[Magdalen] End of an Era.

[Jim Guthrie]

From: Scott Knitter

On Wed, Apr 1, 2015 at 9:59 AM, ME Michaud <michaudme at gmail.com> wrote:

> We had MP rite I a couple of weeks ago and it hasn't worn
> well. It felt scuffed, frayed.

That's what happens when you get out of practice or try to shorten it to fit the 
modern style. Back in the day people didn’t think twice about worship services 
that went two hours in TEC. OTOH, some of the A-C parishes where only the priest 
received at the Principal Service could be far faster than the "Low Church" 
MP-Litany-Sermon-Communion approach.

Scott added:

>Always interesting to me to see old bulletins from MP days to see how
>things were done when it was the familiar thing. Big processional
>hymn, all the penitential material, psalm said responsively by verse,
>often one choral canticle and one chanted congregationally in Anglican
>chant; sermon in one of several possible positions in the liturgy; big
>doings at the offertory including doxology and patriotic verse (maybe
f>lags); big anthem after the collects (like Wesley's Ascribe unto the
>Lord).

Yes -- the most common approach. Back in the day.

>I remember going to Christ Church Cranbrook (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
>for Morning Prayer and the highlight for me being the congregational
>chanting of Te Deum. Lots of kneeling on hassocks...I still remember

Congregations belting out the Psalm and Venite in four-part Anglican Chant was 
common.

the swishing sound made when all the hassocks were being pulled out
from under the next pew. Also remember falling off the
hassocks...ouch.

Well, try the parishes with the wooden bench kneelers with one or two "high 
church" people banging down and banging back up in the middle of the Nicene 
Creed, along with the non-genuflectors yelling "ouch" when the support mashed 
their foot, and then the muffled shriek when it caught a woman's skirt on the 
way back up <g>.

And everyone in smart business dress. Every man in a
dark suit, for one thing. (Not saying that's something I miss...just
what it was like then in that parish.)

Yup -- and Palm Sunday as "Little Easter" which brought out many women in **last 
years** Easter Finery with a whole new outfit (including the required hat and 
gloves) purchased for Easter Day each year.

Cheers,
Jim Guthrie