Anyone up for a chat thread?

[RileyG]

Lay readers don't exist in the Episcopal Church in that sense. We do have licensed lay ministries, but lay reader isn't one of them. The closest thing to what you are describing would probably be somebody exercising two separate lay ministries at once, lay worship leader and lay preacher.

No one reads the epistles or psalms during the service? Only the deacon or priest?

 

[Paidiske]

No one reads the epistles or psalms during the service? Only the deacon or priest?

You can be a reader in that sense without needing the bishop's licence. Historically "lay reader" meant someone authorised to "read the common prayers," or take services. I have a couple of lay readers in my parish, and they take services of morning or evening prayer.

 

[RileyG]

You can be a reader in that sense without needing the bishop's licence. Historically "lay reader" meant someone authorised to "read the common prayers," or take services. I have a couple of lay readers in my parish, and they take services of morning or evening prayer.

Thanks! Is it common to celebrate morning and evening prayer in a parish context? What about midday prayer and compline?

That’s very interesting!

 

[Paidiske]

Thanks! Is it common to celebrate morning and evening prayer in a parish context?

Less common than it used to be, or than perhaps it is ideally supposed to be. The Reformation ideal was that these services would happen daily in each church, but very few places would do that now.

I'm in a country parish where I look after three different churches; so the ministry of lay readers has been especially important to allow for continuity of services when I'm not able to be physically present in all of my churches every Sunday morning.

What about midday prayer and compline?

Midday prayer isn't really an Anglican thing (it might exist in some places, but it's never been normative). At the Reformation we reorganised the monastic offices into two daily offices - morning and evening prayer - which were meant to kind of bracket the working day. Our prayer book does have a service of compline, but the only time I've known that to be used corporately was in a convent, or on a retreat, or the like.

 

[RileyG]

Less common than it used to be, or than perhaps it is ideally supposed to be. The Reformation ideal was that these services would happen daily in each church, but very few places would do that now.

I'm in a country parish where I look after three different churches; so the ministry of lay readers has been especially important to allow for continuity of services when I'm not able to be physically present in all of my churches every Sunday morning.

Midday prayer isn't really an Anglican thing (it might exist in some places, but it's never been normative). At the Reformation we reorganised the monastic offices into two daily offices - morning and evening prayer - which were meant to kind of bracket the working day. Our prayer book does have a service of compline, but the only time I've known that to be used corporately was in a convent, or on a retreat, or the like.

Ah, I see! So the faithful don’t necessarily celebrate Eucharist every week, especially if you aren’t present?

3 parishes? That’s very interesting!


In my neck of the woods, Episcopalians are a smaller minority, I think they’re more common in the south and northeast. Although there is 3 Episcopal parishes where I live, one is even across from a Catholic high school!

ELCA Lutherans and United Methodists are more common in the Midwest.

 

[PloverWing]

Thanks! Is it common to celebrate morning and evening prayer in a parish context? What about midday prayer and compline?

That’s very interesting!

This will vary by the size of the parish, and possibly by which country you're in. Here in the US, a Eucharist service is the normal Sunday morning service, but you might see the other prayer services observed at various times during the week. A large urban parish might offer morning and evening prayer daily. (I see that the Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York does, for instance.) In smaller parishes, you'll still see these services, but less frequently. In my parish, when we meet for a retreat or a vestry meeting, our meeting often includes morning prayer or evening prayer or compline, depending on the time of day. One of our members used to lead morning prayer once a week, in our chapel. I've led midday prayer on a nearby college campus. And members from our parish meet once a month in a local bar (really!) for drinks and compline.

All to say: Yes, you'll see all four of these prayer services celebrated in a parish context from time to time.

 

[RileyG]

This will vary by the size of the parish, and possibly by which country you're in. Here in the US, a Eucharist service is the normal Sunday morning service, but you might see the other prayer services observed at various times during the week. A large urban parish might offer morning and evening prayer daily. (I see that the Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York does, for instance.) In smaller parishes, you'll still see these services, but less frequently. In my parish, when we meet for a retreat or a vestry meeting, our meeting often includes morning prayer or evening prayer or compline, depending on the time of day. One of our members used to lead morning prayer once a week, in our chapel. I've led midday prayer on a nearby college campus. And members from our parish meet once a month in a local bar (really!) for drinks and compline.

All to say: Yes, you'll see all four of these prayer services celebrated in a parish context from time to time.

Very interesting! And yes, theology on tap is actually common in RC circles. It actually scandalizes though who come from a “dry” background



Thanks for the info!

Blessings!

 

[Paidiske]

Ah, I see! So the faithful don’t necessarily celebrate Eucharist every week, especially if you aren’t present?

Exactly. Especially in the smaller churches (rather than the main church of the parish). I don't have it too badly; three churches is still kind of manageable, and mine are reasonably close together. Some of my colleagues are looking after five, six, seven churches with long drives between them (rural ministry has its challenges); and it's just not possible for every place to have a Eucharist every Sunday.

A lay reader means there can at least be local worship in each place, rather than expecting all the faithful to do those long drives.

3 parishes? That’s very interesting!

Technically, three church centres in one parish. (Which means one parish council, one set of bank accounts, and so on, rather than having to do all the administrative things in triplicate!)

In my neck of the woods, Episcopalians are a smaller minority, I think they’re more common in the south and northeast. Although there is 3 Episcopal parishes where I live, one is even across from a Catholic high school!

In Australia we're the second-biggest denomination, behind the Catholics (although the Pentecostals are catching up fast).

 

[RileyG]

Exactly. Especially in the smaller churches (rather than the main church of the parish). I don't have it too badly; three churches is still kind of manageable, and mine are reasonably close together. Some of my colleagues are looking after five, six, seven churches with long drives between them (rural ministry has its challenges); and it's just not possible for every place to have a Eucharist every Sunday.

A lay reader means there can at least be local worship in each place, rather than expecting all the faithful to do those long drives.

Technically, three church centres in one parish. (Which means one parish council, one set of bank accounts, and so on, rather than having to do all the administrative things in triplicate!)

In Australia we're the second-biggest denomination, behind the Catholics (although the Pentecostals are catching up fast).

Very fascinating!

I think a majority of the US Presidents have been Episcopalian-followed by Methodists, the national Cathedral is Episcopalian, and the President’s Church- St. John’s- is Episcopalian.

I did all that straight from memory, so I can be wrong.

 

[PloverWing]

Midday prayer isn't really an Anglican thing (it might exist in some places, but it's never been normative). At the Reformation we reorganised the monastic offices into two daily offices - morning and evening prayer - which were meant to kind of bracket the working day. Our prayer book does have a service of compline, but the only time I've known that to be used corporately was in a convent, or on a retreat, or the like.

This might be a place where we see the Oxford Movement's influence in the American church. Our current prayer book includes all four services: morning, noonday, evening, and compline. Compline, I think, is the one I've experienced most often in a corporate context, because it's short and makes a very nice conclusion to an evening church meeting.

 

[Paidiske]

This might be a place where we see the Oxford Movement's influence in the American church. Our current prayer book includes all four services: morning, noonday, evening, and compline. Compline, I think, is the one I've experienced most often in a corporate context, because it's short and makes a very nice conclusion to an evening church meeting.

When I was at college every day began with morning prayer and ended with evening prayer in the chapel. I miss that rhythm of shared prayer with others, but no parish I've worked in has anything as robust. People's working lives don't really allow for it any more; it's not like they're walking past the church on their way to and from the fields (as they might have been in pre-industrial England).

 

[RileyG]

When I was at college every day began with morning prayer and ended with evening prayer in the chapel. I miss that rhythm of shared prayer with others, but no parish I've worked in has anything as robust. People's working lives don't really allow for it any more; it's not like they're walking past the church on their way to and from the fields (as they might have been in pre-industrial England).

My college was (well still is) connected to a monastery, and I often went there for lauds, Mass, and vespers.

It was lovely

 

[PloverWing]

People's working lives don't really allow for it any more; it's not like they're walking past the church on their way to and from the fields (as they might have been in pre-industrial England).

This is unfortunate, but true. My church is a 15-minute drive each way, so it's definitely a possible drive, but I'm not just going to casually stop in on the way home from work.

 

[RamiC]

If you really have that much of a problem, have the integrity to go somewhere where official policy agrees with you!

He does not even have to leave the Church of England to do that. He would however, have to join this Diocese, Bishop of Ebbsfleet. Warning, that link goes to a Complementarian web site.

I will post in the Egalitarian Forum about the female clergy cheering Bishop who won't.... thing.

 

[Shane R]

I was able to hear myself on the radio a few days ago. I've come to a point in my preaching experience where I am generally satisfied with the recordings, sometimes even pleased. My kids are still entertained by the novelty of hearing my voice on the radio.

 

[RileyG]

I was able to hear myself on the radio a few days ago. I've come to a point in my preaching experience where I am generally satisfied with the recordings, sometimes even pleased. My kids are still entertained by the novelty of hearing my voice on the radio.

That’s pretty neat!

 

[RamiC]

I was able to hear myself on the radio a few days ago. I've come to a point in my preaching experience where I am generally satisfied with the recordings, sometimes even pleased. My kids are still entertained by the novelty of hearing my voice on the radio.

Do you know how many people hear you, not counting your offspring?

 

[Shane R]

Do you know how many people hear you, not counting your offspring?

No. I asked the church when they last got the stats from the radio station and their eyes glazed over. I have found most churches don't actually want to know how many people use the legacy media resources because it's usually not a good number. They prefer to go on like it's still 1975 and there aren't dozens of alternatives to their low production value shows.

This particular church has been on the air continuously since 1968. The show is paid for by an endowment from a long dead member. The station is not very powerful. The signal fades out after about 30-35 miles. However, there are 50-60 thousand people in the listening area.

 

[RamiC]

No. I asked the church when they last got the stats from the radio station and their eyes glazed over. I have found most churches don't actually want to know how many people use the legacy media resources because it's usually not a good number. They prefer to go on like it's still 1975 and there aren't dozens of alternatives to their low production value shows.

This particular church has been on the air continuously since 1962. The show is paid for by an endowment from a long dead member. The station is not very powerful. The signal fades out after about 30-35 miles. However, there are 50-60 thousand people in the listening area.

Well that is a fair few souls who can hear about God because of you.

 

[Paidiske]

I have found most churches don't actually want to know how many people use the legacy media resources because it's usually not a good number. They prefer to go on like it's still 1975 and there aren't dozens of alternatives to their low production value shows.

I relate so strongly to this. Not the radio thing, specifically, but the preferring to do what they've "always" done, with low production value, and not understanding why it's not attractive to many people.

If you ever find a way to cut through that mindset, do let us all know the secret...