Reader

[~Anastasia~]

I'm pretty excited!

Our chanters will all be gone for about 7 weeks in winter-spring and Father asked if I would do the reading of the Epistle sometimes.

I'm kind of nervous too but honored to be asked. I sing in the choir but that's a hidden sort of thing. I don't expect to have trouble being able to be in front of the Church though, since it's only reading.

I know it's to be done without a lot of "expression" so I think that makes it easier too. Just remember to receive Father's blessing afterward. I hope that's the only things I need to remember.

I had to tell someone though. My husband wasn't impressed. I think he thought I was asking him for advice and didn't know if I should agree to do it.

I wish I was practiced about chanting since it seems we have no one to do it for almost 2 months. Father is an excellent teacher in that and it would be a good chance to be corrected, etc. But I'm not sure I'm brave enough for that, and the training I was given (just lots of chanting to listen to) might not actually help.

We do use the tones for some music in the choir so in a way I do know them but ... not by number and I'm REALLY unsure of doing changeable words with it. And I couldn't do it in Greek unless I heard and memorized it first.

 

[Grace2022]

I love this. I too have recently been put onvthe list to do readings in front of our small elderly congregation. I am so excited and scared. I feel honoured to read from the Bible. They are all supportive. I have akways been nervous about speaking into a microphone in front of an audience. But this i want to do and get confident at, it is for Jesus not for me.
You will be fine, it is a wonderful new challenge. Pray for Jesus to help you each time and you will do great. Good luck. Xx

 

[Anhelyna]

I'm thrilled for you Anastasia - it's a real honour to be asked to help in this way.

It was something I did for a long time in my EC Parish and I really shook in my shoes the first time I did it - the Nativity Epistle !!

You will be fine - believe me in that. Take your time during the week before - read the Epistle several times - look for the pitfalls and just be thankful you will never have to read the Gospel for the Sunday before Nativity [ yeah - the Genealogy ]

 

[archer75]

That's very cool, @~Anastasia~.

 

[ArmyMatt]

don't be nervous. I was once told that when we read in Church, the Apostle stands with us invisibility to help and guide us as we do it.

 

[truefiction1]

That's very nice, Anastasia. Is anyone going to give you any instruction on chanting?

 

[~Anastasia~]

Thanks everyone! Yes, I think even Father doesn't like reading that Gospel. His Greek is flawless and often praised but names I think are harder.

I probably will read it ahead of time out loud a few times just because I like to be prepared for anything like this I ever do.

 

[~Anastasia~]

don't be nervous. I was once told that when we read in Church, the Apostle stands with us invisibility to help and guide us as we do it.

That is very cool. And very humbling. In a way that makes me a little more anxious when I first think of it ... but after a second it's actually comforting. But very humbling!

 

[~Anastasia~]

That's very nice, Anastasia. Is anyone going to give you any instruction on chanting?

Well ... there was talk of it some time back. Over a year ago. I was given a LOT of chanting to listen to, but in some cases the tones were mixed and it's too much to memorize each piece (not to mention there simply IS too much to memorize).

I suspect the thought was that I had enough to do, and it's true. I'm in the choir. Building parish library. Teaching Sunday school now. I'm supposed to resume writing a little bit on books for the newsletter. I can no longer help with the kitchen stuff. But ... I've only been Orthodox a few years and while I WANT to help in every way I can, I'm sure some wisdom needs to be exercised.

I haven't brought it up. I don't know?

But who knows how long Father will be here and I know he would be an outstanding priest to learn under.

We also have a chanter who was trained in Greece and does everything very traditionally but I don't know if he would offer any help with that, and I don't even know if that style of chanting is appropriate for a woman.

But ... I do like the idea of having Father to correct me if I could learn.

 

[truefiction1]

I've recently been to a Greek Church and beheld the women readers to be simply "reading" the text, rather than chanting it. The male cantor chanted in the traditional Greek way.

I don't personally like the ordinary reading of Epistles in the Church, as opposed to singing them in the traditional ways. But if that is what your priest wants, then that is what he wants. A priest may be open to having some or even all readings being chanted as opposed to simply read. We sing the Scriptural texts because singing is spiritually powerful, and we can read much longer in this way before our voices give out.

Anyway, if you need further advice on chanting, I'm sure that some of us could give you a couple of verbal suggestions and whatnot.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I've recently been to a Greek Church and beheld the women readers to be simply "reading" the text, rather than chanting it. The male cantor chanted in the traditional Greek way.

I don't personally like the ordinary reading of Epistles in the Church, as opposed to singing them in the traditional ways. But if that is what your priest wants, then that is what he wants. A priest may be open to having some or even all readings being chanted as opposed to simply read. We sing the Scriptural texts because singing is spiritually powerful, and we can read much longer in this way before our voices give out.

Anyway, if you need further advice on chanting, I'm sure that some of us could give you a couple of verbal suggestions and whatnot.

Well I would of course do what he wants done.

Typically the epistle is read, not chanted. Though the introductory line (from the Psalms - usually? Always?) ... is chanted, and sometimes the last line or so of the reading is chanted, depending on who does it.

That's for the regular epistle reading during the Divine Liturgy. At other times, I think it is chanted.


When Father reads the Gospel, he always chants the last several lines. Sometimes he chants the whole thing. Usually not.


But we have 4 who can chant now, one has recently gone. We had 5. But one is becoming unable. One travels half the time or more. And the other two are a married couple who go on extended trips a couple of times a year.

So it seems we are developing a need.

 

[truefiction1]

Well I would of course do what he wants done.

Typically the epistle is read, not chanted. Though the introductory line (from the Psalms - usually? Always?) ... is chanted, and sometimes the last line or so of the reading is chanted, depending on who does it.

That's for the regular epistle reading during the Divine Liturgy. At other times, I think it is chanted.


When Father reads the Gospel, he always chants the last several lines. Sometimes he chants the whole thing. Usually not.


But we have 4 who can chant now, one has recently gone. We had 5. But one is becoming unable. One travels half the time or more. And the other two are a married couple who go on extended trips a couple of times a year.

So it seems we are developing a need.

I pray that this becomes of great benefit to you and the parish you attend. Glory to God!

 

[~Anastasia~]

I should also note ...

I'm not any expert on what is "most/more Traditional". But I have seen little changes being made in our Liturgy over the past - around 6 months. It is my guess that we are slowly moving into line with what IS more traditional, because some parts that I'd see in printed materials were missing, but they are being brought in.

I know Father was assuring me I would not have to chant in order to reassure me, lol. I think he knows I'm a little uncomfortable being "public".

But I don't mean to say that he's against it. I honestly don't know. But my guess is that if that's the more traditional, he would be in favor.

The bishop has a say as well of course. I don't really know much from his point of view.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I pray that this becomes of great benefit to you and the parish you attend. Glory to God!

Thank you!

 

[Anhelyna]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with reading, as against chanting, the Epistle. Styles for Chanting it are many and varied. Where I was I was taught [ by my GodPapa ] a Kyivan Chant - fairly simple and very musical and easy to adapt to whatever the Scriptural passage was. HOWEVER when I had to read the Gospel - and yes I had been blessed by my bishop to read it [ as he wanted it in English as well as Ukrainian] as our priest then did not have enough English for that, I never ever chanted that - but it was read from the front of the Church facing the people.

Where I am now the Epistle is chanted more or less on 1 note

 

[~Anastasia~]

Anyway, if you need further advice on chanting, I'm sure that some of us could give you a couple of verbal suggestions and whatnot.

If it's an acceptable thing for women to do, I would like to learn. I'm not young, but this shows that perhaps there might be a need I could fill sometime, especially in our own parish.

 

[~Anastasia~]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with reading, as against chanting, the Epistle. Styles for Chanting it are many and varied. Where I was I was taught [ by my GodPapa ] a Kyivan Chant - fairly simple and very musical and easy to adapt to whatever the Scriptural passage was. HOWEVER when I had to read the Gospel - and yes I had been blessed by my bishop to read it [ as he wanted it in English as well as Ukrainian] as our priest then did not have enough English for that, I never ever chanted that - but it was read from the front of the Church facing the people.

Where I am now the Epistle is chanted more or less on 1 note

Hmmmmm.

That's very interesting. I know there are different styles, but I hadn't really thought much about all the possible variation.

I suppose if I do look into learning, it needs to be Byzantine, with the 8 tones.

 

[gzt]

The big tip: read slower than you think you need to.

 

[Anhelyna]

OH BOY - ain't that the truth !!

I was taught about the age of 15 , by my father to read in Church - and he was very very hot on that. Not just that and also to ensure that your voice carries you should bear in mind the person furthest away from you and make sure that occasionally you actually look at him . That's an old tip which helps you to project your voice without shouting.

I've taught quite a few folk that way [ admittedly it's easier if they are facing the congregation , which when reading the Epistle they are not ] but it stops this bad habit of looking down at the printed material all the time - do that and your voice sinks. I still prepare stuff to be read in church in a larger type size as you don't need to look down at it and this keeps your head a bit higher so your voice comes out horizontally rather than down aimed at your feet [ if you see what I mean ]

 

[~Anastasia~]

The big tip: read slower than you think you need to.

Ah yes, THANK YOU!