive, friendly, helpful attitude
- To be literate in English and able to read the lessons appropriately
- Willing to undertake training
- Able to operate as part of a team and to follow instructions
- To find a replacement Reader should you not be able to fulfil your duty, and inform the VVC of any changes (the VVC will endeavour to find a replacement for you if you are not able to)
Servers - Role Description
Supervision: Volunteer & Visitor Coordinator (VVC), the Precentor
Time commitment: Flexible, as per rota, request of Liturgy Office. Usually Sunday mornings, sometimes evenings and at other times.
Purpose and function: A server is a lay assistant to the clergy during worship. Servers carry out multiple roles. Predominantly, the task of server at the Cathedral is that of being an acolyte (candle-bearer) or crucifer (bearer of the processional Cross), and sometimes a thurifer (bearer of the incense). An altar server also attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying. It is not expected that a server is a Eucharistic minister (assisting with the distribution of Holy Communion), though it is possible to offer this ministry alongside that of server following discernment and training.
Role profile:
- Commitment to the Christian faith
- Enthusiasm for the Cathedral’s worship, and potentially a member of the Cathedral’s congregation.
- A positive, friendly, helpful attitude
- Ability to act with due reverence and courtesy
- Ability to move with dignity and to sit attentively
- Flexibility to learn and perform any of the servers’ duties
- A willingness to attend training sessions, as required
- Serving is a physical role, and servers must be physically capable of fulfilling their duties, though it may be possible to amend some duties depending on the ability of the server.
Duties:
- Report to the Sacristy at least thirty minutes before normal services (special services may have different time commitments and require rehearsals)
- Carry out the role assigned to you to the best of your ability
- Be aware of any special arrangements
- Assist with tidying up after services.
Stewards - Role Description
Supervision: Volunteer & Visitor Coordinator (VVC), Head Steward
Time commitment: Sign up according to your availability
Purpose and function: Stewards are the front face of the Cathedral to worshippers and event-attendees, able to ensure that all are greeted in a Christlike manner according to the highest standards of welcome and have a safe, pleasant experience when attending a service or an event at the Cathedral from welcome through to departure.
Role profile:
- Enthusiastic about the Cathedral and its mission
- Excellent communication and customer service skills
- A positive, friendly, helpful attitude
- Willing to undertake training
- Able to operate alone or as part of a team
- Able to take and follow instructions
- Able to use initiative and judgement
- Security-conscious, always alert to your surroundings
Duties:
- Welcoming worshippers, scanning or checking tickets, showing guests to their seats, serving refreshments
- Assisting with administration of Communion queues ensuring an orderly flow of communicants
- Assisting with the collection of offertory monies
- At large services undertaking tasks delegated by the Head Steward or senior event staff member (e.g. Head Verger, Operations Manager)
- In the event of an emergency, assisting with an evacuation of the Cathedral under direction of the Duty Verger
- Liaising with other key volunteers and staff helping at services or events
- Referring a problem or seeking support from the Verger or Event Leader, particularly if a dispute or inappropriate behaviour should occur by a visitor, or any form of danger to individuals or to the building becomes apparent
- Being vigilant of security risks at all times, including unattended items, fire, protest, and the safety of your own possessions etc.
