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Altar Guild Inventory
  • Item
  • Name of Item
  • Description
  • Memorial
  • Owner
  • Date Acquired
  • Value
  • Number

It is very important to maintain a record of all materials and equipment of which an Altar Guild has custody. Using the headings suggested above a parish inventory should include those items that may be in storage, as well as those in regular use. A good inventory should show how each item was obtained (purchase or gift), whether or not it is a Memorial (to whom), and ownership (Parish, Priest or other).

The following list suggests items to be included in an Inventory (list everything!). Each Parish will no doubt have additional items to add to its list:

Linens: Purificators, Towels, Corporals, Fair Linens and other table coverings

Frontals, Superfrontals, Pulpit Falls, Bookmarkers, Burses and Veils

Vestments: Chasubles, Stoles, Maniples, Copes, Cassock-Albs, Cassocks, Surplices and Copes, etc.

Silver

Brass

Glassware

Flower Containers

Wedding and Funeral Paraphernalia

Reception Equipment and Supplies

Photographic Inventories

Material for this portion of the article taken from The Altar Guild Book, Gent/Sturges

Photographic inventories are the best record for losses from fire and theft, and a great help to police in recovering stolen items. Photographs also provide a good visual record of memorials given to the parish. Many parish Altar Guilds have compiled such inventories. Items are photographed separately, the pictures placed in a plastic photograph album sheet along with a typed card of identification. An amateur photographer can do this photography rather inexpensively.

Points to consider

  • Photograph every item, individually and in color. Photograph hallmarks, labels, and signatures, and use a ruler in each picture to identify sizes where appropriate.

  • Place a card beside each photograph in the plastic page identifying the year acquired, designer, maker, fabric, material or composition, name of the donor and person memorialized, and where the item is stored in the church.

  • Make duplicate copies of pictures and cards — one to be kept close at hand for updating, the other in a bank or other safe place away from the church.

  • Consult the insurance company of the parish or diocese for advice with this project. This article was written in the 1990’s. Today there are no doubt much more sophisticated methods for recording parish inventories. Digital cameras, computers and CD’s have made information storage much easier. Whatever the method , the reason for keeping parish inventories remains the same — in the event of loss, this information needs to be available. †