We have a sign that I put out in front of the church everyday that says: "Mattins 8:00, Mass 12:00, Evensong 5:30". I have to use those older terms instead of "Morning and Evening Prayer" to save space on the sign. The sign is out there so people know to come in for those services if they wish. One of the first things I did upon arriving was start the daily offices and a daily mass. We have gotten a few people for these services - a couple parishioners a couple times a week for the offices, and some guests for the masses. We do get good turnout for Prayer Book Holy day masses - thanks be to God. Once I start teaching more on the importance of these services we'll get more people.
So here is the funny story. Last Monday I rolled out of bed freezing cold as usual to get up and read Morning Prayer. I threw on my cassock, turned on the lights in the church, and put the sign outside. I thought it would be just me, so I got ready to begin at the stroke of 8:00 when I hear the side door open. "Oh, it's Eleanor." I thought - a parishioner who comes sometimes during the week. Well it wasn't Eleanor - it was a visitor. It was the music minister from the Methodist church down the street, whom I had met weeks earlier at an ecumenical ministerial association meeting. She came in asking, "Am I late?"
"No, you're just in time."
"Good."
So I basically walked her through the liturgy. "We start here. Then we read this on this page. Then we say this together." Etc. She did a great job following along for the first time. After we finished she said, "I was driving down the road taking my kids to school, and driving back to start my day at church when I saw the sign 'mattins'! So I said to myself, 'Mattins!' And I pulled over and ran inside as quickly as I could!" You should have heard the excitement in her voice. She went on, explaining how the contemplative liturgy of the BCP really suits her spirituality, and how she wished she had something like this go to after the tragic VA Tech shooting... because she didn't know what to pray on her own. She also commented on how moving it was to use the BCP with the worn out, yellowed pages at the Te Deum - a sign that so many people had prayed that before. She talked about the "regularity" of the service, and how special that is. On perusing the BCP she went by the Ordinal and commented, "Oh, so this book is not just a service book, but governs the whole life of the Church."
"Yup."
Isn't Anglicanism easy?
So, long story short, now she comes every morning. She picked up the service completely in three days time. I don't know if she'll join, and being an ordained minister in her tradition and a choir leader I don't think she will. But it really doesn't bother me because we are simply Christians praying the prayer of the Church together. Our tradition and liturgy will enrich her spiritual journey in untold ways.
It is refreshing to see how the service of the Church still speaks to people, is easy to pick up if you give it a chance, and refreshes the soul. It was also interesting that their parish is closer to the Episcopal parish than us, yet she came to us - all because we are actually having a service and doing what the Church is supposed to be doing. Amazing how that works.
