All Souls Weekly                 
Volume 3, Number 25, May 23, 2010

LANGUAGE IN WORSHIP

Last week I spent almost three days with colleagues at the Diocese of Washington Clergy Conference.  It was a good time of laughter, learning, and fun as I got to know many more of my fellow priests. The conversation was chatty and we often talked about the parishes we serve. Whenever All Souls came up, a clergy colleague would inevitably ask about our use of Rite I.  In many cases, I found myself trying to explain why I maintain a mostly Rite I worship style (though we use various Eucharistic prayers edited to blend into Rite I liturgy).  While my own theology around the language of prayer and worship continues to change, here are some of my thoughts based on conversations I had last week.

Traditional language (such as exists in Rite I liturgies) encourages humility.  I don’t think it’s my calling to be a performance artist or poet, attempting to describe the mood of the moment and turn it into prayer.  That is the Holy Spirit’s job.  My own experience has shown me that often the Spirit is just waiting for me to step aside and to lose myself in language and ritual so that the Spirit can do her work among us. 

Traditional language builds community. While so many of the more contemporary liturgies attempt to create community among diverse peoples, I think more traditional language actually does a better job at reinforcing and building community.  It gives us a point of reference and a grounding.  Such language reminds us that others have gone before us and that they now continue to pray for us in the Communion of Saints. 

Finally, I think the language of worship should point us toward beauty.  To me, much of the language of contemporary worship is more suitable for the shopping mall than the Mass.  In private prayers I am chatty and conversational with God, but public prayer is different.  Together, we seek God’s spirit to inspire us, to take us to new places, to heal us, and to change us.

 
As I said above, my thinking around prayer and the language of worship continues to evolve.  I continue to read about liturgy, and to talk and pray with others. On this Day of Pentecost, I especially pray that my heart and yours would be open to the fullness of God’s Spirit, who gives us the words to pray and praise.  John Beddingfield

Around the Parish . . . The June/July/August edition of The Message is available in the undercroft.  Please pick up your copy and save the church the cost of postage . . . A new parish directory of addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses is also available in the undercroft . . . Thanks to all who helped to make our annual meeting flow so smoothly. Annual reports will soon be available on the parish website . . . SAVE THE DATE: the annual parish picnic will be on Sunday, June 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Rock Creek Park, Grove 6 . . . Attendance on May 16, the Seventh Sunday of Easter at the 8:30 a.m. Mass: 32; at the 11 a.m. Mass: 150 . . . Total pledge offerings for the week were $7,580.00 and the plate offering was $1,225.50.

The parish extends its sympathy and love to Lori Commins, upon the death of her brother, Michael. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Michael; for Lori, Leanna, and Bill; for their extended family, and for all who mourn.

The parish also extends its sympathy and love to David Harrer, upon the death of his daughter, Tanya, last week. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Tanya, for David and his family, and for all who mourn.

Your prayers are asked for . . . Joan Beilstein (whose niece, Haley, is very ill), Gene Dunn, Susan Johnson, Jim Wallace, Susan Kornacki, Frasier, MaryJane, John Matthews, Bob and Louise Osborne, Joan Shapiro, Ann Dixon, Lorenzo Martinez, Family of Tom Martin, Hugh Yeomans, Helen Horne, Erling Hansen, Tim Dill, Mona Bauer, Mary Backus, Sandy Jenkins Dixon, I. Kathryn McKewen, Thais Blanchard, Bruce MacDonald, Bob Colborn, Elizabeth McKee, Freddie Cameron, Robert Long, Barb Chaffee, Harriet Martin, Chris Cobb, Landis Vance, Vickie Drell, Stephanie Russell, Ruth & Fred Huber, Jim St. George, Mark Henderson, Martha Holdgate, Chip Meyers, Walter and Sally Jason, Arthur Andrew Warren, Mary Beth McCutcheon, Bryan Powell, Regina Dading, Julia Gutierrez, Ted Field, and for the repose of the soul of Sudhir . . . Pray for members of the parish in the foreign service and others who are working overseas, especially Chuck Hunter, Steve Kerchoff, Brad Moore, and Michael Pate . . . Pray also for the members of our Armed Forces on active duty, especially Jack Severson. . . If you wish to participate in our ongoing Internet Prayer Circle please contact Vicki Lowe at lowevg1@verizon.net.

Liturgical Notes . . . Since there is no dedication today, the flowers at the High Altar are provided for out of the flower fund of All Souls.  If you would like to dedicate flowers or the sanctuary candle in memory of a loved one, in honor of someone, or in celebration of an event or anniversary, please contact the parish office . . . Next Sunday, May 30, is Trinity Sunday and will be the last Sunday this season when our choir is joined by our four professional section leaders.  On that day the choir will sing Palestrina’s Missa Brevis.

South Africa Mission Planning Meeting . . . On Sunday, June 6, join Marcia Anderson and Father Beddingfield for a meeting to plan a trip to visit the Kwasa Centre in South Africa, probably in October of 2010.  Join us around 1 p.m. in the conference room. A light lunch will be served. 

Bishop Walker School Dedication . . . On Sunday June 6 there will be a dedication service for the opening of the new campus of the Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys.  The dedication service is at 4 p.m., followed by a celebration with music, refreshments, and tours of the new campus at the Church of the Holy Communion, 3640 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE, Washington, DC, 20032.  More information can be found at www. http://www.bishopwalkerschool.org/bws/

Join us for the Adult Forum . . . On Sunday, May 23, at 10 a.m. in the undercroft, Carolyn Farmer will share pictures and stories from her recent mission trip to Haiti.

 
Cookies for Children . . . During the month of May it will be our turn to provide cookies for the children at the Episcopal Center for Children. Please bring homemade or store-bought cookies to the parish kitchen, make sure they are plainly marked, Episcopal Center for Children, and place them in the marked receptacle.

Capital Pride Celebration June 12-13 . . . All Souls will join other Episcopal churches in the Capital Pride parade on Saturday, June 12.  The parade celebrates the DC Metro Area Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community, its friends, family, and allies . . . On Sunday, June 13, All Souls will have its own booth at the Festival, held at Freedom Plaza from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. To march in the parade or volunteer for the booth, sign up in the undercroft, or send an e-mail to ErwinSdeLeon@gmail.com

First Annual Pride Eucharist . . . The Rt. Rev. John Bryson Chane, Bishop of Washington, will be the celebrant and preacher for a special Eucharist on Saturday, May 29, 2010 at 6 p.m. at the Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G Street, N.W., easily accessible from the Metro Red Line.