A sexton is a person who takes care of a church building and its grounds. The sexton might ring the church bells to call people to services, unlock and lock the doors, shovel snow from the walkways in winter, set up chairs for events, and make sure the building stays clean and in good repair. In earlier times, sextons also dug graves in the churchyard cemetery and helped prepare for funerals.

The job combines being a caretaker, custodian, and helper all in one. Think of a sexton as someone who makes sure the practical, everyday needs of a church building are met so that services and ceremonies can happen smoothly. While a minister or priest leads worship and tends to people's spiritual needs, the sexton tends to the physical building itself.

You might encounter sextons in classic literature, especially in stories set in small towns or villages where the church stood at the center of community life. The sexton was often a familiar figure who knew everyone in the congregation and witnessed the community's important moments: weddings, christenings, and funerals. The position still exists today, though modern sextons might also handle things like managing the church's heating and cooling systems or coordinating building use with different community groups.