[Magdalen] End of an Era.

[Joseph Cirou]

We were told in seminary (RC) to try to experience the Word being
proclaimed and to avoid reading the text unless you were hard of hearing or
the reader or acoustics were poor

However, I know what you mean, and, of course, agree with the necessity of
altar ministers to have the book very close. Also when I play in Episcopal
churches, I am among the few not reading the lessons from the folder. Being
the occasional Episcopalian, I have to check with the program and I still
don't know the Prayer after communion, tho I am ok with Penitential
Prayers. Where I have played most frequently they have a screen and
projector and I look at it because it is not obstrusive and there is
usually just an inspiring photo when no text is there.

On a similar topic were learned the hard way not to project hymns on the
screen and expect the congregation to sing in sync with a tape.

We had a very active Liberian congregation at one funeral.They really sang.
Unfortunately for the "wake" before the Eucharist they used the projected
texts and tape (they actually thought (the powers that be) that they were
not imposing on me by making me play for the wake. I directed the
congregation (sans orgue)  for "It Is Well with My Soul." and it was less
of train wreck than the previous hymns.

The parish administrator agreed not to do that again. Slava Bogu

Joe




On Fri, Apr 3, 2015 at 9:39 AM, Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com> wrote:

> I have to agree with Scott.  When I'm a member of the congregation I
> generally refer to the BCP for a familiar service--and I never follow the
> printed text of the readings.  However, when I'm leading worship, I always
> have the text in front of me, just in case.
> Even when I give the absolution, which I do from the chancel steps and have
> well-memorized, the BCP is open on my left palm.
>
> I do wish, however, that the congregation didn't have their noses buried in
> the printed page all the time...
>
> On Fri, Apr 3, 2015 at 8:45 AM, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Well, there's the longtime priest who ran us off the rails at Evening
> > Prayer by saying the Nicene Creed by heart....too bad the rest of us were
> > trying to say the Apostles' Creed.
> >
> > And I think the person leading a service does well to follow the printed
> > text even for very familiar prayers....the mind can go blank most
> > unexpectedly.
> >
> > Sent from my iPad
> >
> > > On Apr 2, 2015, at 11:04 PM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen <
> > magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > It's easy to go for overkill on the printed word in the BCP's for
> > > Anglicans of all types.  Anglicans are always looking down at  their
> > > printed worship aids.  Even clergy will read the Nicene Creed
> > > off their open Prayer Book.
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Grace Cangialosi
> Ruckersville, VA
>
> It's a good thing Mary didn't have to wait for a Doctrine of the
> Incarnation
> before she said "Yes" to God.
>