@Photograph - Author's own 12th September 2021
I'm fundamental (in a good, not cornbelt crazy) kind of a way, conservative (small c not blue, big and bad haired) and very serious about my faith. But also about how I live it out and why I do the things I do. I'm not from a Christian home or family and surprisingly (to mine and my friends) became a Christian at age 20.
Having exploded (dragged very gently and kindly kicking and screaming by a God who wanted to know me, love me and care for me, and yet let me trust Him and talk to Him) into faith, I've been very much a Charismatic. Praise and worship for me come not only from the music and good, truthful words, but from the body - from posture, from hands, from kneeling, dancing, clapping, being prone, which in turn leads to heart and mouth. Same as works and deeds go with faith - I can't separate my faith from practical works of worship too. Good Samaritan? Well I try to be... I can't fold my arms and look super serious - I need to respond and look like I'm enjoying praising the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as everyone around me. Cos being the lone church clapper is not fun and well David danced, so will I!
Having almost made a person experiencing homelessness cry today (not in a mean way - he asked me how I was, I paused and did the same(. Kicking myself, cos I did it thoughtlessly cos it's what you say back right? But part of me feels this was really stupid, but I did genuinely mean it (and was prepared to listen). But seeing the tears almost well, I backtracked and tried to bless.Gpd bless you passed back to me with a swallow of cynicism and indeed for someone experiencing homelessness, where is God? Well right there on the street, looking back at me as a fellow created image bearer; another handiwork of God. I tried to see a person and tho I may have blundered, I tried. And will try again.
Having had a wonderful guided wander around Canterbury, it was weird and wonderful that a secular organisation urged me warmly and keenly to get to Evensong. So I did (it was just across the way).
I'm never sure about cathedrals. I am the Puritan of Puritans (certainly as a lover of history, not read many church Fathers yet); I'm certainly an iconoclast and had I been there at the time of the Reformation would certainly have led the charge to burn the icons, whitewash the walls and get rid of images and associated bits and bobs. Maybe not so much the stained glass windows cos literacy...and maybe not the monasteries (cos social care and community). But I would have abolished forced celibacy and those who were there just for privilege, status or power, or to corrupt and lord it over others. But I would have been in the forefront of systematic change. I'm not trad or formal in any way so hymns and church rituals weird me out as I wonder why and what we're doing.
To then step over the threshold of the Mother Church UK style (Canterbury) was really strange. It's a good place to rid yourself of troublesome King challenging Archbish's and at times to promote liberalism, argue over doctrine and to speak at Christmas. Or so I thought...
The secular and emotional overload was huge. The stained glass blazed with the sunlight streaming in. The colours glowed. I ran up stone steps. I sat in the choir. The showmanship was epic.
The unfamiliar rituals were both awe inspiring and disconcerting. You need to know when to sit and stand (thankfully a handy guide gives directions), where to look (you can experience a touch of Zumba class when you find yourself looking the wrong way and not facing the altar or the choir - no directions given for this, people just do it!) Also the singing - we are sung to, apart from one person bravely having a go, squeaking along at the back. As a body, everything happens to us, for us, we don't do apart from joining in a prayer or two. This felt strange but also very contemplative.
A man holding a silver cross up high on a pole and two massive lit candles hefted by choir boys stagger towards us. Why? A chapter of Old Testament is read aloud to us from a brass eagle lecturn. Apart from David Suchet, this is the best public reading I've ever heard in a church setting. None of this posh, stilted, emotionless, rushed reading, where tone does not give any suggestion of what is happening or emotion expressed. It is nuanced, expressive, so well delivered. The New Testament reading is just as good - humour is suggested and we get right inside Paul's head and thoughts. Wow! And the reader could do all the pronunciations - all those place names!
The choir sing a lot. There is something called a psalmody? which can be scrabbled for in a small book next to your seat. The Psalm numbers are only given once. I think I have the wrong psalms. It's hard to hear what's being sung as the choir are kind of sing muttering.
New choir members are welcomed, prayed for and sent on their mission (into the choir stalls!) Their equipping prayer is amazing.
The song of pregnant Mary and another one with a Latin title (Nunc Dimitis) but both sung in English are both so clear and you can hear every sung word. I wonder why we can hear some lyrics but not others. The choir appeared to be adding extra bars to the Psalm selection. Why are we using thees, thy's and thou's in everything?
There is corporate prayer - what is a Creed and why do we turn to the Altar to say this? I missed the booklet direction on this one...The choir sings the Versicles - what?!!!! What is a collect and as for collect for the day? What? Ditto the Anthem?!!!
And yet the meaning and truth, the readings - I feel overwhelmed like I might faint, my heart soars. The sun blazes through the stained glass pointing to the Creator behind it and keeping it all ticking over. I am mildly distracted by what appears to be Disney stained glass across the way. Is that Belle with a child with blue hair? Is that Disney Jesus being motivationally inspired by an angel looking like Pocahontas or the Princess with Frog issues ...But I also wonder about how many others have been in this building - praying, worshipping, distracted.
But the sun blazes or rather the Son blazes. Who could not worship God in this place after such wonderful words?!!! Everything in this Evensong is persistently and persuasively screaming "worship God!!!!"
We sing a hymn together - this is an easier, more dignified scrabble for the hymn book next to the chair and hymn number. I don't like hymns - archaic language, flowery words and sentiments, school assemblies, too high to sing tunes, funerals, organs. I like a good chorus. You can clap to a chorus! Anyone can understand a chorus! Uncertain about the hymn as it started very generally about why worship is a good thing - over time it got better!!! I did like the words of the hymn we weren't singing on the opposite page of the book. The choir sang a hymn with organ accompaniment.
In greatest showman style, they have appeared at the altar. How did they get there? A well travelled staff marking the 851st of Archbish Beckett's final journey before his death. We were prayed for and blessed. Then in serious drama, the cross and candles and choir and the bish crew exit. Why do they all have such swooppy swishy sleeves and capes? Best door exit ever - we look down over the swooping majesty of the Nave, the KIWI Bible reader says it was good to pray together! Wow!
What have I learnt? I have never seen such reverence as a swoopy sleeve wearer bowed his head guarding some kind of silver mace or head basher listening to the Bible being read. I thought people just did stuff in cathedrals. His posture of worship and reverence was unmistakable and moving to behold. There was at least hues on the pews and gender diversity - lots of diversity - independent, evangelical, reformed notice this! The Bible reading was superb - everyone listen up! It had real meaning and feeling. If the Psalmody Psalms were not a 'sacred' secret and given in the booklet, I like the idea of reading and being sung to. The lack of congregational involvement did bother me - i.e.congregational singing, but their prayers were wide ranging - we prayed for Nigeria, we remembered 9/11 and prayed deeply for peace and peace makers, thanked God for music, we sang in prayer for our Queen, leaders (maybe secular and spiritual) and ourselves, and had a moment to pray quietly ourselves. I've always found Canterbury quite Catholic before with the whole Beckett shine thing and quite Marian in its focus, but this Evensong was something else. Also the sensory, emotional overload of the surroundings - beauty and art direct our affections Godwards.
And as for the stained glass ..it was infact the little children coming to Jesus..not so Disney...
My soul magnifies the Lord! Anglicans you've got something... But so has the brother singing and preaching on the streets today gospel style and brothers and sisters chatting to people about Jesus on a day that's devoted to pride (self-worth and at its worst, self-love). And I learn to set aside my stereotypes and prejudices ...and enjoy a special moment, the first time of Evensong being back in the choir since COVID. My soul doth magnify the Lord....
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