December 5, 2024

Instructed Eucharist
By popular request as our new Church year begins, I am putting together an instructed Eucharist service that we will use for our regular worship services one Sunday in January. Instead of a sermon, we will pause several times during the service to look more closely at the words we are saying, where they came from, and how they touch our identity as Episcopal followers of the Way.

The challenge in the exercise, is that I have several semesters worth of notes and handouts and shelves full of books about both the liturgy and the Sacrament it conveys. I would rather not put together a four-hour service that bores us all silly. While there are several ideas I will certainly include, I need to know what you are curious about. Are you more interested in the history of the liturgy or in possible future directions or would you like to spend time examining the words we say and what they mean today? Is there a particular piece of the service that you would like to spend more time on? Is there a prayer or phrase that has always bothered you that you would like to understand better? Are you more interested in the theology of the Sacrament that we share than in the words around it?

Whatever questions you have, whatever you have wondered about, please send me your thoughts. It will help me to put together a meaningful and educational experience for all of us. I will be sure to announce the date of the service well in advance of the date. It is a wonderful opportunity to invite your Episco-curious friends.

Thank you for your help!