Comments on: The Eucharist (as seen by a Baptist) http://www.transmissioning.org/2006/10/15/the-eucharist-as-seen-by-a-baptist/ an emerging liturgical community in NYC Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:55:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Renata http://www.transmissioning.org/2006/10/15/the-eucharist-as-seen-by-a-baptist/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Renata Wed, 18 Oct 2006 05:32:56 +0000 http://www.transmissioning.org/?p=40#comment-33 Yeah it definitely does seem contrived or fake. Or maybe better said a sort of "going though the motions" to find God which seems similar to Buddism and other religions in my mind. When I was in Thailand I was taught how to approach in reverence and worship which oddly Anglican and similar traditions feel similar to me. I guess the biggest struggle for me is that I feel more comfortable being straight and honst with God and the liturgy doesn't allow me to feel that connection... Another way of saying it might be I feel like I can go to God like he's the mix of best friend and parent. Someone I can just say what's on my mind to and feel like he's there listening. Then at other times just listening to the music of a service during a worship time and trying to listen to God is all I need but when the structure is in everything including language I feel like there is a barrier between me and God and that I can't engage him like I am use to. I agree that there are several ways to go before the throne and getting stuck in one can lead to trouble as God made us so individual that what works for one definitely doesn't work for another. As for Liturgy being the work of the people, I find that statement funny because I had never even heard the term till I started hanging out with you lot! Now I can't get away from it! A friend of mine said the other day that she thought places like NY and Europe are "stuck" in the traditions of church. She said she didn't base her thoughts on anything nor had she done much research on it but from what she had heard from others it seemed to hold some truth. Church is (oddly) very different from one part of the country to another and even into another country. Perhaps its an interesting statement about the God we serve. Yeah it definitely does seem contrived or fake. Or maybe better said a sort of “going though the motions” to find God which seems similar to Buddism and other religions in my mind. When I was in Thailand I was taught how to approach in reverence and worship which oddly Anglican and similar traditions feel similar to me. I guess the biggest struggle for me is that I feel more comfortable being straight and honst with God and the liturgy doesn’t allow me to feel that connection… Another way of saying it might be I feel like I can go to God like he’s the mix of best friend and parent. Someone I can just say what’s on my mind to and feel like he’s there listening. Then at other times just listening to the music of a service during a worship time and trying to listen to God is all I need but when the structure is in everything including language I feel like there is a barrier between me and God and that I can’t engage him like I am use to.

I agree that there are several ways to go before the throne and getting stuck in one can lead to trouble as God made us so individual that what works for one definitely doesn’t work for another.

As for Liturgy being the work of the people, I find that statement funny because I had never even heard the term till I started hanging out with you lot! Now I can’t get away from it!

A friend of mine said the other day that she thought places like NY and Europe are “stuck” in the traditions of church. She said she didn’t base her thoughts on anything nor had she done much research on it but from what she had heard from others it seemed to hold some truth. Church is (oddly) very different from one part of the country to another and even into another country. Perhaps its an interesting statement about the God we serve.

]]> By: Isaac http://www.transmissioning.org/2006/10/15/the-eucharist-as-seen-by-a-baptist/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Isaac Mon, 16 Oct 2006 02:11:52 +0000 http://www.transmissioning.org/?p=40#comment-29 Yeah, Anglican Eucharistic Liturgy takes some getting used to. For people who are used to extemporaneous worship, it can seem really contrived. My feeling (as a fellow non-denom), is that written-out liturgy can be a very powerful tool to have you in your worship toolchest, but it should never be your only tool. A LOT of time, thought, and love has gone into the language and structure of these liturgies and they often say things much more eloquently and succinctly than I ever could. There's also an immense history of this sort of worship and I find strength in that. At the same time, the Anglican tradition can get in trouble when it's not willing to look outside the prayerbook for worship ideas. There are a many, many authentic ways to worship God and no culture or tradition should claim a monopoly on that. On the plus side (for you and folks like you), Transmission so far has not been liturgical in any traditional sense of the word at all, which means that everyone is just as alienated as you are. =) Oh, and just a soapbox - Episcopalians love to talk about themselves as being part of "the liturgical tradition," a tradition which they share with the Roman Catholics, the Orthodox, and the Lutherans. It's kind of arrogant, however, because there is no such thing as non-liturgical worship. Liturgy means "work of the people," and anytime people gather together to worship, liturgy is involved. Yeah, Anglican Eucharistic Liturgy takes some getting used to. For people who are used to extemporaneous worship, it can seem really contrived.

My feeling (as a fellow non-denom), is that written-out liturgy can be a very powerful tool to have you in your worship toolchest, but it should never be your only tool. A LOT of time, thought, and love has gone into the language and structure of these liturgies and they often say things much more eloquently and succinctly than I ever could. There’s also an immense history of this sort of worship and I find strength in that.

At the same time, the Anglican tradition can get in trouble when it’s not willing to look outside the prayerbook for worship ideas. There are a many, many authentic ways to worship God and no culture or tradition should claim a monopoly on that.

On the plus side (for you and folks like you), Transmission so far has not been liturgical in any traditional sense of the word at all, which means that everyone is just as alienated as you are. =)

Oh, and just a soapbox – Episcopalians love to talk about themselves as being part of “the liturgical tradition,” a tradition which they share with the Roman Catholics, the Orthodox, and the Lutherans. It’s kind of arrogant, however, because there is no such thing as non-liturgical worship. Liturgy means “work of the people,” and anytime people gather together to worship, liturgy is involved.

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