My very first Episcopalian service

[scraparcs]

I was bound and determined to attend a local Rite I service, at which point I promptly hit the snooze button on my alarm and went instead to the Rite II service later in the morning. Pulling up, I found my way in, only to find everyone gathered in the breezeway, with a bunch of bagpipe players playing. Finally it dawned on me that it was a line forming, and someone told me where to grab the palm fronds and the palm cross*, so I did. Then it dawned on me that we were walking around the church. I was tempted to start marching in step, but I'm not sure that would have went over all so well.

We got in the church and services began. The church had a huge expanse of windows, one ornately beautiful stained glass window, royal banners proclaiming the name of God all over, and a very large pipe organ.

It was amazing to be part of a participatory congregation, where the Passion passage was recited in an interactive manner, and it was quite moving to feel the presence of God in the Scriptures and the sacrament of communion. And the best thing is, they used the L word** many times in their message, emphasizing God's love for us in this act of going to the cross.

Communion was a major part of the service. It was much more ornate than I have previously experienced, and it seemed much more powerful than anything I've experienced before. I was planning on sitting it out out of respect, but when I saw everyone doing it, and the assistant mentioned it was open to all baptized believers, I just followed the line. I hope the lady next to me at the altar rail didn't mind me watching what she did. Problem is, everyone does the sign of the cross so fast I can't remember it!*** The strangest part was really tasting wine in a religious service. I know it's more faithful to scripture than grape juice, but still, it's different to use actual wine in a religious service for the first time. I'm going to have a hard time grasping this as more than symbolic also, but I'm looking forward to it.

********************

The church

The church I went to is currently dealing with the retirement of a long serving rector. I suspect there's some politics in play there. The church I went to strikes me as neither particularly liberal nor particularly conservative, and instead they seem to be more concerned with outreach. For a church of probably 400 people or so, they seem to have more outreach to the community than churches I've seen with 10 times that many people!

This isn't anything new to me, but it's still a bit offputting to be one of very, very few people there between the ages of 18 and 39. Where are our younger adults in the church? That's one thing I'm glad about here is that there are some people around my age online who are faithful to their Christian communities.

All in all, I'm sure I'll be found gracing the doorway of an Episcopalian congregation again!****

*****************************

*What are those crosses made out of palm fronds for?

**Love. I love my Baptist brethren, but golly, they don't use that word nearly enough for my liking! (I am formerly a Baptist. I have nothing against being a Baptist, but I think I'm more likely to find a relationship with Jesus in a more sacramental setting. I'm still going to Baptist Easter services. )

***How does the sign of the cross go anyway? Forehead, then what? I always get confused!

****How do I know if I went to a Low Church, High Church, Anglo-Catholic Church, Broad Church, or what? It seemed to have elements of everything! What are some of the big clues?*****

*****If you've read this far, may God's blessings be poured out upon your weary eyes.

 

[RobNJ]

*What are those crosses made out of palm fronds for? (1)


***How does the sign of the cross go anyway? Forehead, then what? I always get confused! (2)

****How do I know if I went to a Low Church, High Church, Anglo-Catholic Church, Broad Church, or what? It seemed to have elements of everything! What are some of the big clues?***** (3)

1. I've heard that they're burned for the ashes on Ash Wednsday....I still have a couple from a few years ago

2. Up, down, left, right ( Unless you're Orthodox, then up, down, right ,left)

3. Hard to tell..especially for the next week, or two..Lot's more happening...If they have a website, it might say.


BTW.... CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

 

[scraparcs]

1. I've heard that they're burned for the ashes on Ash Wednsday....I still have a couple from a few years ago

Man, that's a lot of work for burning the suckers! Why not just burn firewood or something?

2. Up, down, left, right ( Unless you're Orthodox, then up, down, right ,left)

Thanks. I think I did the Orthodox one. They're probably laughing over lunch.

3. Hard to tell..especially for the next week, or two..Lot's more happening...If they have a website, it might say.

I checked out the website, it said nothing to that effect. I'll have to learn in the upcoming weeks, I suppose.

 

[gtsecc]

It was most liely what we call "Broad Church."

 

[john23237]

*What are those crosses made out of palm fronds for?

**Love. I love my Baptist brethren, but golly, they don't use that word nearly enough for my liking! (I am formerly a Baptist. I have nothing against being a Baptist, but I think I'm more likely to find a relationship with Jesus in a more sacramental setting. I'm still going to Baptist Easter services. )

***How does the sign of the cross go anyway? Forehead, then what? I always get confused!

****How do I know if I went to a Low Church, High Church, Anglo-Catholic Church, Broad Church, or what? It seemed to have elements of everything! What are some of the big clues?*****

The palm are burned because they have been blessed and this is generally regarded as the most respectful means to dispose of blessed objects (same thinking in respectful disposal of a worn US flag) The ashes are then available for the following years Ash Wednesday service.
Believe me, no one is laughing at lunch if you used the Eastern rite sign of the cross. We are a western church and generally use western rites and rituals, but there is nothing wantsoever wrong with the eastern ones. Personal devotions such as the sign of the cross are just that-personal. While custom may generally place certain ones at certain points in the Mass , you may chose to use as many or few as you feel moved to do. The only rule that I am aware of is that one, if able, should stand at the reading of the Gospel, all others are optional.
The terms low, broad, high church are relative. There are, however, some clues. Low churches rarely, if ever, use incense, broad church often do at Christmas, Easter, etc., high churches more often. Services like the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament are also most common in "high" churches, rarer in "broad", and non existant in "low". Same for statues. Most of our churches are broad these days.
I hope this helps and welcome to the Episcopal church!

 

[Fish and Bread]

Welcome to Anglicanism, Lel. Whether you ultimately pick us as your church home or not, I'm glad you visited! Palm Sunday is really a wonderful day to explore on, with all the pagentry and so forth.

John

 

[Father Rick]

I know I posted this pic in the "Incensed" thread, but bear with me guys... We had a blast today at Palm Sunday...

Just thought I would show Lel a pic of our Palm Sunday procession. It started over on the deck at the Parish Hall (which is in a seperate building) and went across the church property to the main church. We didn't have bagpipes, but we did have a handbell choir.

 

[scraparcs]

The palm are burned because they have been blessed and this is generally regarded as the most respectful means to dispose of blessed objects (same thinking in respectful disposal of a worn US flag) The ashes are then available for the following years Ash Wednesday service.

Ah, gotcha. Thanks! (So how do you dispose of holy water? I'd like to see that get burned! )

Believe me, no one is laughing at lunch if you used the Eastern rite sign of the cross. We are a western church and generally use western rites and rituals, but there is nothing wantsoever wrong with the eastern ones. Personal devotions such as the sign of the cross are just that-personal. While custom may generally place certain ones at certain points in the Mass , you may chose to use as many or few as you feel moved to do. The only rule that I am aware of is that one, if able, should stand at the reading of the Gospel, all others are optional.

Aha. Well, I think I really more did the lel sign of the cross! But hey, whatever. I'll pick up on more as things go along, I'd imagine!

The terms low, broad, high church are relative. There are, however, some clues. Low churches rarely, if ever, use incense, broad church often do at Christmas, Easter, etc., high churches more often. Services like the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament are also most common in "high" churches, rarer in "broad", and non existant in "low". Same for statues. Most of our churches are broad these days.
I hope this helps and welcome to the Episcopal church!

Sure does! Sounds like a broad church service to me, actually. Too bad I won't be anywhere near an Episcopalian church for Easter.

 

[scraparcs]

I know I posted this pic in the "Incensed" thread, but bear with me guys... We had a blast today at Palm Sunday...

Just thought I would show Lel a pic of our Palm Sunday procession. It started over on the deck at the Parish Hall (which is in a seperate building) and went across the church property to the main church. We didn't have bagpipes, but we did have a handbell choir.

Looks pretty much the same as here, except substitute bagpipes for handbells and desert-style trees for the ones in the background there! Didn't realize there was this procession around nearly every Anglican church at the same day!

 

[RobNJ]

We did an internal procession...from the church hall, to the sanctuary (raining in NJ)

 

[Fish and Bread]

We had a procession, but at the earlier contemporary service rather than the later more traditional service I attended. If you you ask me, if there is only to be one traditional procession, it should be at the more traditional service, but for some odd reason no one consulted me. ;-)

John

 

[Timothy]

We had a procession--in glorious Cyprus sunshine! All the way round the outside of the church.

Timothy

 

[Father Rick]

Ah, gotcha. Thanks! (So how do you dispose of holy water? I'd like to see that get burned! )

Holy Water is disposed of by being poured on the ground. Personally, I usually pour it on the base of a plant so the water will help the plant grow.

Aha. Well, I think I really more did the lel sign of the cross! But hey, whatever. I'll pick up on more as things go along, I'd imagine!

There are all kinds of different ways of making the sign of the cross--depending on one's culture. While the direction (top, bottom, left, right) is the same in the western churches (and opposite in the eastern churches) many cultures add things to it-- like a tap to the center of their chest after, or kissing their thumb, etc. Don't worry, if you did it 'funny' no one probably thought anything about it-- just that you were from a church that did it that way.

Sure does! Sounds like a broad church service to me, actually. Too bad I won't be anywhere near an Episcopalian church for Easter.

It's hard to tell during Holy Week (Palm Sunday 'til Easter) what a church is really like because there is so much added stuff for this week. That doesn't mean you should just wait til later to go, though. Holy Week has some of the most beautiful and meaningful services in the entire year. Especially if you are able to go to them all-- as they build on each other in 're-living' Christ's death and resurrection.



Where will you be Easter? Most every town in the country has at least one Episcopal/Anglican church. If you don't know where one is in that area, maybe we can help find you one.

 

[Father Rick]

Looks pretty much the same as here, except substitute bagpipes for handbells and desert-style trees for the ones in the background there! Didn't realize there was this procession around nearly every Anglican church at the same day!

Yep! On Palm Sunday, almost ALL the historic churches 're-enact' Palm Sunday-- with processions, waving palms, etc.

Fr. Juan, who sometimes assists me at St. Thomas More, went down to Miami to help with a Spanish congregation there. The church (which normal runs 300) has about 2,000 every year for Palm Sunday. Their procession is about 3 miles long, as they process not only around the church but around the entire neighborhood. They move the altar outside, and have the entire service outdoors.

 

[scraparcs]

There are all kinds of different ways of making the sign of the cross--depending on one's culture. While the direction (top, bottom, left, right) is the same in the western churches (and opposite in the eastern churches) many cultures add things to it-- like a tap to the center of their chest after, or kissing their thumb, etc. Don't worry, if you did it 'funny' no one probably thought anything about it-- just that you were from a church that did it that way.

Don't tell anyone but I'm from a church that never did it.

Where will you be Easter? Most every town in the country has at least one Episcopal/Anglican church. If you don't know where one is in that area, maybe we can help find you one.

I've looked online. The nearest one is about 35 miles from there. It's a very small, isolated town, but hey, it's home.

 

[Ibeleive]

Loved the picture of your procession. We processed carefully to advoid any broken limbs - there's still snow and ice on the ground.

 

[Parishoner]

Our procession went from the court yard into the cathedral. It's a college service, and we had our guitarists playing "All Glory, Laud, and Honor" as we sang it and marched in. We also had certain members stand and read interactively the Passion. I read the part of Judas. Don't know if that's good or bad that I got his part! Maybe I just make a good evil character voice! Christ's Peace, -Parishoner ><>

 

[Brian Augustyn]

Our church is located next to the town hall and the town hall green. Before the processional, many folks line up along the walkway on the green. Others assemble in the parish hall. A short service of readiings and the blessing of the palms was performed there in the hall, then the procession walked out and around to the town hall green walkways where those waiting joined the larger group as the procession passed them.

It needs to be mentioned that our procession is always led by the church school director who guides an almost life-sized paper mache Jesus on a donkey, which rolls rather noisily on casters. This...artwork was created by the youth group in the eighties apparently, and while many find the thing a tad creepy and a bit goofy looking, none of us would do this without the beloved, smiling figure. The children crowd in and follow right behind Jesus-on-wheels.

So, anyway, this large group (including the full choir) winds its way around and across the green singing all the way up to our red front doors. There the rector first bangs the door three loud times (the "three-fold knock," whatever that is) and then they all pour into church--folks into the pews, choir to their stalls, clergy and attendants to the sanctuary. Paper mache Jesus, the church school director and the very youngest kids head off for creative learning.

We're on one of our town's main streets. I always enjoy seeing the looks we get from folks in passing cars. Especially our rolling messiah.


Brian

 

[Iron Sun 254]

I know I posted this pic in the "Incensed" thread, but bear with me guys... We had a blast today at Palm Sunday...

Just thought I would show Lel a pic of our Palm Sunday procession. It started over on the deck at the Parish Hall (which is in a seperate building) and went across the church property to the main church. We didn't have bagpipes, but we did have a handbell choir.

I was in a handbell choir when I was in a church that had one. Our priest there would hire a donkey and ride it into the church on Palm Sunday. It was quite a scene.

 

[Finella]

Hey, Lel! Glad you tried out an Episcopal service!

*What are those crosses made out of palm fronds for?

For purty. I mean, some get saved and burned and all, but I just like its symbolic and aesthetic value. And the pride I get every year when I finally remember how to make the cross out of the palm...

***How does the sign of the cross go anyway? Forehead, then what? I always get confused!

Not all Episcopalians make the sign of the cross -- I don't myself. I think a sign of a healthy community is one where people aren't bothered by how and when you do or don't make personal gestures during the service.

As far as "where are all the young adults?" question goes, that's been my bone to pick with the denomination for years. Not many Episcopal churches go out of their way to make people between 19-35 feel comfortable, and it's a real shame.