[Magdalen] Epiphany

[Jay Weigel]

​Part of my ability to read aloud came from my parents, who read to us with
great fluency and expression. I probably absorbed early that that was the
way to do it. I also had some teachers along the way who were very good at
that. My fourth grade teacher, Miss Kienzle, was terrific. If we had been
good and done our work for the day, we could look forward that afternoon to
another chapter in the book she was reading to the class​. Next came plays
and whatever all the way through high school and into college (although I
dropped out of drama club after being asked to try out for the part of
Emily in "Our Town"..never could stand her!). I read to my kids from the
time they were born, just as my parents had read to me. I started lector
training around 1990 and dutifully reported every year. One year the
priest, with whom I'd had some clashes (mostly initiated by him), couldn't
find anything else to criticize so he said, "Think of N. N. (naming a
notoriously hard of hearing parishioner) because I don't think she could
hear you." I nearly burst out laughing, because every time I read, she
sought me out after church and told me that I was one of the few readers
she could actually hear without turning up her hearing aid. I bit my lip
and restrained myself, however.

One thing I can do, though I prefer not to, is read "cold", that is, on
very short notice, without much preparation. I told the pastor that because
I know there are times when someone can't make it. In practice, I usually
look at the reading in more than one translation beforehand so I can read
it with understanding.

On Mon, Jan 5, 2015 at 12:28 PM, Marion Thompson <marionwhitevale at gmail.com>
wrote:

> There is a lot to be said for working with the readers in an ongoing
> fashion so that they _can_ cope better with Paul.  The Readers and
> Intercessors are my responsibility.   So much depends on their also
> bothering to familiarize themself with the reading and what is being said
> beforehand, not just glancing at it before the service, if that!
> Nobody _taught_ me to read well, not at seminary or otherwise.  It comes
> with interest and the desire to do ever better.  There are excellent books
> on the subject.
>
> Marion, a pilgrim   ... today my sail I lift ....
>
> On 1/5/2015 12:17 PM, Jay Weigel wrote:
>
>> Oh, it's NRSV, all right, but the sentences still run on and are hard to
>> follow for most people, even though the translation breaks them up for
>> readers. You may not think so because of your classes in NT, but put
>> yourself in the place of the guys in the pew again, please......and then
>> think how hard that is to read for someone to read who *didn't* have the
>> benefit of good reader training, which I fortunately did, but which most
>> of
>> the readers at Reformation haven't.
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 5, 2015 at 12:06 PM, Ann Markle <ann.markle at aya.yale.edu>
>> wrote:
>>
>>  Wow, one of Paul's most beautiful and joyous and promising readings!  I'm
>>> so sorry your translation was a run-on -- not in our NRSV translation!
>>> I'm
>>> glad the NRSV did break up some of Paul's run-on sentences!
>>>
>>> I started out in TN holding HE on the day of the Epiphany, but very few
>>> people came (5 or fewer) - so eventually I got the message and eliminated
>>> it.  We tried to celebrate both - Epiphany and the Baptism of Christ on
>>> the
>>> Sunday after, as we had at Trinity in Buffalo.  It worked better.
>>> Epiphany
>>> is not a moveable feast, but I've come to realize that many parishes (as
>>> did Ian's) "float" it anyway.  Beneficial for teaching purposes, if the
>>> aim
>>> is to teach about the observance.  Teaching 50 people is better than
>>> teaching 5, IMO.
>>>
>>> Ann
>>>
>>> The Rev. Ann Markle
>>> Buffalo, NY
>>> ann.markle at aya.yale.edu
>>> blog:  www.onewildandpreciouslife.typepad.com
>>>
>>> On Mon, Jan 5, 2015 at 11:44 AM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>  The Lutherans of New Market, VA will celebrate Epiphany next Sunday. I'm
>>>> finding this church kind of like a snakebelly-ish Episcopal church,
>>>>
>>> maybe a
>>>
>>>> tad higher than that....we *did* have a Gospel procession on Christmas
>>>>
>>> Eve,
>>>
>>>> which surprised the heck out of me.
>>>>
>>>> I read for the first time yesterday and was given kudos by the pastor
>>>> and
>>>> many in the congregation. Didn't do anything different from what I have
>>>> always done so I just told them I was trained by the Episcopalians ;->
>>>>
>>> The
>>>
>>>> second reading was pretty awful, though, one of Paul's run-ons that was
>>>> obviously dictated. I always picture his poor beleaguered secretary
>>>>
>>> saying,
>>>
>>>> "Hold it there, Paul, you're going too fast! I didn't get all that! Let
>>>>
>>> me
>>>
>>>> catch up!"
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Jan 5, 2015 at 11:30 AM, Eleanor Braun <eleanor.braun at gmail.com
>>>> >
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>  We also have Eucharist on Jan 6.
>>>>>
>>>>> Plus a potluck dinner.
>>>>>
>>>>> Eleanor
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>
>>>>>  On Jan 5, 2015, at 10:44 AM, flyingfish224--- via Magdalen <
>>>>>>
>>>>> magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Ann, my parish celebrates Epiphany on the day
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Renee
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  On Jan 5, 2015, at 10:32 AM, Ann Markle <ann.markle at aya.yale.edu>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> In the US Episcopal Church we celebrate our holidays (even the
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> non-moveable
>>>>>
>>>>>> ones like Epiphany) on the Sunday after the feast.  Not Xmas and
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> Easter, of
>>>>>
>>>>>> course.  Glad your celebration was fine, Ian.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Ann
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The Rev. Ann Markle
>>>>>>> Buffalo, NY
>>>>>>> ann.markle at aya.yale.edu
>>>>>>> blog:  www.onewildandpreciouslife.typepad.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mon, Jan 5, 2015 at 10:10 AM, Ian Gomersall <
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> ian.gomersall at gmail.com
>>>>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  We had a lovely Epiphany yesterday - we keep it on the Sunday and
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> find
>>>>
>>>>> that
>>>>>
>>>>>> works, as several people travel in or have hard working jobs making
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> weekday
>>>>>
>>>>>> festivals difficult.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> It also means we are more integrated in the congregation for a
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> major
>>>
>>>> feast
>>>>>
>>>>>> day - children can come easily.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Our evening activity included smoking bishop:
>>>>>>>> Have a look at:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>  http://stchrysostoms.wordpress.com/2015/01/05/
>>> smoking-bishop-at-epiphany/
>>>
>>>> *Ian Gomersall*
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>