Here is a thought-provoking quote from Bp. Latimer:
"And now I would ask you a strange question. Who is the most diligent bishop and prelate in all England, that passes all the rest in doing his office? I can tell, for I know who it is. I know him well. But now I think I see you listening and hearkening that I should name him. There is one that passes all the other and is the most diligent prelate and preacher in all England. And will you know who it is? I will tell you. It is the devil.” He is the most diligent preacher of all others. He is never out of his diocese. He is never from his cure. You shall never find him unoccupied. He is ever in his parish. He keeps residence at all times. You shall never find him out of the way. & call for him when you will, he is ever at home. He is the most diligent preacher in all the realm. He is ever at his plow. No lording nor loitering can hinder him. He is ever applying his business. You shall never find him idle, I warn you. Where the devil is resident and has his plow going, there away with books and up with candles, away with Bibles and up with beads, away with the light of the gospel and up with the light of candles, yea, at noon day, up with man's traditions and his laws, down with God's traditions and His most holy word. Oh that our preachers would be as diligent to sow the corn of good doctrine, as Satan is to sow darnel or cares. There was never such a preacher in England as he. The prelates and preachers are lords and not laborers, but the devil is diligent at his plow. He is no unpreaching prelate. He is no lordly loiterer, but a busy plowman. Therefore, you unpreaching prelates, learn of the devil to be diligent in doing of your office. If you will not learn from God nor good men to be diligent in your office, learn from the devil."
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Article in the Roanoke Times
Here is an article that the Roanoke Times did on St. Francis Anglican Church and my arrival. In the print edition the article is entitled "Renaissance Man of the Cloth". That's kind of snappy sounding!
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
JGA+
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
JGA+
Monday, November 24, 2008
"Kneeling"
I can always tell when I am at the altar whether or not people in the pews are really kneeling. If they are sort of slouched over and leaning forward a lot I know that they probably have their butt resting on the pew. Some people, of course, just refuse to kneel in church - it is easy to pick them out. They either can't or don't want to. But no matter who does what in that regard, I never get on anyone's case about it. Why? Because I think we have way too much kneeling in our services. I sympathize with most of these people. Plus, I refuse to play "liturgy police" with folk, and brow-beat parishioners into doing my bidding.
Excessive kneeling is the worst thing about continuing Anglicanism. I remember that I couldn't wait to be ordained in part because I got so sick of kneeling during the service. The idea that kneeling helps put one into an attitude of prayer... well, that may be true for some people but I have yet to meet anyone who that actually works for. Too much kneeling makes your knees and back hurt, and when you are in physical pain that is more distracting than helpful in worship. Plus, the constant "up and down, up and down, up and down" of the old Prayer Book service is confusing and just plain bothersome. The part where it is silliest is at the end of the mass. After everyone has taken communion, they sit. Then they kneel for the "Prayer of Thanksgiving"; then they stand for the "Gloria" (having the Gloria at the end of the mass is a whole different issue); and then they kneel again for the blessing. Then they stand for the recessional, and then (in some places) they kneel while the candles are extinguished. And on and on. It is really just too much. Besides the fact that it is painful, annoying, and confusing, kneeling was not the posture of ancient worship. People worshiped mostly standing.
The Roman Church did it right in their Novus Ordo where they have everyone stand for the mass except for the readings, where they sit, and the Canon of the Mass, where they kneel. That is what we need to do. I think that we do indeed do certain things better than the Romans, though. For instance, kneeling to receive the Body and Blood of Christ is non-negotiable; the ad orientum celebration of the rite; no girl "altar boys", etc. That is the sort of stuff that is great about our tradition. It is a very manly and solemn tradition. But kneeling as much as we do is over the top in my opinion. It has been my experience that it actually drives some people away from our parishes. At some point we need to ask ourselves what parts of our tradition limit our effectiveness and growth and should be done away with.
Excessive kneeling is the worst thing about continuing Anglicanism. I remember that I couldn't wait to be ordained in part because I got so sick of kneeling during the service. The idea that kneeling helps put one into an attitude of prayer... well, that may be true for some people but I have yet to meet anyone who that actually works for. Too much kneeling makes your knees and back hurt, and when you are in physical pain that is more distracting than helpful in worship. Plus, the constant "up and down, up and down, up and down" of the old Prayer Book service is confusing and just plain bothersome. The part where it is silliest is at the end of the mass. After everyone has taken communion, they sit. Then they kneel for the "Prayer of Thanksgiving"; then they stand for the "Gloria" (having the Gloria at the end of the mass is a whole different issue); and then they kneel again for the blessing. Then they stand for the recessional, and then (in some places) they kneel while the candles are extinguished. And on and on. It is really just too much. Besides the fact that it is painful, annoying, and confusing, kneeling was not the posture of ancient worship. People worshiped mostly standing.
The Roman Church did it right in their Novus Ordo where they have everyone stand for the mass except for the readings, where they sit, and the Canon of the Mass, where they kneel. That is what we need to do. I think that we do indeed do certain things better than the Romans, though. For instance, kneeling to receive the Body and Blood of Christ is non-negotiable; the ad orientum celebration of the rite; no girl "altar boys", etc. That is the sort of stuff that is great about our tradition. It is a very manly and solemn tradition. But kneeling as much as we do is over the top in my opinion. It has been my experience that it actually drives some people away from our parishes. At some point we need to ask ourselves what parts of our tradition limit our effectiveness and growth and should be done away with.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
"Philosophy - is talk on cereal box..."
What is the best background to have before starting theological studies? Philosophy, without a doubt. After that I think it would be classics (because of the emphasis on Greek and Latin). Like many of my interests my philosophical background is spotty and unconventional. I took a couple of philosophy classes in college, and had to take several courses in seminary. Several good friends who studied more philosophy also helped provide something of an education in that area. Now I enjoy reading philosophy perhaps even more than theology. Overall, I find that it constantly helps me address certain questions that arise in various contexts - such as in classes at church.
My main interest for the past year or so has been Thomism. I have read a couple of books on St. Thomas, as well as some surveys. The surveys have been especially helpful because they situate St. Thomas in the larger context of Medieval philosophy, which helps you see the arguments on a broader level, and realize that the Angelic Doctor is not the last word on every subject. It is tempting, when a question in a class arises, to simply quote St. Thomas. But it is not accurate to suggest that his theory on a particular subject is the official teaching of the Church, which can happen if you are not careful! I learned my lesson on this when doing a class on angels at St. Mark's (very successful, by the way - that is a good topic to do a class on at church... people are fascinated by that subject). I said, following Thomas, that angels are not a species. Each angel is its own species because they are immaterial, and matter is the principle of individuation according to St. Thomas. But I later learned, in reading a book on Medieval philosophy that the Franciscan school (Bonaventure and Duns Scotus especially) did not hold to that idea. Angels were in different species (at least in Bonaventure... I am still studying Scotus). Not that anyone really cared... but it is a matter of integrity and accuracy!
Anyway, all of that is to say that one cannot nor should not pass off, either on purpose or by accident (no pun intended), certain philosophical theories on what are ultimately speculative matters as "church teaching". Still, being able to present a certain philosopher's explanation as a plausible one to consider on some subject (such as the where evil comes from) is helpful. Thus a priest should be conversant in philosophy.
My main interest for the past year or so has been Thomism. I have read a couple of books on St. Thomas, as well as some surveys. The surveys have been especially helpful because they situate St. Thomas in the larger context of Medieval philosophy, which helps you see the arguments on a broader level, and realize that the Angelic Doctor is not the last word on every subject. It is tempting, when a question in a class arises, to simply quote St. Thomas. But it is not accurate to suggest that his theory on a particular subject is the official teaching of the Church, which can happen if you are not careful! I learned my lesson on this when doing a class on angels at St. Mark's (very successful, by the way - that is a good topic to do a class on at church... people are fascinated by that subject). I said, following Thomas, that angels are not a species. Each angel is its own species because they are immaterial, and matter is the principle of individuation according to St. Thomas. But I later learned, in reading a book on Medieval philosophy that the Franciscan school (Bonaventure and Duns Scotus especially) did not hold to that idea. Angels were in different species (at least in Bonaventure... I am still studying Scotus). Not that anyone really cared... but it is a matter of integrity and accuracy!
Anyway, all of that is to say that one cannot nor should not pass off, either on purpose or by accident (no pun intended), certain philosophical theories on what are ultimately speculative matters as "church teaching". Still, being able to present a certain philosopher's explanation as a plausible one to consider on some subject (such as the where evil comes from) is helpful. Thus a priest should be conversant in philosophy.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Random Reflections on the Daily Office
One of the aspects of the my 1928 BCP and "continuing" Anglican formation for which I constantly give thanks is the strong emphasis that was placed on reading the daily offices of Morning and Evening Prayer. These offices contain thousands of years of prayer: going from the Hebrews all the way down to the contemporary Church. When one prays the offices, instead of he grasping them and their spirit, the opposite is true - they grasp us. And they fold us into this great tradition prayer from the people of God, which, like a river, carries us down stream towards the new heavens and new earth, and our eternal home. In times of spiritual aridity, being in that stream keeps us alive and moving in the right direction.
I am convinced that it takes several years to really even begin to learn to pray and meditate on the divine office. Those who have been especially important to me in terms of learning to become a priest (CHJ+, RU+, MLW+, RD+, CM+, among others) have all emphasized the great importance of praying the Divine Office. It is interesting to note that when the English Church was at one of its lowest periods spiritually speaking (during the Age of Reason), the daily, public recitation of the offices corresponding declined... though, granted, there was also major clergy shortage during this period. I think the renewal of classical Anglicanism, and continuing Anglicanism, is going to come out of the Prayer Book and especially the regular, consistent use of the daily offices by both clergy and laity as Cranmer envisioned. If prayer (specifically "common" prayer) is not the ground and foundation of all that we do, then any edifice that we try to construct, no matter how good our intentions, will come crumbling down.
Experience and common sense has taught me that, besides the mass, the offices are what make a person truly Anglican. Many people whom I have known who've left the Anglican fold have not been grounded in any way in the daily offices, or even the Prayer Book for that matter, even though they may have attended a "traditionalist" TEC parish. I remember years ago one such person telling me that he was going to begin reading Morning and Evening Prayer.... this after he had been a pretty devout traditionalist Anglican for several years. But it is hard to leave the Church for supposedly greener pastures when you are doing what the Church is supposed to be doing. Because when you do that, the pastures here stay continually green and lush.
Perhaps one of the unintended results of the liturgical movement in the Anglican world was marginalization of the offices. While it is good that the centrality of the Eucharist was affirmed by this movement, to set the two services against each other is a perversion of Cranmer's spirit. The great wisdom of Cranmer in revising the breviary to make Morning and Evening Prayer was eventually seen by the Roman Church, which revised her breviary in a similar manner after Vatican II, creating an option for "Morning and Evening Prayer" in the Liturgy of the Hours. On the heals of this came the recommendation that Roman laity pray the Liturgy of the Hours, joining in with their clergy. In Baltimore, where I used to live, there were several Roman parishes that had groups that met to pray their divine office.
I am convinced that it takes several years to really even begin to learn to pray and meditate on the divine office. Those who have been especially important to me in terms of learning to become a priest (CHJ+, RU+, MLW+, RD+, CM+, among others) have all emphasized the great importance of praying the Divine Office. It is interesting to note that when the English Church was at one of its lowest periods spiritually speaking (during the Age of Reason), the daily, public recitation of the offices corresponding declined... though, granted, there was also major clergy shortage during this period. I think the renewal of classical Anglicanism, and continuing Anglicanism, is going to come out of the Prayer Book and especially the regular, consistent use of the daily offices by both clergy and laity as Cranmer envisioned. If prayer (specifically "common" prayer) is not the ground and foundation of all that we do, then any edifice that we try to construct, no matter how good our intentions, will come crumbling down.
Experience and common sense has taught me that, besides the mass, the offices are what make a person truly Anglican. Many people whom I have known who've left the Anglican fold have not been grounded in any way in the daily offices, or even the Prayer Book for that matter, even though they may have attended a "traditionalist" TEC parish. I remember years ago one such person telling me that he was going to begin reading Morning and Evening Prayer.... this after he had been a pretty devout traditionalist Anglican for several years. But it is hard to leave the Church for supposedly greener pastures when you are doing what the Church is supposed to be doing. Because when you do that, the pastures here stay continually green and lush.
Perhaps one of the unintended results of the liturgical movement in the Anglican world was marginalization of the offices. While it is good that the centrality of the Eucharist was affirmed by this movement, to set the two services against each other is a perversion of Cranmer's spirit. The great wisdom of Cranmer in revising the breviary to make Morning and Evening Prayer was eventually seen by the Roman Church, which revised her breviary in a similar manner after Vatican II, creating an option for "Morning and Evening Prayer" in the Liturgy of the Hours. On the heals of this came the recommendation that Roman laity pray the Liturgy of the Hours, joining in with their clergy. In Baltimore, where I used to live, there were several Roman parishes that had groups that met to pray their divine office.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Organization Matters
This is the sort of stuff that we "original" continuing Anglicans should have done a long time ago. If we had we might actually be somewhere today!
Conjugal Love Requires an Heroic Spirit
One of the books I have been reviewing for use in marriage prep is Von Hildebrand's "Marriage: The Mystery of Faithful Love." There is one section which I thought was the best of the whole book, so I am going to quote it at length here:
"Certainly this decision involves a great risk; and when the choice of a spouse happens to be based on an illusion, the indissolubleness of marriage may prove a great cross for one or both consorts. But it lies in the nature of conjugal love to be bold, heroic, not to shrink back from taking risk. All great things on earth are connected with risk. Without risk, human life - in statu viae - would be deprived of all grandeur and heroism. Do not religious vows imply a similar risk? If the vocation proves itself an illusion, the religious state can become a heavy cross, a burden hard to bear. Yet an heroic love of God is willing to take such a risk, even desires to take it.
Marriage is not a bourgeois affair, a kind of insurance for happiness, providing a way of escape from every eventual cross. Does not love as such carry with it a great risk of suffering? In attaching our hearts to a person, do we not run the risk of enduring terrible sufferings, through misfortunes that may happen to our beloved or separation from her when she dies? Should we then abstain from love in order to prevent the possibility of great sorrow?
He whose life is dominated by the intention of avoiding any possible cross excludes everything that gives human life grandeur and depth. He will never know real abandon - never know real, deep happiness. Remaining in a mediocre self-centeredness, he will never be able to do aanything without a certain reserve; he will always provide for a possibility of retreat.
All life is overshadowed by death: "Media in vita mortis sumus." We must never forget that we do not live in Paradise, but that as a consequence of the Fall of man, we live in a world which is permeated by a deeply tragic element, where happiness is necessarily wrapped up with tribulation.
The redemption of the world by our Lord has not suspended disharmony and banished suffering, although He gave a new meaning to suffering by making it a means of penance and sacrifice. he transfigured it by the Holy Cross behind which shine the rays of eternal harmony.
Thus, in this fleeting, earthbound life all that is great and important is connected with risk,and calls for a holy boldness, and heroic spirit of unconditional abandon. The law of all great things in statu viae is expressed in the words of our Lord: 'No man putting his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.' (Lk. 9:62)
Of course all great decisions, insofar as they carry with them great risks, should be deeply considered before we undertake them. Entering into marriage calls for a realization of the great and decisive step which it represents, and requires profound self-examination. The objective form of marriage must correspond to the deepest meaning of marriage as the most perfect and intimate union of love, and cannot be conformed to the case of a failure.
Against this background the unspeakable shabbiness and stupidity of a trial marriage clearly appears. Trial marriage is in itself contradictory to the nature of conjugal love. Anyone who even considers trial marriage has never experienced conjugal love.
Marriage is the most intimate communion of love in Jesus and for Jesus, a community which belongs to Jesus and brings about the sanctification of both spouses. In it, two persons are one in one flesh and have been allowed to participate in the creation of a new human being by God. This community has been elevated to a Sacrament as an image of the union of Christ and the Church."
"Certainly this decision involves a great risk; and when the choice of a spouse happens to be based on an illusion, the indissolubleness of marriage may prove a great cross for one or both consorts. But it lies in the nature of conjugal love to be bold, heroic, not to shrink back from taking risk. All great things on earth are connected with risk. Without risk, human life - in statu viae - would be deprived of all grandeur and heroism. Do not religious vows imply a similar risk? If the vocation proves itself an illusion, the religious state can become a heavy cross, a burden hard to bear. Yet an heroic love of God is willing to take such a risk, even desires to take it.
Marriage is not a bourgeois affair, a kind of insurance for happiness, providing a way of escape from every eventual cross. Does not love as such carry with it a great risk of suffering? In attaching our hearts to a person, do we not run the risk of enduring terrible sufferings, through misfortunes that may happen to our beloved or separation from her when she dies? Should we then abstain from love in order to prevent the possibility of great sorrow?
He whose life is dominated by the intention of avoiding any possible cross excludes everything that gives human life grandeur and depth. He will never know real abandon - never know real, deep happiness. Remaining in a mediocre self-centeredness, he will never be able to do aanything without a certain reserve; he will always provide for a possibility of retreat.
All life is overshadowed by death: "Media in vita mortis sumus." We must never forget that we do not live in Paradise, but that as a consequence of the Fall of man, we live in a world which is permeated by a deeply tragic element, where happiness is necessarily wrapped up with tribulation.
The redemption of the world by our Lord has not suspended disharmony and banished suffering, although He gave a new meaning to suffering by making it a means of penance and sacrifice. he transfigured it by the Holy Cross behind which shine the rays of eternal harmony.
Thus, in this fleeting, earthbound life all that is great and important is connected with risk,and calls for a holy boldness, and heroic spirit of unconditional abandon. The law of all great things in statu viae is expressed in the words of our Lord: 'No man putting his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.' (Lk. 9:62)
Of course all great decisions, insofar as they carry with them great risks, should be deeply considered before we undertake them. Entering into marriage calls for a realization of the great and decisive step which it represents, and requires profound self-examination. The objective form of marriage must correspond to the deepest meaning of marriage as the most perfect and intimate union of love, and cannot be conformed to the case of a failure.
Against this background the unspeakable shabbiness and stupidity of a trial marriage clearly appears. Trial marriage is in itself contradictory to the nature of conjugal love. Anyone who even considers trial marriage has never experienced conjugal love.
Marriage is the most intimate communion of love in Jesus and for Jesus, a community which belongs to Jesus and brings about the sanctification of both spouses. In it, two persons are one in one flesh and have been allowed to participate in the creation of a new human being by God. This community has been elevated to a Sacrament as an image of the union of Christ and the Church."
Saturday, November 08, 2008
A Great Used Book Find
I love used books stores, and the thrill of the chase in trying find old classic Anglican books. Like most continuers I have turned used book shopping into an art form, and have a particular technique that I follow to find good books that will be useful for my vocation. And generally when I go used book shopping I find at least one old Anglican book.
One of the places where I have never found a decent used Anglican (or any other) theological book is antique stores and antique malls. They often have books - sometimes lots - but it's almost always stuff that is either fluffy trash, or simply something I just don't need. Well, all of that changed today.
At an antique mall in Radford I found a MINT condition copy of the Oxford American Prayer Book Commentary for sale for $10! I mean, this baby is more mint than a cargo ship full of Tic-Tacs and Altoids! I carefully combed through the whole section of books (four walls) and at the VERY end found this book. What a joy! My own personal copy, which I got for free by another stroke of luck years ago, has been slowly falling apart for some time. I know you can get through the Prayer Book Society on a CD Rom, but there is something about owning the actual book.
Now I don't know what I am going to do with my old one!
One of the places where I have never found a decent used Anglican (or any other) theological book is antique stores and antique malls. They often have books - sometimes lots - but it's almost always stuff that is either fluffy trash, or simply something I just don't need. Well, all of that changed today.
At an antique mall in Radford I found a MINT condition copy of the Oxford American Prayer Book Commentary for sale for $10! I mean, this baby is more mint than a cargo ship full of Tic-Tacs and Altoids! I carefully combed through the whole section of books (four walls) and at the VERY end found this book. What a joy! My own personal copy, which I got for free by another stroke of luck years ago, has been slowly falling apart for some time. I know you can get through the Prayer Book Society on a CD Rom, but there is something about owning the actual book.
Now I don't know what I am going to do with my old one!
Friday, November 07, 2008
Organist Wanted
Our organist quit on us a few weeks back. She is a brilliant young student at VA Tech doing a double major in two very difficult scientific fields, so she just doesn't have time to devote to developing the music of the church. Thus, we have posted a job description at the university and I have been pursuing some leads. This is what we would call in the IT consulting world a "risk". It is a situation that, if it escalates and gets out of control, could hurt or even derail the "project".
We have several problems related to all of this: 1) very few people study the organ anymore; 2) piano players are everywhere, but, like guitar players, there are more mediocre ones than competent ones available; 3) our music is very demanding - a total of 15 pieces of of music at a Holy Communion service; 4) our music is becoming more and more obscure - Anglican liturgical music (and even good classical music in general) is alien to most people; 5) we have little money to offer a musician, so they have to do it for a ministry and because they are passionate about it. These are big things, but God is bigger. We will pray, advertise, ask around, and see what happens. This is a good gig to have - we just need to find someone else who sees that.
The reason there is a shortage of organists is because organists themselves (even if they are bad) do not "proselytize" others, and try to get others excited about learning the instrument. Serious and good musicians have a way of getting others excited about learning an instrument. It is the same with encouraging vocations to Holy Orders - you have to talk about it and generate excitement about it, otherwise no one will care. That, by the way, is why there are so few Roman priests these days. The continuing churches have generally done very poorly in developing musicians to play for her services. Just as we do not print Prayer Books, have Sunday School materials, seminaries, hymnals, etc., so we do not have a strategy to raise up and develop organists from within our ranks.
So what will we do if we can't find an organist? I don't know yet. Maybe we'll do all Gregorian chant, or no music, or maybe some contemporary music. I odn't know yet. I actually am not opposed to having good contemporary music in churches. When I was a member of the Roman communion I attended the 9:00 contemporary service at my parish - a large, wealthy city parish. They had a schola of four men that sang all of the music in harmony to a piano played by the music director, and it was very good. The thing with contemporary music is that, like with all other music, it must be done well and taken seriously to sound good, and you need a trained music director/musician to make that happen. In some ways I think having good contemporary music would help transform this place even more.
If anyone has any leads or ideas please let me know!
We have several problems related to all of this: 1) very few people study the organ anymore; 2) piano players are everywhere, but, like guitar players, there are more mediocre ones than competent ones available; 3) our music is very demanding - a total of 15 pieces of of music at a Holy Communion service; 4) our music is becoming more and more obscure - Anglican liturgical music (and even good classical music in general) is alien to most people; 5) we have little money to offer a musician, so they have to do it for a ministry and because they are passionate about it. These are big things, but God is bigger. We will pray, advertise, ask around, and see what happens. This is a good gig to have - we just need to find someone else who sees that.
The reason there is a shortage of organists is because organists themselves (even if they are bad) do not "proselytize" others, and try to get others excited about learning the instrument. Serious and good musicians have a way of getting others excited about learning an instrument. It is the same with encouraging vocations to Holy Orders - you have to talk about it and generate excitement about it, otherwise no one will care. That, by the way, is why there are so few Roman priests these days. The continuing churches have generally done very poorly in developing musicians to play for her services. Just as we do not print Prayer Books, have Sunday School materials, seminaries, hymnals, etc., so we do not have a strategy to raise up and develop organists from within our ranks.
So what will we do if we can't find an organist? I don't know yet. Maybe we'll do all Gregorian chant, or no music, or maybe some contemporary music. I odn't know yet. I actually am not opposed to having good contemporary music in churches. When I was a member of the Roman communion I attended the 9:00 contemporary service at my parish - a large, wealthy city parish. They had a schola of four men that sang all of the music in harmony to a piano played by the music director, and it was very good. The thing with contemporary music is that, like with all other music, it must be done well and taken seriously to sound good, and you need a trained music director/musician to make that happen. In some ways I think having good contemporary music would help transform this place even more.
If anyone has any leads or ideas please let me know!
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Post-Election Wrap Up and Thoughts
What are my thoughts on the election? I am a republican, but I voted third party because the republican party has long ago strayed from its roots. My vote was not a throw-away vote by any stretch of the imagination because I voted according to my conscience. I could not bring myself to vote for anyone who supports nation building and international meddling (and who is only partially pro-life). Neither could I bring myself to vote for someone who is pro-death and believes in the redistribution of wealth (and also believes in nation building, incidentally). In my opinion McCain and Obama were the same candidate. If more Americans voted third party and weren't seduced by the talking heads on CNN and the other news shows into thinking that there were just two candidates then maybe there would be real "change", and "change you can believe in" in this country.
I wish the new president success overall, and will certainly pray for him as the Scriptures and BCP require. He'll need all the prayers he can get. Honestly, I think his election is going to polarize the nation even more - another reason we need a third party. (I think McCain's would have polarized us too, but less, since people are so used to Bush and company already.) If Obama tries to reach across the aisle as he says, he will no doubt run into lots of trouble and grief from his own party and people as he certainly will from the "right". An interesting article from the Wall Street Journal (I stopped reading that rag the New York Times a long time ago) says that that same spirit of bi-partisanship is one of the things that undid Bush.
I wish the new president success overall, and will certainly pray for him as the Scriptures and BCP require. He'll need all the prayers he can get. Honestly, I think his election is going to polarize the nation even more - another reason we need a third party. (I think McCain's would have polarized us too, but less, since people are so used to Bush and company already.) If Obama tries to reach across the aisle as he says, he will no doubt run into lots of trouble and grief from his own party and people as he certainly will from the "right". An interesting article from the Wall Street Journal (I stopped reading that rag the New York Times a long time ago) says that that same spirit of bi-partisanship is one of the things that undid Bush.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Dead Flowers
The beautiful potted mums that I placed on the front steps of the church have finally died... on election day, nonetheless. How appropriate.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Wedding Bells
Weddings and marriages are all that's on my mind lately. We were away this past weekend, back at St. Mark's, so I could bless the civil marriage of some young parishioners that we got to know while ministering there. And I have also been working with a young couple (VA Tech students) here at St. Francis preparing them for their upcoming marriage. They are not members of the parish but are having their wedding at Truro Church. Truro let them come here for their pre-marital preparation. I am not doing the wedding - just meeting with them for preparation.
I realized recently that now that I am in charge of a parish I have to have a definite policy, plan and course of study for those preparing for marriage. My former spiritual director gave me all of his marriage policy material from when he was rector of a flagship ECUSA anglo-catholic parish, so that is what I used to develop this parish's "wedding" policy (it is pretty much the same thing as what he gave me). But for the course of study/preparation this is what I give in terms of reading assignments:
1) Read and discuss the APA canons for Holy Matrimony - signing the appropriate forms and fulfilling all of the requirements.
2) Read and discuss order for "Solemnization of Holy Matrimony" from the BCP along with the propers for a nuptial mass
3) Read and discuss the various New Testament Biblical passages dealing with Holy Matrimony (1 Cor. 7; Eph. 5:21-6:4; Col. 3:12-24; 1 Pet. 2:13-3:22)
4) Read and discuss chapter on Holy Matrimony from "The King's Highway"
5) Read and discuss a book (no fewer than 200 pages) on marriage.
I use these readings as a basis to discuss the nature of sacramental marriage. The last one (#5) is what I am still working on. I have about five books that I have carefully selected, purchased, and am going to read to be the "official book" that I require those preparing for marriage read. The other books, along with a few that I have read already, will be part of an optional "recommended reading" list. The required number of meetings is four.
As for the psychological mumbo-jumbo - since I am not trained in that field and am not Dr. Phil ("How's that workin' for ya?"), I am staying away from the personality tests. Why? Because I honestly don't think those things are very helpful. They are certainly not biblical. And their scientific validity is a bit dubious in my opinion. But other practical day-to-day things, like who handles the money, can be discussed in the context of the scripture passages and other readings.
So, that is basically what I do to prepare people for marriage. Like all things in the ministry and in life it is a work in progress. Every priest should have a format/plan ready, though, and not wait till a couple comes to him to begin thinking about what he'd have them do!
I wonder what other priests do to prepare folk for Christian marriage?
I realized recently that now that I am in charge of a parish I have to have a definite policy, plan and course of study for those preparing for marriage. My former spiritual director gave me all of his marriage policy material from when he was rector of a flagship ECUSA anglo-catholic parish, so that is what I used to develop this parish's "wedding" policy (it is pretty much the same thing as what he gave me). But for the course of study/preparation this is what I give in terms of reading assignments:
1) Read and discuss the APA canons for Holy Matrimony - signing the appropriate forms and fulfilling all of the requirements.
2) Read and discuss order for "Solemnization of Holy Matrimony" from the BCP along with the propers for a nuptial mass
3) Read and discuss the various New Testament Biblical passages dealing with Holy Matrimony (1 Cor. 7; Eph. 5:21-6:4; Col. 3:12-24; 1 Pet. 2:13-3:22)
4) Read and discuss chapter on Holy Matrimony from "The King's Highway"
5) Read and discuss a book (no fewer than 200 pages) on marriage.
I use these readings as a basis to discuss the nature of sacramental marriage. The last one (#5) is what I am still working on. I have about five books that I have carefully selected, purchased, and am going to read to be the "official book" that I require those preparing for marriage read. The other books, along with a few that I have read already, will be part of an optional "recommended reading" list. The required number of meetings is four.
As for the psychological mumbo-jumbo - since I am not trained in that field and am not Dr. Phil ("How's that workin' for ya?"), I am staying away from the personality tests. Why? Because I honestly don't think those things are very helpful. They are certainly not biblical. And their scientific validity is a bit dubious in my opinion. But other practical day-to-day things, like who handles the money, can be discussed in the context of the scripture passages and other readings.
So, that is basically what I do to prepare people for marriage. Like all things in the ministry and in life it is a work in progress. Every priest should have a format/plan ready, though, and not wait till a couple comes to him to begin thinking about what he'd have them do!
I wonder what other priests do to prepare folk for Christian marriage?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Pet Blessing Video
Here is a video segment that VT News did on our pet blessing. This was actually an additional pet blessing that was done on the 5th after our 10:00 mass, which is why I still have my chasuble on. The producer's camera man didn't show up, and she didn't quite know hwo to work the sound, but overall I guess it came out okay. She cut out a lot of the interview for time's sake, so the part where I talk about the metaphysics of Duns Scotus and how it relates to the phenomenology of the animal soul with special consideration of the tropology of animal blessing rites was left out. Oh well... maybe they'll get it in next year.
"80% of life is 'just showing up'."
That quote is attributed to Woody Allen. The older I get the more true I find it. I'd slightly modify it for church work: "80% of ministry is just being there." For me the key thing to a reasonably successful ministry so far has been just "being there" for people: answering the phone when they call; returning phone calls; returning e-mails, calling to check up on people who haven't been around in a while; visiting the sick. That stuff, and remembering peoples' names is helpful too, goes a long way.
But recently I have expanded this idea of "being there". St. Francis church is now open for prayer and mediation Monday - Thursday 8:00 - 2:00 (while I am here for my office hours). The daily services are done in addition to this. I started this because I noticed a problem: we do not get many visitors for Sunday services, yet we have probably a couple hundred cars and people driving and walking by the church each day. Why don't they visit on Sunday? While there are different many answers to that question, one of the things I thought was that people want to slowly get their feet wet in religion. The pressure of a really intimidating church service is not always what they want right away. But they can learn to like it if they slowly "wade in"; if they would just come inside just to see the place and feel God's presence, they might come back for a service. So now the doors are unlocked and the light in the sanctuary is on to give the place a sacred glow. Soon I will start playing some choral music in the background to help give the place a greater sense of holiness. As for the outside, at the beginning of the month we put some very colorful mums on the front steps which makes the place look more inviting, and which many people have commented on. In short, I want everyone in town to come in here to pray and refresh their souls. That is one thing I have always loved about European churches, and some of the big churches here in the states - how they are always open.
So, slowly, it has been working - at least to get people physically into the church. Several folk have stopped in to pray and just check the place out. Not tons of people, but I am very thankful for the few we have been starting to get. Now if we can get them to come on a Sunday or to one of the weekday services, and then to keep coming back we'll be doing great. I realize that not every parish can do this. We are a city parish at a big intersection one block from a huge university, and there is lots of foot traffic, so it appears to be working for us. But "being there" for people is what counts. We can't touch people with the reconciling love of Christ if we are not there for them.
But recently I have expanded this idea of "being there". St. Francis church is now open for prayer and mediation Monday - Thursday 8:00 - 2:00 (while I am here for my office hours). The daily services are done in addition to this. I started this because I noticed a problem: we do not get many visitors for Sunday services, yet we have probably a couple hundred cars and people driving and walking by the church each day. Why don't they visit on Sunday? While there are different many answers to that question, one of the things I thought was that people want to slowly get their feet wet in religion. The pressure of a really intimidating church service is not always what they want right away. But they can learn to like it if they slowly "wade in"; if they would just come inside just to see the place and feel God's presence, they might come back for a service. So now the doors are unlocked and the light in the sanctuary is on to give the place a sacred glow. Soon I will start playing some choral music in the background to help give the place a greater sense of holiness. As for the outside, at the beginning of the month we put some very colorful mums on the front steps which makes the place look more inviting, and which many people have commented on. In short, I want everyone in town to come in here to pray and refresh their souls. That is one thing I have always loved about European churches, and some of the big churches here in the states - how they are always open.
So, slowly, it has been working - at least to get people physically into the church. Several folk have stopped in to pray and just check the place out. Not tons of people, but I am very thankful for the few we have been starting to get. Now if we can get them to come on a Sunday or to one of the weekday services, and then to keep coming back we'll be doing great. I realize that not every parish can do this. We are a city parish at a big intersection one block from a huge university, and there is lots of foot traffic, so it appears to be working for us. But "being there" for people is what counts. We can't touch people with the reconciling love of Christ if we are not there for them.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Funny Story
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Basic Christianity
I have been doing the Fr. Homer Rogers "Basic Christianity" course here at church for several weeks and find it to be too pedantic and boring. I went out on a limb trying - I usually just develop my own studies - but this came so highly recommended that I decided to try it. What the heck... nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Overall the course is is very Catholic and highly intellectual, which I personally like, but it is just a little heavy for a church class. It assumes a familiarity with philosophical language that most average people just do not have. And the lecture format is just plain boring. After a long lecture most people are too glazed over to offer any positive or negative feedback. Interaction is the way to go.
But the topics of the series and the order in which he covers them are good, so what I will probably do is follow his format but develop my own outline for the remaining classes, drawing on Fr. Rogers here and there as necessary.
Overall the course is is very Catholic and highly intellectual, which I personally like, but it is just a little heavy for a church class. It assumes a familiarity with philosophical language that most average people just do not have. And the lecture format is just plain boring. After a long lecture most people are too glazed over to offer any positive or negative feedback. Interaction is the way to go.
But the topics of the series and the order in which he covers them are good, so what I will probably do is follow his format but develop my own outline for the remaining classes, drawing on Fr. Rogers here and there as necessary.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Statue of BVM
This is the very statue that used to be above the front door of St. Francis when it was St. Mary's Catholic Church. They took it with them when they left and just had it installed on their new building. I don't know if they used it in their interim building.
It was suggested in an earlier comment that St. Francis is an art deco style building. I think that this statue certainly is, which would lend credence to that theory, as would some of the lines and other architectural details.
On a side note, one of my art professors in college, commenting on art deco figurative art, said that in that era artists painted people that look like machines, whereas now we paint machines that look like people... "man" is a machine that looks like a person (e.g. the Terminator).
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Old St. Mary's/St. Francis
I am sort of an arm-chair architectural historian, and I love discovering the history of buildings - especially churches - and finding old photos of how they looked back in their heyday. I also like preserving the original design of buildings, right down to the decorations and accouterments, as much as possible so as to maintain its integrity. So recently I have been looking into the history of our building.
Some people think our church looks a bit strange, but really it is a perfect example of late 40's American Catholic Church architecture (current picture to the left). There was originally a statue of Our Lady in the niche over the front door, which is now in a niche in the newest incarnation of St. Mary's a little ways away. This parish had always intended to put a statue of St. Francis up there but never got around to it. I hope to get that done while here. (Anyone out there have 5k to donate to our cause?)
Really, though, it needs a statue up there to soften the exterior.I spoke with a Fr. Gallagher recently who served this parish in the 60's. He told me that the same architects designed a very similar looking Catholic church in Charleston, but I have not been able to find pictures of it. He also told me that they designed Our Lady of Lourdes in Richmond, which I did find a picture of (to the left). You can see the similarities, though the scale is very different.
As for the interior, I have only been able to get photos of it from the late 70's which I will post later. I have some calls into the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, which this parish was in till the mid-70's, to see if they have anything in their archives. The local Catholic congregation and priest have also been very helpful in getting me old pictures. I am looking for stuff from the 50's and 60's.
In searching the web, though, I did find this church built around the same time. It has lots of pictures, and I imagine that St. Francis/St. Mary's looked a lot like this place on the inside. I know that the floor and the lighting fixtures are the exact same. The confessionals and holy water fonts are the same too. In restoring our building it is critical that we do so in a way that compliments and pays homage to the original design.
The Continuing Anglican Churchman Endorses...
ACE BOOKBINDING
I just had three Prayer Books rebound by these folk, and they did a bang up job. One was my small travel Prayer Book; the other was my Sunday mass Prayer Book/Hymnal; and the other was my bedside Prayer Book. (I also have my "Daily Office" Prayer Book/Bible that I still need to get rebound.)
They use really nice calfskin leather that smells quite good and is very durable. But the best thing is their turnaround time. They get your books back to you in about one week. I had each BCP done for $75, which is a good price, especially for the fast service and top-of-the-line leather.
I just had three Prayer Books rebound by these folk, and they did a bang up job. One was my small travel Prayer Book; the other was my Sunday mass Prayer Book/Hymnal; and the other was my bedside Prayer Book. (I also have my "Daily Office" Prayer Book/Bible that I still need to get rebound.)
They use really nice calfskin leather that smells quite good and is very durable. But the best thing is their turnaround time. They get your books back to you in about one week. I had each BCP done for $75, which is a good price, especially for the fast service and top-of-the-line leather.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Blessing of Animals
We had the blessing of animals for St. Francis' day (Oct. 4th). This is a parish tradition. We were the first to do it in Blacksburg. Now every parish does it! I blessed mostly dogs, but also two cats and a parrot. A reporter saw the sign I placed in the church yard advertising the event and came and did an interview which will air on local television this Friday! All told we had about 15 people - including several visitors. Not a bad start. Maybe down the road we will turn this into some sort of fall festival.
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