[Magdalen] Two to go

[Marion Thompson]

Blowing out someone else's candle won't make yours shine brighter.

Marion, a pilgrim

On 4/4/2015 12:08 PM, Jay Weigel wrote:
> Acolytes have always done all that "subdeacon" stuff in every parish I've
> ever been in. Am I hopelessly low church? If so, I'll take it.
>
> I had to smother a laugh the last Sunday I was reading at Reformation
> Lutheran....after the offering was received, the assisting minister
> produced a bottle of hand sanitizer from somewhere behind the altar,
> availed herself of it, and handed it to the pastor, who used it and handed
> it back. Some ablutions! It was all done so nobody could see it unless they
> were close up, but readers usually sit next to the organist throughout the
> service....which is interesting, because you get in on various amusing
> happenings.
>
> On Sat, Apr 4, 2015 at 12:01 PM, Marion Thompson <marionwhitevale at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> We don't have a Deacon /per se/  (although we might have had if the
>> priest's departure in 2009 hadn't stopped the process in its tracks , never
>> to be revived), but we use the titles and the vestments.  Subdeacon sets
>> the table, does half the rail, and ablutions.
>> Interestingly, our interim priest is treating me as a deacon.  I now
>> proclaim the Gospel and get to do the Dismissal.  Such a change from
>> previously.
>>
>> Marion, a pilgrim
>>
>>
>>   4/4/2015 10:57 AM, Scott Knitter wrote:
>>
>>> There has to be a subdeacon for a liturgy to be solemn. The celebrant,
>>> deacon, and subdeacon move as a group, and deacon and subdeacon assist the
>>> celebrant in some fairly unnecessary ways. :) Subdeacon chants the
>>> epistle,
>>> helps the deacon set the altar for the offertory, and administers the
>>> chalice along half of thw communion rail. If they had to do without,  the
>>> deacon and MC could cover things, but it would look incomplete. Or the
>>> service could turn into a sung high Mass rather than a solemn high one. No
>>> deacon or subdeacon required for that.
>>> On Apr 4, 2015 9:36 AM, "Grace Cangialosi" <gracecan at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>   I'm showing my ignorance of Anglo-Catholic liturgy here, Scott, since I'm
>>>> not even sure what a subdeacon does, but does there have a to be a
>>>> subdeacon at every service? Couldn't you sit out a service or two, since
>>>> you're the only one?
>>>>    I know we are sometimes short a position or two--LEM or acolyte, etc.,
>>>> and
>>>> we either draft someone or do without, and the service doesn't suffer.
>>>> And,
>>>> of course, most of our churches don't have deacons at all, except during
>>>> that "transition" time after seminary graduations.
>>>> Just wondering...
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Apr 4, 2015 at 9:37 AM, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>   Trying not to grumble, but I really would rather not have had to serve
>>>>> as subdeacon for every single service during the Triduum. That's where
>>>>> two of our regular subdeacons have left us, though, by going away
>>>>> angry over the staff changes. And another has been recovering from
>>>>> surgery (the nerve!). Not backbreaking work by any means, but a lot of
>>>>> time and a feeling of "too much church." Would also love to worship
>>>>> from a pew once.
>>>>>
>>>>> There. I feel like I can grumble here so I won't grumble there. :)
>>>>> Thanks...off to Saturday morning rehearsal for this evening's Vigil.
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Scott R. Knitter
>>>>> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> 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.
>>>>
>>>>   .
>>>