A document on the theology of same-gender union blessings has been posted on the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music’s site. They’re asking people to respond.
Most Episcopalians open their hands and receive the “body of Christ, the bread of heaven” on a weekly basis. But not many of us know much about the actual bread pressed into our palm. It turns out, the for congregations that purchase their wafers rather than make them, the majority of the wafers say something interesting about the Church as a business.
The Episcopal Church Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) has released educational materials and other information surrounding its plan to ask General Convention to authorize a three-year trial use of its proposed rite for blessing same-gender unions.
An altar of stone, vows made, a ring given, the presiding priest introducing the newly married to the birds and the rocks and gawking passers-by. Bread and wine.
A Litany of Thanksgiving (BCP p.836) Let us give thanks to God for all the gifts so freely bestowed upon us.
By Donald Schell Just what concrete steps should we take to make a new economic system that’s NOT- – ruled by a few – economically
At Holy Communion, as I raise the chunk of bread cupped in my hands ever so carefully and attentively and reverently to bring Jesus to my lips, I smell the goodness of the Lord, the goodness of the One Who Is With Us And Causes Us To Be With warm and yeasty with crusts.
“Basically, if a worship song talks about touching, my mind wanders.”
It’s work. And it’s about people. But it’s not the people’s work, it’s work that is for the people, and transformative of the wider world.
Aren’t we, in church, hoping to be at least as alive and present as a company of actors? Why aren’t we finding strategies and means to get people off book? Where are we valuing the voice and contribution of each regular attender and each visitor?