Sunday morning Communion - 15 August 2020

The readings for this service are:
Isaiah 56.1,6–8
Romans 11.1–2a,29–32
Matthew 15.10–28

Visiting other churches - Part the third (Summer 2018)

The final visit of the Summer was to a small rural church.

Was greeted when we entered and handed the service sheet and hymn book (the latest (replete with awfulness) that is the blue abomination* from Kevin Mayhew). The service was a communion service and there were four hymns, two readings (which seems to be a trend these days - rarely find myself in the company of the Old testament and nobody seems to do the Psalms as public worship any more) - and the whole thing lasted 53 minutes.

Sadly this was the first of the churches I've been to this Summer where there was no organist and so we had an organist in a box which played what I am sure was the 'No Organist - No problem' offering (again from Kevin Mayhew). The problem with the demise of the church organist is the inability of a track to lead a congregation or track them should their pace differ. You get the music played at you and then need to regulate your singing to keep up as the tempo is fixed. An interesting byproduct of the use of the CDs during the service was the two bar gap between each verse on three of the offerings - simply handled though as I almost made tea during the uneasy silence between verses!!

The intercessions were delivered by one of the church members -the only issue being the fact that whilst the minister shouted, they didn't and so I guess those behind me might have struggled to hear. Good job my hearing's H1 on both ears ;-)

Overall the liturgy was Common Worship - a comment was passed by my companion regarding the fact that nowhere in the actually Eucharist did Jesus get a mention - something I'd noted and scribbled down as a 'regional variation'

Bottom line is that the service put a tick in all the boxes: The welcome was there and the building obviously cared for and neat (amazing how often I visit churches which look like a failing antiques shop and smell like the worst elements of a charity shop. First impressions in appearance and welcome are so very important.

The lingering question for me (perhaps it's a missioner thing) was, "How could this congregation grow?" It seems to me that so many congregations are managing decline rather than stocking the shelves; a reality that speaks (numerically) for itself.

Good to get food for thought from a visit - even if the thought is an uneasy one.

* Regarding the 'blue abomination' comment - this is what was written:

But this is what the congregation sang:

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word; 

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord; 

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son; 

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

In fact every hymn on offer was sung from memory and habit rather than from the sheets (it was an older congregation) and so the changes were almost universally ignored (pity the people who wasted their money on it didn't follow the congregation's lead).

This hymnbook is full of the most abominable cosmetic surgery which sees 'Onward Christian Soldiers' replaced by some doggerel about 'Christian Pilgrims' (who don't march anywhere) - and so many hymns are emasculated that it should have received the 'noball' prize for publishing.

Grrrrr :-)

On the fifth day of Christmas ...

Since Apple have put aside their Twelve Days of Christmas giveaway this year I thought I would have to do something too redress the gap left by them: Day Five ...

The (Western) Church
Today the Church in the West commemorates Thomas (a) Becket (whilst the Eastern Church takes up with the 'Holy Innocents') that 'troublesome' priest from the twelfth century who, as Archbishop of Canterbury,  having upset his sometime patron and friend King Henry II, was murdered by four of his (the king's) Barons. The reason  being that having Henry uttering the words, 'Will no one rid me of this troublesome / turbulent / meddlesome* priest?" they assumed that he wanted the priest removed.

Such was Henry's apparent remorse at the death that he walked barefoot from London to Canterbury - mind you, a cynical lecturer of mine led me to write, 'The world around Henry was appalled and were stirred up against him because of the act - so it was an easier option to walk than war!'

And Thomas was made a saint with Canterbury Cathedral his shrine. He seems to have been a good written. Definitely a shrewd, and brave, man who (if the accounts in the clip below are accurate) stood between for what he considered to be right and knew the God he served with a passion.

Hopefully this sheds some light on the man and makes the facts a little more accessible.

* Take your pick here. I was taught 'troublesome' at school, 'turbulent' at college and 'meddlesome' at Uni' - all fit the bill :-)

The World
Today looks at turbulence in many forms today with travel being at the forefront of the news with:

+ The apparent loss of AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501 with 163 people on board,

+ The 'Norman Atlantic' ferry fire where, having removed 316 people,  162 remain onboard awaiting rescue from the disabled vessel.

So often we glibly talk of 'journeying mercies' and yet, despite the safety record of land, sea and air transport, life is always fragile and precious. Who will you be praying for over the New Year celebrations I wonder?

How many of us pray when we read the news? Is it just 'news' or a call to reflect and pray and, where possible, become more fully engaged?


The Common Worship Lectionary
One of the greatest things I have on my phone and on my computer is Simon Kershaw's offering of an electronic Common Worship Lectionary which resides on the equally excellent Oremus site.

This application integrates into your computer's calendar and into your pocket regardless of what device you have. IPhone, Android, iCal, Outlook, iPad, Blackberry and Palm are all catered for - and it even support those who enjoy BCP too! So for those of us who promised at their ordination to study and pray, and for those who would like to know what the readings for Sunday might be (if your church uses the lectionary that is) - this is the app' for you!

Each and every day you can find the readings, the commemorations and feasts, the colours for the day (it's a traditional church thing for those of you who are now confused!) and there's also the Collects and Post Communion Prayers too.

Who could ask for anything more? This sets the benchmark for liturgical calendars


Something to listen to

Some chant:

And something a little newer from the Rend Collective (who are always worth listening to):

Lord God,
who gave grace to your servant Thomas Becket to put aside all earthly fear and be faithful even to death:
grant that we, disregarding worldly esteem, may fight all wrong, uphold your rule, and serve you to our life’s end;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Eucharistic Bingo - A game for all the Church?

Last night I was privileged to play a new game that made the Common Worship Eucharistic service (Eucharistic Prayer A) take on a whole new, and rather exciting, form as I realised that we were playing an hitherto unknown (well at least to me it was unknown) form of bingo.

Beginning with the greeting (Page the first) which formed a tacit 'Eyes down, look in' we moved into the the prayer of preparation and the summary of the Law before the 'Invitation to Confession' arrived. Of course, being 'Christ the King' this came from somewhere others than page the second (or 168 if you have the black book!) and there was a rustling of pages as people attempted to find the words I was using.

That done I lured them into a sense of (false) security as the numbers fell back into line (they expected the Collect to be somewhere else)  until I threw in a seasonal Gospel Acclamation for the day (Christ the King, try and keep up) - of course the fun bit had just passed as the Old Testament was followed by a reading of the New Testament and the Gospel in one; leaving the question, 'What should I do now?' Well of course I read an abridged Gospel (last paragraph) and got on with the sermon.

Moving on with the credal component (page 7 or 173 - try and keep up) we came to the peace -another seasonal offering which resulted in more page flicking from the pews as they sought to find from whence I was reading it (or was I merely 'making it up' as had been claimed one day with my collect to St Roke and his talking Monkey). And from here we headed into the Eucharistic prayer, which of course seeing it was going to be 'A' and because it was the day itself (Christ the King - have you forgotten that already?) I did the wonderfully long preface with all the sexy 'kingdom' bits towards the end (How I love that) and realised that, once again, people were looking for the source of my words.

They all went to page 19 (or 185 if you have the full book) and then started flicking, and some were still flicking by the time we reached the mystery of faith (or page 20 [186] to you) and probably hadn't found it when we were back at page 12 (178) and the Lord's Prayer; where it became apparent that some cheeky types hadn't moved from and rather than flicking the pages had been slyly waiting for us to 'catch up' with them and the place they'd been waiting at.

Of course there's still fun to be had  as a few (page 15 [181]) were not being presumptuous as I, and the majority began to approach a merciful Lord!

By the time everyone had been communicated, being on the downwind leg, they merely acquiesced to the post Communion prayer, which being 'Christ the King' (have you got that bit now?) and remained at the page they had pre-selected (16 [182]) and waited to see where I be going with it. We went for being sent out in the power of His Spirit  and topped and tailed it with the blessing for 'Christ the King' before dismissing them.

And so they left thankful for the sacrament and tired from trying to keep up with me.

Me? I realised that when it came to feasts and festivals that it would perhaps be a great idea to bring along some tailored order of service (yes, I know I was merely visiting) and hand them out to make the experience a little less intense in terms of page manipulations.

Still - let's look on the bright side - it wasn't using the ASB :-)

As for the bingo?

Now winner so I took the fifty pence piece home with me for another day!!!

Now that's what I call worship - 1662

Following on from the parody - I have to admit I found this rather pleasing.

You see there's space for it all - Book of Common Prayer, Common Worship, Taizé, contemporary worship and more flavours besides (OK, perhaps we can forget ASB!). There are so many ways to worship God (and the music is just a small part of that) - so why do we limit and restrict ourselves so?

Have a listen and enjoy yourself. I know I did.

Church boring or irrelevant?

Don't forget that you heard it here first!

Tidying the study this morning I put the radio on and set it to search for any random station that came under the 'Christian' label. The winner this morning was 'Premier' and one of the news items that have been running is that church is boring and irrelevant.

Well I think I found that yesterday when I was buttonholed at the local Crem' but there is a bit of a worry attached to this in that one of the kneejerk responses is to decide that we need church to be 'different' and by doing so end up, like many of those around me, being different by being exactly the same as their peers. If you don't know what I mean take a look at the kids as they go to school and count how many have the same coloured hair or hair style - look at the blokes and their sagging trousers and underpants up under their armpits!

Well the same is true of many of us who lead churches in that we all assume that effective church consists of singing the same songs as everyone else and accompanying them with guitars, drums and keyboards (some even have brass and woodwind which has to be good ;-)). Having taken care of the 'Worship' (when will Christians learn that ALL the service is worship?) many then do stuff that is, to be quite honest, not only lightweight in terms of theology, but bordering on the syncretic! Not only that but I've been to Anglican churches where it was difficult to see any difference between the service there and one at a free evangelical, baptist or charismatic church gathering. The reason given was that it made the church service accessible.

Perhaps so but it wasn't Anglican and certainly wasn't sound in terms of the selective nature of what was done. There was one Bible reading and the songs were more important that the extremely light sermon (well, I assumed it was a sermon anyway!) and since they only did communion once a month (or two if the activities and stuff got in the way - and I kid you not, been there and seen it!!!).

I don't think that the Book of Common Prayer needs to be thrown out of our services. I can see within Common Worship the potential to keep the Bible in our services and still make them fresh, accessible and interesting. In fact I've coming to a place where I realise that it's the HOW that we do it that makes sense.

So seems I have theme for the next few days . . .  Watch this space (and send me your contributions - I'd love to have some guest writers on this issue).

Pax

Church as an alien culture

Have you ever gone into a place where you'd never been before and found yourself uneasy with the surroundings? Felt like you just didn't really fit in and worse still, didn't quite understand what to do or why others were doing it?

Well I've had that insight today when I arrived early at the crematorium and met someone who recognised me from a place they'd visited (I was visiting too) and thought they might explain some of their problems in the hope I might shed some light on the proceedings and their discomfort with what they saw, heard and felt.

This is (roughly) what they told me:

"I came because a friend had told me that they having some sort of celebration and they asked if I'd come. I hadn't been into the place before and so took the booklet I was offered and wondered where I should sit (so I sat near the back). I sat there for about fifteen minutes (during which time no one spoke to me) and then music started playing (but nothing seemed to be happening and I just sat there whilst people milled around). 

Then a chap in a white overall came and said something and we sang what was on the front page whilst a choir and other people walked around behind a man with a cross on a stick and a couple of people with candles. Then we all sat down and someone read a poem (it was a prayer actually) from a sheet. Then someone read another poem from a brass eagle thing after which someone else read something and then one of the people started telling us about their week and how it fitted into one of the things that had just been read (it didn't!).

Then we sang another song (during which I was asked for money) and then the person at the front held the money up in the air whilst everyone else read something from the sheet and then the people all moved around a bit and shook hands (one woman kissed me) with everyone and then sat down again.

A new person read some prayers (I knew they were prayers because they ended with 'hear my prayer') and then we sang something. Well I didn't because I didn't know the tune (it was probably a setting to the Gloria as . . ) and then I was asked to go up to the front, which I didn't want to, so I was told I could take my booklet with me, but I stayed put until the end when I saw my friend, said 'congratulations' and left. I don't think I'll do it again because it was a bit creepy everyone reading the verses in a sort of Dalek voice. Not only that but I just knew I wouldn't fit in!"

Now I'm not making this stuff up (I wish I was) but looking at the service from their eyes I am troubled as to exactly what a communion service of the sort mentioned here must look like to those who haven't been to church before? After all, the service being referred to was one that would have been regarded as pretty bog standard had you walked into any Anglican church building in the late sixties or early seventies (not Common Worship but not uncommon worship).

The mechanical actions of elevating the money (and presumably the elements too, can't remember) must all seem a bit odd (like the person with the 'cross on a stick') and the Bible readings (did the visitor stand for the Gospel reading?) and responses (which let's be fair, often only the choir know anyway - or so it seems when I've visited a place).

The transition from outside to inside of a church building is not as easy as one thinks, nor as easy perhaps as it might be,  for we stand, sit, kneel (remember when we all knelt?), sing stuff, listen to poetry (which we call 'The Bible') and make responses that we perhaps at that time neither understand nor believe. After all, when it came to the Creed it was obvious that this person neither believed nor understood much of what was going on or required.

What shocked me most was the 'Dalek' voices bit. Do we really sound that menacing when we do church?

Church - Rearranging the deckchairs - 3

'We have a gospel to proclaim
Good news for men in all the earth;
The gospel of a Saviour’s name:
We sing His glory, tell His worth."

I wonder how many of us have sung this hymn? Edward Burns words are sound and the music old and this is another area that I find we are addressing, or at least discussing, greatly as the angle between floor and the leve seas increase! Not only that but we are now concerned with the 'when' of church attendance too; adding to this the mixed economy of traditional and fresh expression of being church for good measure.

Here are a few things we need to be thinking of:

Some churches (people and building) are not the right targets for drums guitars and modern music.
In fact, some places cry out for a cessation of the 'modern is good' and a focus upon the English Church choral music and even a bash with the Book of Common Prayer (1662). But this is, to many of my colleagues, a return to the past days and the source of decline. I suggest that we tell that to the members of the Prayer Book Society and the many who travel to places where the music of organ and choir draws them.

All church buildings are right for multiple congregations. It is not wrong to cater for the BCP people as the day start (and perhaps with evensnog, ends too!) and to move on to a Common Worship generation, fitting somewhere between beginning and end contemporary music and the Gospel being preached in another way too! The many that I meet who rend their garments (but sadly rarely their hearts) over the fact that the congregations 'don't meet' and work at 'getting them to worship together' always appear to forget that they will, but it might just have to be when they all stand before the throne!

Not everyone can come to church on a Sunday (we will have to discuss what 'church' and 'Church' are sometime) so we open our doors when they can. It isn not rocket science. If someone wants something and (because of work, life or something else) can only seek it out during certain times then the venue that caters for that need will find itself graced by their presence. We had a man who, due to work schedules, could only do church on a Wednesday and so we started a Wednesday Communion service at a time he could do. Sadly I think he came once, but the response to the need generated something that others have benefitted from!

Flexibility is the key. We need to be doing church when people can make it. This is not bowing to consumer pressure, it is providing the ability to come together when people can come together.

My biggest problem (and I'm sure you can see that I have many) is the fact that the answer is always 'yes'. When people ask for a service or want something from the Church I have (99% of the time) that one answer (and then I work out how it's going to happen). Our doors are open and we engage with, and work for, the community. The object is that we have the Church outside the building that many think bears the same name and the community (AKA 'not the Church') inside it.

Now I know some have taken me to task for this thought but the reality is that the building is the community's and the church (the people) are the Lord's. We get so precious about our buildings and how (and who) they are used but at the end of the day our job is, quite simply, to worship God and to bless what God is doing in the lives of the 'not the Church' people and, having made them aware of the fact that God is active and engaged in their lives, to bring them into Church so they can invite others into the building.

We are in the position we are in because we have failed to teach and act in the Biblical truths of:

Evangelism - Worship - Prayer - Discipleship - Tithing - Teaching

We have failed to live outside the culture in which we find ourselves and have embraced it at every turn in a false hope of being 'popular' and this mess of popularist pottage has brought us to where we are.

We do not condemn, for this is the work of him against who we contend, but we do not bless that which God does not bless either. God does not just want us to be happy because we do what pleases us but want us to be happy because we seek to be obedient and find happiness where it is rightfully to be found - in Him, living as He commands.

This is all so simple and yet we look to more reports, strategies and plans rather than grasp the nettle and be as Church should be.

Happy Sunday - May God bless you and yours and may our lives shine with His love, mercy and truth.

pax

Why do people have to ruin the old hymns?

Just finished a wedding rehearsal and looking at the order of service I found that once again people have to ruin perfectly good hymns (dare I say 'standards') with their redactions and weirdness.

For instance, Lead us Heavenly Father lead us had the verse:

Saviour, breathe forgiveness o’er us,
All our weakness thou dost know;
Thou didst tread this earth before us,
Thou didst feel its keenest woe;
Self denying, death defying,
Thou to Calvary didst go.

When what should have been written was:

Saviour, breathe forgiveness o’er us,
All our weakness thou dost know;
Thou didst tread this earth before us,
Thou didst feel its keenest woe;
Lone and dreary, faint and weary,
Through the desert thou didst go.

The same occurred when Love divine, all loves excelling was reached for not only did we have an extra verse:

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its Beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.

But it got better because we weren't interested in receiving grace, instead we went for life instead:

Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all Thy life receive;
Suddenly return and never,
Never more Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.

Still winner of the month goes (equally) to the seven verse version of 'Abide with me' and the eleven verse 'Amazing Grace'.

Why can't people stick to writing new doggerel rather than making it ouf of the older stuff?

Aaaargh!

(rant over - back to other things)

Pax

Familiar Words - Foreign Tunes

Speaking of musical upset - a few years back, the worship band played "when I survey' but to a different tune and there were a great many sad people. Now it is a strange phenomenon that there are many sad people in the Christian world isn't it. What makes it sadder still is the fact that those who do nothing to make things happen are always invariably the same people who put the most energy into com[plaining and moaning about things!

Well, it was these do nothing/be happy with nothing types who took every opportunity to regale anyone who would listen with their contempt for the music the words were sung to.

Have a listen and ask which you prefer and why?

What does this tell you about:

1. Pathetic, lazy and opinionated Christians?

2. Your own musical tradition?

3. Modern settings and their merit (musically or otherwise)?

Enjoy

Singing in Church, School and Home

I have received a number of mails regarding my post on the English Choral Tradition, most of which link the demise of the BCP services and the rise of the 'worship band'. I have had a few who claim that the modern music has 'the anointing' and the 'old stuff' is exactly that - old and stuffy!

I have various editions of Hymns Ancient and Modern (HA&M) and one, early copy, makes note that some hymns, "Which never really found favour," and those that had been removed, "On the assumption that they were not likely to last much longer!" (even though some might consider them popular)

There are comments regarding the inclusion of 'new' songs which, causing people to move from plainsong, caused quite a stir but the books, "Sought not to break fresh ground or exploit novel ideas," but:

"The hope is that it may prove to be, as it was before, a consolidation of all that has been gained over many a long year since the wholesome practice of hymn-singing won an accepted place in Church, School and Home."

Many have moaned at the modern songs that have appeared in the various editions of HA&M and yet over time they became accepted and took their place as 'standards'. The same is true of some of the modern songs that abound (although there is much doggerel and trite scribbling to be overcome as well - but that was ever the case). As for anointing, I believe that people can be anointed in the task of writing songs but don't believe songs 'possess anointing'. They might bring us into a place where God can touch us and where we, realising our inadequacies, revelling in our salvation or brought into wonder, love and praise - let Him. But that is very different from the song possessing the anointing itself.

We need to be flexible in what we sing (after all, as Sumner puts it, the organ is the King of all instruments and (my opinion) the voice is the most flexible of all). Bach or Berio, Kendrick or Keble - We need to sing together and praise God for all we are and with all we have.

So, let's hear one of those modern songs (according to someone in the nineteen fifties:



One man's modern doggerel is another's sublime experience!

Pax

BCP, NMA and a sublime experience

As a dog-collar I find myself called upon to perform a number of roles in a number of places and one of those in the top tray has to be that of having the privilege of being the Chaplain to the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffs.

Now for those of you who don't know what this place is, it is home to the 'Armed Forces Memorial' (AFM) a structure which bears witness, and acts as a memorial, to those who have died in the service of this nation of ours since the end of the Second World War. Every year (this year 21st July) the names of those who have fallen in active service are added in a wonderfully moving service.

Last night the Arboretum was privileged to have the chapel resound to the sound of Macclesfield's 'Thomas Cranmer Choir' at a BCP choral evensong with Bishop William Pwaisiho OBE (Hon. Asst Bishop of Chester) as the preacher (the sermon being a blessing in itself).

The Choir gave a superb rendition of Peter Aston's 'So They Gave Their Bodies' as the introit and treated us to two anthems 'The Souls of the Righteous' (S Marchant) and 'Give Us The Wings Of Faith' (E Bullock) to make the evening complete (musically).

For me the having to sing the versicles and responses was nerve-racking (I hate solos!) but was more than compensated for by the liturgy of the 1662 evensong and the opportunity to sing a Psalm (46) and the Mag' and Nunc'. The hymns were the icing on the cake, for who can fail to be blessed by 'Praise to the Lord the Almighty, the King of creation' or moved by 'Eternal Father, strong to save'? We even made a good job of 'I vow to thee my country' with its often challenging vocal range and left at peace following 'Now thank we all our God'. Hallelujah or what?

We will surely be repeating this wonderful service in the chapel and can I say that for those of us who think the 1662 BCP services are dead and worthless, that there is a need to get out more - for when the timing and rhythm is right, this is an invitation to celebrate our tradition and to find a sacred space. For those who think that music and worship is all about composers who are still living, go give it a try, for God is to be found residing in our hymns, anthems and in the heritage that is English Sacred Choral music.

Pax

Communion - how do you do yours?

BCP - penitential, eyes downcast, you and God. sinner and absolving Creator.

CW - how do you like it?
Family meal which speaks of belonging, or
Proclamation of the now, the was and the 'is to be'?

Is it KJVspeak or modern language?

Does it have to be done every Sunday or once a month?

Flying Saucer paper (without the sherbet) or proper bread (White, brown or wholegrain)?

Sherry, port (we use a nice regimental tawny port) or non-alcoholic?

How do you like yours, and why (is there a theological reason or us it just because it is)?

Who do you do yours for?

Pax