Incense at Church

devin553344 said:

OK thanks. My neighbor used to light all these candles around her house and I was always worried she was going to set the place on fire and kill everyone.

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Well, that is a vital concern. I like scented candles but only burn them in the same room and no longer for an hour at a time.

Bipolargirl said:

Well, that is a vital concern. I like scented candles but only burn them in the same room and no longer for an hour at a time.

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Thanks for being careful. Being burnt alive is no joke. Firefighters know that too well.

My church has reduced use of incense to special occasions with advanced notice so the sensitive can go to an alternate service. Even as one of those sensitive persons, I dislike that decision. I'd prefer it every service, even if I have to cough through it.

☦Marius☦ said:

Forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical. There are monks who practically live in incense smoke their entire lives and most of them live much longer than the average layperson.

For most people it just takes a little bit of getting used to. Frankincense is a good natural incense. You also have to consider most older churches were build with high ceilings.

When I was a chanter at the monastery the church was basically just a large house and the windows were next to the chanting stand. If you've ever been to a monastery and seen how much incense is used in an Orthodox service well- its heavy. All the smoke would have to pass through the chanters to get out the window. It was quite the throat straining experience.

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I've also ministered in churches where heavy incense was de rigueur.

Look, I'm not forcing anyone to do or not do anything. But those studies I shared showed cancers of the upper respiratory tract at a similar rate to passive smokers for people with high exposure to incense in worship. I share that information because it's not well known and it lets people make informed choices about how they manage their exposure.

David Cabrera said:

I like incense in my Church, for some reason it makes me feel like I am in God's presence (besides other things like the Eucharist and the Choir but I don't want to talk about that). What do you think about incense?

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I attended a Catholic Mass once in Ireland. It was (I believe) my first and only time encountering incense in a worship context and I appreciated the visual and "olfactorial" symbolism of God's presence and, to me, the reminder that we are to be the "aroma of Christ", that is, our lives are incense to God.

Like all ritualistic liturgical elements (for lack of a better term), the benefit/utility of incense is a matter of the heart. Colored light shining through a stained glass window, incense, musical worship of every stripe, call and response, etc., each sensual signifier is only as beneficial as the state of our heart toward Yahweh. Without that right relational connection, it's all meaningless and can even be harmful if it merely creates feelings of holiness rather than pointing to the reality of God in Christ.

On the other hand, all things created by God are to be enjoyed and nothing is to be rejected if it received with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:4). If we are to love God with all our being, that includes the nose

David Cabrera said:

I like incense in my Church, for some reason it makes me feel like I am in God's presence (besides other things like the Eucharist and the Choir but I don't want to talk about that). What do you think about incense?

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I like it but unfortunately the congregation I go to is unaware that Lutherans can use incense, too.

I have thought about a way of making a smokeless censer, perhaps, one that wouldn't offend people or pose a health hazard. In this day and age of e-cigs and lithium ion batteries, it should be doable. It probably wouldn't be good enough for Eastern Orthodox, but at least it would be a nice ceremonial gesture in the liturgy.

FireDragon76 said:

I have thought about a way of making a smokeless censer, perhaps, one that wouldn't offend people or pose a health hazard. In this day and age of e-cigs and lithium ion batteries, it should be doable. It probably wouldn't be good enough for Eastern Orthodox, but at least it would be a nice ceremonial gesture in the liturgy.

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I've heard of someone using dry ice in a thurible. Not sure I would go for it, but it would be visually effective.

Sounds ok to me.. cant find where the WORD says NO!

Most western churches I have been to don't burn the incense well. Orthodox incense is coated with chalk and doesn't burn directly as much, whereas western incense is typically granulated and burns readily, producing alot of smoke. Whereas the Orthodox product is more vapor.

David Cabrera said:

Do you use it when worshipping at home?

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I don’t use incense myself, my mother uses it every now and then mostly just to make the house smell good.

David Cabrera said:

I like incense in my Church, for some reason it makes me feel like I am in God's presence (besides other things like the Eucharist and the Choir but I don't want to talk about that). What do you think about incense?

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I feel just the same as you. I love it. Even without knowing that it represented the prayers of the saints, the faithful, rising to God.

I wish I knew what blend it consists of. I've tried just myrrh or frankincense at home, and it's just a sweet, slightly sickly smell - not like the smell of the incense I smell in a Catholic church.

There are a number of commercial blends available and commonly used in churches. Prinknash Abbey's blends seem to be a popular choice here.

David Cabrera said:

I like incense in my Church, for some reason it makes me feel like I am in God's presence (besides other things like the Eucharist and the Choir but I don't want to talk about that). What do you think about incense?

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It depends. I once performed for a state choir in a church that used incense heavily and it messed with people's allergies and make it semi-hard to breath properly in there.

So, yes for incense (though my church doesn't use it) so long as it's moderated and not over used for the sake of being able to breathe.

☦Marius☦ said:

Forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical. There are monks who practically live in incense smoke their entire lives and most of them live much longer than the average layperson.

For most people it just takes a little bit of getting used to. Frankincense is a good natural incense. You also have to consider most older churches were build with high ceilings.

When I was a chanter at the monastery the church was basically just a large house and the windows were next to the chanting stand. If you've ever been to a monastery and seen how much incense is used in an Orthodox service well- its heavy. All the smoke would have to pass through the chanters to get out the window. It was quite the throat straining experience.

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I have been to an Orthodox Divine Liturgy where the incense was so thick I realized why there are bells on the censor. So you don't accidentally bump into him and knock him over!

I actually like the smell of incense. To my nose that's what a church should smell like. While it isn't that common I have been to a Lutheran Divine Service where incense was used. Ultimately I think it's up to the individual church since there's not command to use it nor a command not to.

Paidiske said:

There are a number of commercial blends available and commonly used in churches. Prinknash Abbey's blends seem to be a popular choice here.

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Thank you, Paidiske. Great ! Must try and get hold of some.

David Cabrera said:

I like incense in my Church, for some reason it makes me feel like I am in God's presence (besides other things like the Eucharist and the Choir but I don't want to talk about that). What do you think about incense?

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God instituted incense in the temple, so incense is a good thing as God ordained it.

Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense.
Exodus 30:1

Athanasius377 said:

I have been to an Orthodox Divine Liturgy where the incense was so thick I realized why there are bells on the censor. So you don't accidentally bump into him and knock him over!

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David Cabrera said:

I like incense in my Church, for some reason it makes me feel like I am in God's presence (besides other things like the Eucharist and the Choir but I don't want to talk about that). What do you think about incense?

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Pair it with peppermints and it's great!
Ringo