What Did You Get Last Sunday?

The Liturgist · Jan 5, 2026

dalejrfan1673 said:
Sounds like one of those Sundays where calendars collide and pastoral flexibility matters more than labels. Christ the King still fits well as a focus, regardless of which lectionary page you land on. Those last minute adjustments are familiar territory for anyone serving across traditions.

Indeed, that said, when the calendars collide the results are often spectacularly beautiful in unexpected ways. They create the possibility for emergent beauty, something which some liturgical churches such as some Anglicans, Lutherans and Orthodox will avail themselves of with stunning results, for the greater glory of Christ.

The Liturgist · Jan 5, 2026

Paidiske said:
We kept Epiphany on Sunday. We weren't going to try to get people to come back on a Tuesday to observe it, so transferring it often seems better than effectively skipping it.

A never-ending debate, that one, but I've come to the conclusion (not that it was my decision here, anyway), that you have to be willing to be a bit pragmatic. People are not going to structure their lives around the church calendar.

You’re still in a rural area, albeit a different one, right? Not one where you have access to a large urban population where midweek services are often in demand?

I myself am in the latter category, which is good, because I’m often ill on Sunday these days, so I’m extremely thankful for midweek services, whoever has them (Anglicans, Catholics, OOs, EOs).

In the US there exists in some places a problem with people increasingly unable to attend on Sundays for various reasons, so paradoxically the Church Calendar can actually be useful in accomodating that group; this has also been the experience in London, particularly in the Square Mile of the City.

But elsewhere in the US, the situation is very much that getting people to church on days other than Sunday is difficult.

Paidiske · Jan 5, 2026

The Liturgist said:
You’re still in a rural area, albeit a different one, right? Not one where you have access to a large urban population where midweek services are often in demand?

Biggish country town, yes.

We do a midweek Eucharist, but nothing like the rhythm of worship services in the cathedral in Melbourne (for example) where there's a Eucharist and some form of evening prayer just about every day.

I do find that some older people find it easier to get to church during the week, rather than on Sunday, especially when they rely on others for transport. But those older people also don't tend to do evenings, so if you want to cater for people who work, it gets tricky very fast.

The Liturgist · Jan 5, 2026

Paidiske said:
Biggish country town, yes.

We do a midweek Eucharist, but nothing like the rhythm of worship services in the cathedral in Melbourne (for example) where there's a Eucharist and some form of evening prayer just about every day.

I do find that some older people find it easier to get to church during the week, rather than on Sunday, especially when they rely on others for transport. But those older people also don't tend to do evenings, so if you want to cater for people who work, it gets tricky very fast.

Oh that’s superb that you do a midweek service - I am delighted, but not surprised - you’re literally doing everything you can, because you’ve always cared for your flock.

Out of curiosity at the midweek service this week will you be repeating the Epiphany service from Sunday (albeit presumably in a more basic way; I would assume your midweek services are less elaborate than the Sunday services as that tends to be the pattern).

Paidiske · Jan 5, 2026

The Liturgist said:
Oh that’s superb that you do a midweek service - I am delighted, but not surprised - you’re literally doing everything you can, because you’ve always cared for your flock.

I can't take credit for this one. These days, the bulk of my time is in the hospitals, and I'm really just helping out at the cathedral a little bit; and the midweek Eucharist certainly predates my recent arrival here.

The Liturgist said:
Out of curiosity at the midweek service this week will you be repeating the Epiphany service from Sunday (albeit presumably in a more basic way; I would assume your midweek services are less elaborate than the Sunday services as that tends to be the pattern).

I'm not taking that service this week, but I wouldn't expect so; it'll be readings of the day. And yes, the midweek service tends to be a quiet said service without hymns etc.

RamiC · Jan 6, 2026

We did Epiphany, with chalk, does anyone else know about the chalk?

this - Chalking the Door: An Epiphany Tradition

Paidiske · Jan 6, 2026

It's something a lot of more catholic folk do here, but I've never done it, or seen it done in person. Lots of FB posts from assorted people I know with pictures of their chalk marks today...

PloverWing · Jan 6, 2026

Back in 2021, when there was still a lot of social distancing going on, our priest blessed chalk and put it in little bags for us to pick up, with instructions on how to bless our houses. I chalked the area that I had set aside for my makeshift home office. Our priest chalks his office door at the church.

seeking.IAM · Jan 6, 2026

My former parish did the chalk distribution. No mention in my current parish with lower churchmanship and less Anglo-Catholicism mixed in.

RileyG · Jan 11, 2026

Paidiske said:
It's something a lot of more catholic folk do here, but I've never done it, or seen it done in person. Lots of FB posts from assorted people I know with pictures of their chalk marks today...

I never heard about the tradition until I went to college. (I'm RC). My RC parish actually gives out blessed chalk every year, now.

Shane R · Jan 12, 2026

I never heard of chalking until some of my Lutherans asked me about it a couple of years ago. I told them I was available for house blessings but was not familiar with the chalking tradition. When we went to Europe it was quite common in the countryside of Austria and Bavaria and even to some extent in the smaller cities. Now I know what it's supposed to look like.

JacquelineDeane55 · Jan 13, 2026

I'm sorry but, I'm not Catholic? What are you guys talking about?

Shane R · Jan 13, 2026

RamiC · Jan 13, 2026

JacquelineDeane55 said:
I'm sorry but, I'm not Catholic? What are you guys talking about?

Some churches bless chalk, then write with it on doorways, as Shane R's post explains, as a way to ask Jesus to bless our church spaces, and our homes, for the New Year. We do it on Epiphany Sunday because it is connected to the Wise Men going to welcome Jesus into the world, we want to welcome Him into our church and our homes.

HTH

The Liturgist · Jan 13, 2026

JacquelineDeane55 said:
I'm sorry but, I'm not Catholic? What are you guys talking about?

Just an FYI, your profile indicates you are Baptist; this is the Anglican congregational forum. I myself am not Anglican at the moment but I quite love Anglican churches; as I often tell my Anglican friends “I’ve been Anglican before, and I would happily be Anglican again.” Indeed if I lived in central London or midtown Manhattan I probably would be Anglican, since my favorite churches in those areas are Anglican; this is true of several other geographic locales.

PloverWing · Jan 13, 2026

The Liturgist said:
Just an FYI, your profile indicates you are Baptist; this is the Anglican congregational forum.

That's correct. I'll note, though, that I'm happy to talk at length about Anglican liturgical practices with any friendly Baptists who wander into our forum. :wave:

RileyG · Jan 13, 2026

JacquelineDeane55 said:
I'm sorry but, I'm not Catholic? What are you guys talking about?

This is an Anglican forum- The Church of England and the Episcopal Church in the United States where they are known as Episcopalians. This also includes any continuing Anglican Churches.

It seems the blessing of chalk for Epiphany is common in many liturgical Churches- Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican/Episcopalian.

I don’t know what other traditions celebrate it.

Peace

seeking.IAM · Jan 13, 2026

I always take the chalk but never end up chalking my door. Am I a bad Episcopalian? Should I seek a lower parish without chalk? :sorry:

RileyG · Jan 13, 2026

seeking.IAM said:
I always take the chalk but never end up chalking my door. Am I a bad Episcopalian? Should I seek a lower parish without chalk?

I have the chalk from last year and never chalked my door.

Paidiske · Jan 13, 2026

It's not an obligation...

Besides, there's more than one way to use chalk well. Here's something my daughter did during lockdown, to try to bring a little joy to people visiting our food bank...

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