Typica vs Live Stream

[AMM]

What are your thoughts on praying and reading the Typika in our prayer corners, reading church fathers as a sermon, etc. vs. watching a livestream Divine Liturgy?

On Sunday, I prayed the Typika, but I had the option (as noted in a recent thread with the many churches who are live streaming) to watch a livestream instead. I’m thinking about what I’ll be doing this Sunday and the next few. What are your thoughts?

 

[All4Christ]

What are your thoughts on praying and reading the Typika in our prayer corners, reading church fathers as a sermon, etc. vs. watching a livestream Divine Liturgy?

On Sunday, I prayed the Typika, but I had the option (as noted in a recent thread with the many churches who are live streaming) to watch a livestream instead. I’m thinking about what I’ll be doing this Sunday and the next few. What are your thoughts?

I’m blessed to be part of a skeleton crew (choir member), but I’ve been thinking about what we’ve talked about what to do if we no longer can go physically.

I think we would set up our living room into as much of a church format as we can, put our icons around us, have the cross in front, and watch / listen / pray alongside it. Now, it’s just me and my husband. I have the set up envisioned in my head

I wouldn’t want to just sit and watch though. If we have icons to venerate before the service, stand and perhaps light candles, sing along if we are apt to sing and say the common prayers together, then it becomes more than just a “video”. It’s not the same - but it is something that we would participate in physically, not just virtually.

A parish member from my church had a beautiful idea for Sunday of the Cross. She played the live stream of our parish, but also decorated a cross in the same style we do and placed it at the center of their icon corner, where they “participated” in the service.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I'd watch the livestream from the prayer corner personally. and not just watch, but sing and pray as normal. and then if I still felt I needed something, pray the Typica afterwards or on a different day.

 

[AMM]

I’m blessed to be part of a skeleton crew (choir member), but I’ve been thinking about what we’ve talked about what to do if we no longer can go physically.

I think we would set up our living room into as much of a church format as we can, put our icons around us, have the cross in front, and watch / listen / pray alongside it. Now, it’s just me and my husband. I have the set up envisioned in my head

I wouldn’t want to just sit and watch though. If we have icons to venerate before the service, stand and perhaps light candles, sing along if we are apt to sing and say the common prayers together, then it becomes more than just a “video”. It’s not the same - but it is something that we would participate in physically, not just virtually.

A parish member from my church had a beautiful idea for Sunday of the Cross. She played the live stream of our parish, but also decorated a cross in the same style we do and placed it at the center of their icon corner, where they “participated” in the service.

I'd watch the livestream from the prayer corner personally. and not just watch, but sing and pray as normal. and then if I still felt I needed something, pray the Typica afterwards or on a different day.

agreed for sure about actually participating. I think if I do decide to watch a livestream, I would try to participate as best as I could. Do you think there's an argument to be made in defense of the Typika against a livestream? For example, the Typika is what the Church has established to be prayed in situations when one is unable to have Liturgy served by a priest, and it's what would have been encouraged even 10-15 years ago (we didn't really have access to livestreaming technology nearly as easily in 2005). And using a livestream to stay connected implies that we are not already connected through prayer - it is not a webcam and a laptop that unite us, but the Holy Spirit.

Yet on the other side, I guess you could argue that I'm being a luddite -- the printing press doesn't make written books less legitimate, for example, so why should modern technology be shunned simply because it's new?

 

[All4Christ]

agreed for sure about actually participating. I think if I do decide to watch a livestream, I would try to participate as best as I could. Do you think there's an argument to be made in defense of the Typika against a livestream? For example, the Typika is what the Church has established to be prayed in situations when one is unable to have Liturgy served by a priest, and it's what would have been encouraged even 10-15 years ago (we didn't really have access to livestreaming technology nearly as easily in 2005). And using a livestream to stay connected implies that we are not already connected through prayer - it is not a webcam and a laptop that unite us, but the Holy Spirit.

Yet on the other side, I guess you could argue that I'm being a luddite -- the printing press doesn't make written books less legitimate, for example, so why should modern technology be shunned simply because it's new?

The typika often would be served / prayed in groups, such as an area that didn’t have a priest around, so people would gather together. That’s sort of like a church family. I think live stream is good if you don’t act like a spectator. If you can’t “not” be a spectator, then the typika is more what you should do. That said, if it wasn’t my parish (or a parish that uses the same type of music and style of service) that I was watching, I personally would strongly consider reading the typika with my husband in our prayer corner. I don’t want to be distracted from praying the liturgy. It’s a balance IMHO.

Also, if I had a family with children, I may want to have a family typika / hours / vespers / compline / matins service...not sure

 

[ArmyMatt]

agreed for sure about actually participating. I think if I do decide to watch a livestream, I would try to participate as best as I could. Do you think there's an argument to be made in defense of the Typika against a livestream? For example, the Typika is what the Church has established to be prayed in situations when one is unable to have Liturgy served by a priest, and it's what would have been encouraged even 10-15 years ago (we didn't really have access to livestreaming technology nearly as easily in 2005). And using a livestream to stay connected implies that we are not already connected through prayer - it is not a webcam and a laptop that unite us, but the Holy Spirit.

Yet on the other side, I guess you could argue that I'm being a luddite -- the printing press doesn't make written books less legitimate, for example, so why should modern technology be shunned simply because it's new?

I dare say here, ask your priest what to do, and then do that.

 

[Anhelyna]

This was something my priest and I have spoken about before. Our parish is the only English language usage parish in the city , but sadly all our Churches are now closed. Because of the time differences , and the fact that there aren't many live streamed Services in the UK I have permission , should I be unable to get to Liturgy, to read Hours and Typica at home - and this I will be doing tomorrow.

 

[AMM]

The typika often would be served / prayed in groups, such as an area that didn’t have a priest around, so people would gather together. That’s sort of like a church family. I think live stream is good if you don’t act like a spectator. If you can’t “not” be a spectator, then the typika is more what you should do. That said, if it wasn’t my parish (or a parish that uses the same type of music and style of service) that I was watching, I personally would strongly consider reading the typika with my husband in our prayer corner. I don’t want to be distracted from praying the liturgy. It’s a balance IMHO.

Also, if I had a family with children, I may want to have a family typika / hours / vespers / compline / matins service...not sure

Makes sense. I hadn't thought about the history of it as a community-without-a-priest, rather than home isolation

And yeah, my parish isn't doing a livestream. So I'd have to be watching a different parish. But I'm sure I could find one that uses the same musical style, etc.

I dare say here, ask your priest what to do, and then do that.

fair enough, always a good idea

This was something my priest and I have spoken about before. Our parish is the only English language usage parish in the city , but sadly all our Churches are now closed. Because of the time differences , and the fact that there aren't many live streamed Services in the UK I have permission , should I be unable to get to Liturgy, to read Hours and Typica at home - and this I will be doing tomorrow.

that makes sense too - I hadn't thought about time zone differences playing a role here, although it makes sense. I'm lucky to be on the east coast of the US, where there are lots of Orthodox churches in my time zone, simply because the entire east coast, including many states adjacently west of us, is on this time zone.

 

[ArmyMatt]

fair enough, always a good idea

yep, especially since he is the one who works with you with your prayer rule.

 

[AMM]

yep, especially since he is the one who works with you with your prayer rule.

related question - I have a prayer rule that I've been using since I first became a catechumen; that priest gave it to me to use. It's been modified a bit (added some things with his blessing), but it's largely the same as it was. But now after graduating and moving, I'm going to a different church, and have a new confessor/spiritual father. Should I review my prayer rule with him, or just keep it as-is?

 

[ArmyMatt]

related question - I have a prayer rule that I've been using since I first became a catechumen; that priest gave it to me to use. It's been modified a bit (added some things with his blessing), but it's largely the same as it was. But now after graduating and moving, I'm going to a different church, and have a new confessor/spiritual father. Should I review my prayer rule with him, or just keep it as-is?

I'd let him know the rule you were given if it were me.

 

[AMM]

Thanks!

I'd let him know the rule you were given if it were me.

 

[ArmyMatt]

no problem!

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

"dare say?"

Come on....this isn't your first rodeo, Father.

You know full well the standard default TAW response to just about anything from questions about gravity to who was buried in Grant's Tomb is always:

"ASK YOUR PRIEST"

It's just how we do things here. It's how we roll, baby.....

I dare say here, ask your priest what to do, and then do that.

 

[ArmyMatt]

"dare say?"

Come on....this isn't your first rodeo, Father.

You know full well the standard default TAW response to just about anything from questions about gravity to who was buried in Grant's Tomb is always:

"ASK YOUR PRIEST"

It's just how we do things here. It's how we roll, baby.....

I dare say you are correct, good sir.