Those responsible for the care of the chancel in the sanctuary and also for the other paraments we use on Sunday morning have been very busy for the past two months. Unlike the summer months when we go for months and months without much change, during the winter months the liturgical seasons change frequently. So, since late November you have seen white, blue, white (again), and now green. Soon enough, near the end of February, we’ll use white (yet again) and finally purple. These color shifts help us to identify the season of Advent (blue), Christmas (white), Epiphany (green) and finally, at the end, purple (Lent). White was thrown in for some individual Sundays to mark special days. You may have noticed a correspondence with some of the Orders of Worship which we have used during these seasons.
I vary the Orders of Worship we use not so much to keep you on your toes but rather to add interest to the service and better reflect the season we might on any given Sunday encounter. When we were engaged in the season of Advent we used a very different form to open our service. Do you remember how we used the hymn O Come, O Come Immanuel as an alternative to the Kyrie and the Hymn of Praise? Beginning Christmas Eve the paraments changed and so did the service. We pulled out all the stops and used both the Kyrie and the Hymn of Praise. The portion of the service dedicated to Communion was also altered with the Great Thanksgiving (which included the Words of Institution) reflecting the day and season we had entered. Entering the season of Epiphany the colors returned to green and service changed again. For most of the February we remain in the season of Epiphany but on February 28 we’ll observe Ash Wednesday and we enter the season of Lent.
“Let me guess.” you say. “I’ll bet we change parament colors and the service will change again.” You would be right. The basic music of the service has pretty much remained unchanged since we began Advent. Now, the music will change too but I hope that it will be somewhat familiar. On the first Sunday in Lent the music of the service will have a little different feel about it. At least it does for me. I want it to better reflect the season of Lent so the music, I hope, will seem a little more reflective, a little more somber. Lent, after all, calls us to consider the great gift given to us at such a high cost.
Final notes. Thanks to all of you who were present and participated at the annual meeting. And thank you to all of those who have agreed to serve on the 2020 council. We have a great deal to celebrate. Peace and blessing to you, Stan
I vary the Orders of Worship we use not so much to keep you on your toes but rather to add interest to the service and better reflect the season we might on any given Sunday encounter. When we were engaged in the season of Advent we used a very different form to open our service. Do you remember how we used the hymn O Come, O Come Immanuel as an alternative to the Kyrie and the Hymn of Praise? Beginning Christmas Eve the paraments changed and so did the service. We pulled out all the stops and used both the Kyrie and the Hymn of Praise. The portion of the service dedicated to Communion was also altered with the Great Thanksgiving (which included the Words of Institution) reflecting the day and season we had entered. Entering the season of Epiphany the colors returned to green and service changed again. For most of the February we remain in the season of Epiphany but on February 28 we’ll observe Ash Wednesday and we enter the season of Lent.
“Let me guess.” you say. “I’ll bet we change parament colors and the service will change again.” You would be right. The basic music of the service has pretty much remained unchanged since we began Advent. Now, the music will change too but I hope that it will be somewhat familiar. On the first Sunday in Lent the music of the service will have a little different feel about it. At least it does for me. I want it to better reflect the season of Lent so the music, I hope, will seem a little more reflective, a little more somber. Lent, after all, calls us to consider the great gift given to us at such a high cost.
Final notes. Thanks to all of you who were present and participated at the annual meeting. And thank you to all of those who have agreed to serve on the 2020 council. We have a great deal to celebrate. Peace and blessing to you, Stan