Hi there! Some questions...

[Arikereba]

PaladinValer suggested that I stop lurking in the shadows, so...

The reason I've been lurking around here so much is that I'm probably going to be an Episcopalian after I move. I'm not sure yet. I'm still trying to learn. Last year when I first became a Christian I looked into the Anglican church, and I really liked what I saw, but in the end I chickened out... I was nervous enough about going to church in the first place, without dealing with incense and kneeling and the persistent feeling that I'm doing everything wrong. (No insult intended! I'm really attracted, in theory, to high church services... they're just a bit intimidating for someone like me who'd been to church exactly twice in her life before). Lately it seems like the advantages outweigh the nervousness, and since I have to move away from my old church anyway, I may as well take the leap.

A few weeks ago I went to the sung Eucharist service at a local Anglican cathedral. Pretty much like I expected, the liturgy and the service were really beautiful... and I was completely at a loss as to what to do, and scared that everyone was looking at me and everything I was doing wrong. I think I managed not to embarrass myself TOO much. But I need a few pointers...

When do you kneel, and how?
What's the proper procedure when you're kneeling at the front to receive the Eucharist? I think I remembered too late to cross myself.
You're supposed to genuflect when you leave your pew at the end, right? Why is that?

Okay. I think that's it. Hi, all.

 

[Polycarp1]

You're under no obligation whatsoever to practice any particular customs of the kneeling/genuflection/crossing yourself sort. They're acts of piety undertaken by those to whom they're meaningful (which is most of us, but by no means all).

In receiving the bread at Communion (which any baptized Christian may do in our churches), the standard procedure is to hold out one's hands, palm up, the two hands crossed so that the left one supports the right. The priest will place the bread in your right palm; you then maneuver it to your mouth yourself in the manner you see fit. The cup will be offered to you by the chalice bearer, who will reach it out towards you, retaining hold of it. You reach for it with your own hands and tip it so as to take a sip of wine from it. In the event you wish to receive by intinction, you hold the wafer (and quietly request a wafer if the church offers communion under the form of "normal" baked-and-broken-loaf bread as well as in wafer form) and dip it into the chalice when it's proferred to you. If you wish to come forward but not receive communion, or not receive the cup, cross your arms across your chest and the priest will bless you.

It's customary to cross oneself:

• At the mention of the Three Persons of the Trinity (several times during the Eucharistic liturgy)
• At the end of the Creed
• When the priest pronounces absolution after the General Confession and makes the sign of the cross over the congregation
• At the doxology that closes the Eucharistic Prayer ("By Him and with Him and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever.")
• At the benediction at the end of the service. Most priests will again make the sign of the cross over the congregation at this time.

An odd version of making the Sign of the Cross is to make a fist-with-the-thumb-stuck-out of one's right hand, and at the proclamation of the Gospel, sign forehead, lips, and heart in token of invoking Christ's presence in one's mind, one's speech, and one's devotion to Him. This is fairly common in my experience. A related gesture that I'm the only Episcopalian I know of who performs it is to make that same sign over heart only during the Collect for Purity at the beginning of the service, at the words "Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts..."

Standard operating procedure is to stand to sing and to hear the Gospel, sit for the other lesson(s) and the sermon, stand for most prayers, and stand or kneel for the confession. In the Eucharistic Prayer all stand for the early part, through the Sanctus, and in some churches people kneel for the remainder of the prayer, while in others the custom is to remain standing during it. Immediately following the Absolution, one stands, is formally greeted by the Priest with the words "The Peace of the Lord be always with you" to which one responds "And also with you" and then one proceeds to "pass the peace" in a manner which varies greatly from church to church. At minimum, one turns to one's immediate neighbors and greets them with "The peace of Christ" or "Peace be with you" or a similar gesture. Some churches (mine included) turn this into a major gesture of community, with people moving all around and hugging each other.

One reverences the altar, by a profound bow most places, by a genuflection in some higher churches:

• In many places, before taking one's seat
• If one must cross the front of the church, passing in front of the altar
• At the Words of Institution during the Eucharistic Prayer, if one is standing or "kneeling erect"
• Uncommonly at present but a growing trend, at the Epiclesis, the invocation of the Holy Spirit on the communion bread and wine during the Eucharistic Prayer

Unlike some churches' practice, this is the case whether or not the elements are in or on the altar. If the church has a tabernacle where the reserved Sacrament is kept within the church sanctuary, the same gesture is appropriate.
As noted, none of this "Liturgical Calesthenics" is mandatory on anyone. For example, my wife, who has fibromyalgia and has trouble standing erect and still for long periods, sits through the Eucharistic Prayer, and no one sees this as anything amiss. Do what suits you; you may want to do the sit/stand/kneel thing as you observe those in adjacent pews doing it, simply from a courtesy standpoint, but nobody expects anyone to reverence the altar or cross him/herself if it doesn't feel appropriate to him/her.

We're long on ceremony but short on mandatory rules.

(Anybody see anything important that I missed?)

 

[BAChristian]

Man, do we have a lot of similarities... Wow...it's almost scary... (in a good way, obviously)

 

[Karl - Liberal Backslider]

Man, do we have a lot of similarities... Wow...it's almost scary... (in a good way, obviously)

Where do you think we nicked it all from?

 

[Polycarp1]

The old self-deprecating catchphrase is "Catholic Lite -- all the ritual, but only 1/3 the guilt"!

 

[TomUK]

On the issue of making the sign of the cross, there are nine general points where it is customary to make the sign of the cross.
1. When the Priest says "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen."
2. At the words of absolution
3. When the Gospel reading is announced (like Polycarp mentioned, this is usually done with the three crosses in one)
4. During intercessions at the end of the prayer for the dead
5. When the Priest raises Consecrated Host
6. When the Priest raises the Chalice
7. Before receiving the Host
8. Before receiving the chalice
9. When the final blessing is announced.

Also, if your church has a stoup (a small bowl usually mounted in the wall at the entrance of the church containing Holy Water) then some people dip their finger in and make the sign of the cross to remind ourselves of baptism and confirmation.

As Polycarp said though it's entirely up to you. We make the sign of the cross to remind ourselves that our Lord died on the cross. The sign is a symbol that we accept the cross, and have picked up our own crosses and following Christ.

 

[pmcleanj]

(Anybody see anything important that I missed?)

Important? No. All of these gestures are adiaphoric, and many Anglicans don't know or don't choose to do them.

The old rule was "Stand to praise, sit for instruction, kneel to pray". I used to joke that "Let us pray" was Anglican-speak for "hit the deck!" Outside the U.S., and among stubborn recalcitrants like me, people still routinely kneel to pray.

One normally kneels in one's pew for a few moments before the service, to pray briefly and prepare oneself for worship. In fact, most Anglicans will kneel briefly in a pew any time they enter a church for any reason, to offer a brief prayer -- kind of like saying hello to your Host when you enter a dwelling-place.

At Communion, usually you go forward to the altar rail up the main aisle, and return to your pew down the side aisle, in turn from front to back. Usually there's a warden or sidesman to direct you when to leave your pew, but no-one directing traffic to get you back. When you get to the front, you kneel in the next available place at the altar rail -- in some churches there will be a choir-member or acolyte kneeling in the middle of the altar rail to divide it in two halves, and you kneel at the first available place on *your* half. Frequently in cruciform churches, returning by the side-aisle means you have to exit the chancel (that's the front part of the church where the altar rail is) by a small room to the right or left of the chancel (the sacristy or vestry). Just follow the person ahead of you and have faith that you'll emerge back in the Nave (the main part of the church).

When taking the Cup, the correct form is to cup the bowl delicately near the rim with your right hand, and to support the foot with your left hand. Since the minister should be holding the Cup the same way, that makes room for all four hands at once and the minister doesn't have to take the risk of letting go completely.

If you're going to take by intinction, cup your hands left-over-right instead of right-over-left, leaving your right hand free to come out from underneath and pick up the wafer. Hold it by the very edge, over your left hand, so that if you drop it or if a crumb flakes off, you can catch it undefiled; and so that when you intinct only a mostly untouched portion of the bread is dipped into the wine (this addresses the concern that "only impeccable technique prevents intinction from spreading infection" -- hands being much germier than mouths!)
If you are celiac or alcoholic, it is acceptable to receive the Eucharist in one form only (which means just the bread or just the cup). Be warned though, if you are severely celiac, that the elements have been "comingled" -- a crumb of bread dropped into the wine during the preparation of the elements.

Besides bowing to the altar, we also reverence the Cross when it passes in processional, we reverence the Name of Jesus. These tend to be rather shallow bows, at the entrance processional and the recessional, and during the Creed and the Gloria when the Name of Christ is mentioned.

After the final dismissal, one kneels again for a brief prayer before leaving -- often while some soaring organ voluntary begins around you.

 

[PaladinValer]

I suggest you pick up a copy of the Book of Common Prayer. It will give you tons of information about the Anglican Church of Canada as well as the AC in general, including liturgies and what to do in them.

And welcome to our little corner in CF!

 

[Polycarp1]

Something I found out only a few months ago while my wife and I were doing altar guild duties, and which I'm most intrigued by, is that there are now wafers on the ecclesiastical-supply market which are made of, IIRC, corn or rice flour, duly formed into breads, which can be purchased for communing members who are celiac. I suppose this does not conform to the letter of the rule that bread must be made of wheat flour, but it strikes me that it fits the spirit -- don't use Oreos or Ritz crackers; use bread as Jesus did -- while accommodating the faithful with a medical condition precluding ingestion of wheat products, to enable them to take communion in both kinds.

 

[pmcleanj]

I suggest you pick up a copy of the Book of Common Prayer. It will give you tons of information about the Anglican Church of Canada as well as the AC in general, including liturgies and what to do in them.

Note though for the sake of conversation on these boards, that what we call "The Book of Common Prayer" (which is essentially the 1662 prayer book that remains in use throughout all the Anglican Communion with the exception of the U.S.) is rather different from what ECUSA refers to as "The Book of Common Prayer". Theirs was revised in 1979, and is more similar to our "Book of Alternative Services" of the same vintage. If you ask the rector he or she will probably lend you a copy of either. I suggest you read the B.A.S. first, looking particularly at the introductions to the different services, as they contain more current scholarship explaining the meaning and history of the different rites, and relate to present practice. Or, read them in church during the sermon whenever it gets boring!

 

[Polycarp1]

Well, good point.

As I understand it, every national church in the Anglican Communion has its own Prayer Book, laid out in much the same format but so structured and with similar but modernized language, as to correspond to the original Prayer Books (1547, 1553 or so, and 1662. The latter is a very minor rewrite of the original books.

I gather that the "official" prayer book for the Anglican Church of Canada is the 1662, but the Book of Alternative Services is in common use? IIRC (Karl? Correct me here) that is the case in the Church of England as well.

The New Zealand Prayer Book (unfortunately copyrighted and not available on the Internet, so far as I've been able to find out) has some innovative and beautiful liturgies.

ECUSA uses the 1979 Prayer Book, with dispensations available through the Bishops for occasional use of the 1928 BCP (very similar in language to the 1662). (Note that the CoE did a revision, which was not adopted, also in 1928; once in a blue moon you will see a reference to "the 1928 BCP" that means the non-adopted CoE book rather than the American book.) REC, for reasons I don't understand, uses the Episcopal Church 1928 book. (Colabomb, any explanation for why that particular book? Not as opposed to using the 1979 BCP but as opposed to the 1662 or some other liturgy of your own.) Australia has their own book, and I presume that the other national churches -- Uganda, South Africa, etc. -- have their own books as well.

 

[Karl - Liberal Backslider]

From the seventies we had various "alternatives" - Series 1 to IIRC Series 6. In 1980 they brought out the ASB - Alternative Service Book, which was meant to run for ten years. It ended up being the standard liturgy book for twenty years; then we brought out Common Worship, which is what we all are meant to use now if we aren't using the BCP (which not many people do apart from usually one 8am service)

 

[TomUK]

Common worship is amazing - it manages to retain the traditions of the service while embracing the vibrancy of all us Anglicans, and also addresses many of the faults in BCP.

 

[BAChristian]

The old self-deprecating catchphrase is "Catholic Lite -- all the ritual, but only 1/3 the guilt"!

Yeah, I've heard that before...pretty funny.

 

[Arikereba]

So sorry that I haven't responded earlier! Moving internationally is extremely hectic--90% of my personal belongings are all boxed up!

But thank you, thank you, for such helpful and thorough answers. I appreciate it a whole lot!

 

[PaladinValer]

No problem, Arikereba! Here's hoping your life get's organized quickly with little pain and that your spiritual journey be filled with happiness!

If you have any more questions or concerns, feel free to drop by here again!

 

[Colabomb]

Well, good point.

As I understand it, every national church in the Anglican Communion has its own Prayer Book, laid out in much the same format but so structured and with similar but modernized language, as to correspond to the original Prayer Books (1547, 1553 or so, and 1662. The latter is a very minor rewrite of the original books.

I gather that the "official" prayer book for the Anglican Church of Canada is the 1662, but the Book of Alternative Services is in common use? IIRC (Karl? Correct me here) that is the case in the Church of England as well.

The New Zealand Prayer Book (unfortunately copyrighted and not available on the Internet, so far as I've been able to find out) has some innovative and beautiful liturgies.

ECUSA uses the 1979 Prayer Book, with dispensations available through the Bishops for occasional use of the 1928 BCP (very similar in language to the 1662). (Note that the CoE did a revision, which was not adopted, also in 1928; once in a blue moon you will see a reference to "the 1928 BCP" that means the non-adopted CoE book rather than the American book.) REC, for reasons I don't understand, uses the Episcopal Church 1928 book. (Colabomb, any explanation for why that particular book? Not as opposed to using the 1979 BCP but as opposed to the 1662 or some other liturgy of your own.) Australia has their own book, and I presume that the other national churches -- Uganda, South Africa, etc. -- have their own books as well.

The REC does have its own prayer book, but allows the use of the 1928 (My church uses the 1928). We (my family) have a copies of the REC book. I have not looked at it indepth, but I found it similar to the 1928. My father loves it and considers it a classic. Unfortunately, I do not know of an online link to the book.