Outdoors Worship

The Liturgist

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I guess my question would be, why wouldn't you adapt whatever you might do indoors...? Was there something in particular you wanted that is different?

Indeed, I know of a great many cases where the services of most liturgical denominations have been done outdoors for various reasons. Anglican, Roman Catholic, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Methodist, indeed some Moravian and Eastern Orthodox services like the Sunrise service on Easter in the Moravian church and the Great Blessing of Water in the Orthodox church, always happen outdoors, as do many adult baptisms, most burial services except in the rare exception of internment in a mausoleum or the case of a columbarium located with indoor access, and a large number of marriages.

One thing I would advise is that a tent or umbrella be used to cover the celebrants, the altar and the Eucharist, and also at funerals after the burial occurs the cemetery will place a tent over the grave to allow the soil to stabilize. Tents are also advisable to provide shade in open areas and cover from the rain where it is not unlikely.

The Ethiopian Orthodox have lovely liturgical umbrellas used both inside and outside of their churches, which a young lady who was an Episcopal seminarian who I once met at my friend Fr. Dean’s parish before his retirement was thrilled by - she noted that they were in use at the fascinating if troubled St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church. I do have to say despite the criticism I have for that parish I admire the creativity, I simply feel like more discernment concerning non-Christian elements in their worship would have been desirable , for as it stands many Ethiopians and other Christians of various Eastern churches whose services have been used there have regarded it as culturally insensitive, So I would say if you are going to use Ethiopian liturgical umbrellas, you should do it at a service that is one that one could have found at most liturgical churches a century ago, so as to celebrate rather than appropriate their civilization’s exquisite heritage of liturgical arts. For example, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church officially prohibits the consumption of marijuana*, khat, and large amounts of alcohol, so using liturgical umbrellas at an outdoor wedding where at the same site a wedding reception with marijuana or people getting sloshed would likely cause offense.

*This came to the surprise of some Rastafarians who were persuaded to convert, but nonetheless a large number gave it up or struggled against it in order to be a part of the church of the martyred emperor, while others formed some strange groups like the “Independent Coptic Church” which blended Christian and Rastafarian ideas so that their “sacred herb” could continue to be smoked in massive quantities.
 
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'Worship in the Garden' (book)
- Services for Outdoor Worship
- J. Wayne Pratt
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Kindle ebook
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We had outdoor worship service/meetings..many times.
- Parks..

I will look at that given that even though it strikes me as potentially superfluous, I can’t resist a service book… And based on it I will let all of us know including @Paidiske , who will hopefully do my funeral if I should unexpectedly be terminated on my upcoming trip to Australia. Which is unlikely given that I don’t plan on driving myself or interacting with the local wildlife, because aside from koalas, they worry me, even the adorable kangaroo poses a formidable kicking hazard, but I actively support conservation efforts and in particular I think we need to pray for the success of efforts to save the Tasmanian Devil from this horrible disfiguring virus which is destroying their population. A few years ago WB licensed their character “Taz” to the leading group in the conservation effort for devils, and hopefully that is continuing. While Christian clergy should generally oppose devils, the Tasmanian Devil is an obvious exception. I might visit Tasmania as it has splendid forests, but my main interest is traveling on either the Indian Pacific or the Ghan, and some of the other interesting trains.
 
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Neither of those trains run particularly close to where I am, but if you do come, perhaps we can manage to meet somewhere in rural NSW.

That would be lovely. I am hoping to do some railfanning in NSW, especially if any of the XPTs are still around. Also Victoria and Queensland.

And of course the other purpose for my visit is to make a pilgrimage to the different interesting churches and monasteries. I will travel with my mother, if her health permits.
 
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