[Magdalen] Psalm - Whither Goeth Thou?

[James Oppenheimer-Crawford]

Typically the lay person has to be sanitized when coming into the worship
space. They have to put on robes of some kind to show everyone that they
are not just lay people, but laypeople who actually have an approved part
in the actual service.
In my parish, we have for decades had a choir which did not vest.  It was
done with thoughtful intent, to dramatize that the choir is not some bunch
of pretend priests and priestesses, but real people.  Lately a rector
arrived on the scene who had not grown up in the Episcopal Church, and had
zero comprehension of the theology behind the decision. He just assumed we
had not been able to afford proper robes.
Several of us told him what was going on, but, like all true-believer
converts, he knew "best," and a new and equally ignorant group of
parishioners also suckered into the idea that the choir ought to be vested.
I hear they are still functioning. I miss some things, but one has to draw
the line somewhere.

The robe nonsense is buttressed by the number of folks who really want to
look like pretend priests.

James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
*“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy

On Fri, Mar 13, 2015 at 1:23 PM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen <
magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:

>
>
> In a message dated 3/13/2015 12:20:19 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> gapetard at stsams.org writes:
>
>
> I do  agree with this. Our liturgies are clerical/professional enough and
> need
> the participation of all. Yes there are the layfolk in the sanctuary
> assisting, but in a way that makes it look more clerical. We need more
> vocal
> participation by all. And more movement, but that's another  question.>>>
>
> Not to disagree with you here, but I only point out that experience  in
> the USA is that the average churchgoer really doesn't want to
> sing/stand/kneel
> or other kinetic activity when coming to church.  USA churchgoers in
> general
> want to sit on their derrieres and be entertained.
>
> It's easy with this in mind to see how the Evangelical mega-churches  pack
> them in.  When you watch their worship, it's all clergy and  choirs, with
> quiet congregation smiling and relaxing.
>
> Not my cup of tea.  However, trying to get average Americans to
> participate
> actively is to swim upstream.
>
>
>
> David Strang.
>
>
>