tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955448508841673815.post2312531278155217828..comments2023-09-05T10:05:04.010-04:00Comments on Compass Points~ Mapping the Way: out on a limbAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124299791944852254noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955448508841673815.post-17140445818476379102016-04-24T15:59:47.254-04:002016-04-24T15:59:47.254-04:00I began in my first parish as a transitional deaco...I began in my first parish as a transitional deacon. A retired priest celebrated every other week and I did a deacon's mass on alternate Sundays. The congregation was very accepting of that arrangement. In France, because of the lack of priests in small communities, mass is celebrated on Sat. evening one week and on Sunday the next. In the Episcopal church, a Sat. evening or Sunday every other week service could have a theme - Taize or healing, for example - with consecrated elements, maybe a deacon leading the service. That assumes there are enough deacons. Then there are the issues of congregational life - pastoral care, vestry, community and diocesan connection - that may be difficult to turn over 100 percent to lay leadership. It would involve a lot of formation and training as well as acceptance by congregations of new approaches. Groups like the Rim churches can pave the way for these kinds of changes because the congregations have begun to get to know one another through occasional common worship, formation and community action.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05633332004705503879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955448508841673815.post-44478918381080588162016-04-23T08:27:44.331-04:002016-04-23T08:27:44.331-04:00First, thanks for putting up on the table the sacr...First, thanks for putting up on the table the sacred nature of the sacred realities (cows?) of our sacramental nature as Episcopalians. First, let me say that I came out of a Protestant tradition as a child. The Lord's Supper was celebrated monthly as I recall. There was a time when that was true of the Eucharist in The Episcopal Church and still is in some places. I think we have to make some tough choices, emotional ones. We need to however contemplate what we are willing to lose so that something new may happen. The Jews who listened to Peter had to let go of their propriety of Jesus the Christ as Messiah. They had to allow Gentiles to receive Christ's salvation. What do we need to loose in order to let salvation happen in new ways now? The real world economic and ecclesiastical realities are that there aren't affordable and attractive means to invite priests who have paid thousands of dollars and frequently are in debt, to serve on a full-time basis in rural regions. They can't survive without jobs. It may be that hubs may work and it may be that we should allow deacons, maybe transitional ones, to celebrate the Eucharist. What revenue streams might we create that are of a missional nature? What incentives may we put into place in rural areas that allow us to send out sacramental presiders to share the Eucharist? Maybe the Eucharist is what this is all about anyway. What does a 21st Century Agape meal/celebration look like? Who is at the Table and where is the Table located? What might we learn by trying on experimental sorts of sacramental activities where the old way of doing things doesn't work anymore. Is it holy and good to let old things pass away so that new things may come into being? I think that sending the Reserved Sacrament is certainly a reasonable manner to keep something similar going. I suggest that it is striving to keep old wine in old wine skins rather than trying to find how to get new wine into new wine skins. The challenge therein is that we've come to love how we've celebrated the Eucharist in rural, urban, and other settings. We need some alternatives - something that will harvest what is good from the creation that feeds us. Maybe it isn't about the presiders, lay or ordained. Maybe it is about what we are presiding over that is essential. Jim Straderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16781331975297370366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955448508841673815.post-32117212152224550692016-04-22T18:08:52.847-04:002016-04-22T18:08:52.847-04:00We in Lancaster have the beginnings of a hub model...We in Lancaster have the beginnings of a hub model in the 6 Rim parishes. We must continue to discern how we move this forward in God's plan<br /><br />I am not in favor of lay presidency but I am in favor of lay and deacons leading the Liturgy of the Word with communion from the reserved sacrament. Roman Catholics have been doing that for years with a circuit rider priest showing up one or two times a monthAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05950196523834803320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955448508841673815.post-69415467344937555102016-04-22T18:08:45.925-04:002016-04-22T18:08:45.925-04:00We in Lancaster have the beginnings of a hub model...We in Lancaster have the beginnings of a hub model in the 6 Rim parishes. We must continue to discern how we move this forward in God's plan<br /><br />I am not in favor of lay presidency but I am in favor of lay and deacons leading the Liturgy of the Word with communion from the reserved sacrament. Roman Catholics have been doing that for years with a circuit rider priest showing up one or two times a monthAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05950196523834803320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955448508841673815.post-55256857368650812572016-04-22T11:19:36.566-04:002016-04-22T11:19:36.566-04:00I have a friend who believes lay presidency is the...I have a friend who believes lay presidency is the answer. Not sure I'm ready to go there. I do like the "hub" model; small parishes can't be all things to all people - let's figure out what we each do best, and gather ourselves around a central mini-cathedral. And let's empower the laity to do more pastoral care and administration and mission.Rev Dr Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14686528826414330355noreply@blogger.com