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Source: (consider it) Thread: Eccles: Tenebrae
Mrs Toad
Shipmate
# 2883

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Thank you very much.

SS

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Here to-day, up and off to somewhere else to-morrow! Travel, change, interest, excitement! The whole world before you, and a horizon that's always changing!

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Sine Nomine*

Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631

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I'm trying to decide where to "do" Tenebrae tonight. Our Methodist neighbors are coming to us tonight and the psalms will be spoken, which is kind of yucky. Plus our music director told me he's on call to play the hymns. Hymns?? The whole thing sounds a bit dicey.

But even the cathedral may not be safe. I've heard rumors of liturgical dance over there.

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ken
Ship's Roundhead
# 2460

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A few minutes left in the office to decide whether or not to go straight home & spend the evening with my best beloved young daughter, or go to the service at Margaret Street & leave her to her own devices.

Does it make a difference that she is even now round at the Baptist minister's house discussing church membership?

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Ken

L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle.

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Cosmo
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# 117

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Off to Margaret St with you.

Cosmo

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Siegfried
Ship's ferret
# 29

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Geneva Gown ON
Just a reminder...

We are saving seasonal threads like this in Limbo during the off-season, so they can be dusted off and used the next year.

Geneva Gown OFF

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Siegfried
Life is just a bowl of cherries!

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HoosierNan
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# 91

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Thanks, Latinman. I am taking my sons to Tenebrae on Good Friday. It will be similar to what you described.

The loud noise is usually a book slammed shut, or a book dropped. The book is usually the one from which the readings have been done.

The Christ candle is taken away and then returned, to remind us that the Savior came back to us. Much silence is kept, especially at the end. It is best if people leave the building silently after the service.

Very moving.

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Elizabeth Anne

Altar Girl
# 3555

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I went to a Tenebrae at St. Tom's Fifth Ave. this afternoon. It was so wonderful, especially when all the lights were dimmed to darkness and the only light present was whatever filtered in from the stained glass windows high above...

...until the loud noise. Let's just say it sounded as if a few of the choir boys had accidentally sat on the organ: some jarring, horrrible chord. Why oh why did they use that as the loud noise?

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Born under a bad sign with a blue moon in my eyes...

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jugular
Voice of Treason
# 4174

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Don't you people know that you use garbage bin lids?

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We’ve got to act like a church that hasn’t already internalized the narrative of its own decline Ray Suarez

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dyfrig
Blue Scarfed Menace
# 15

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As it appears nowhere in the BCP, CW or in any other book commended by the House of Bishops, can someone clarify how having Tenebrae sits with reference to canon law and legally permitted services?

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"He was wrong in the long run, but then, who isn't?" - Tony Judt

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diapason
Apprentice
# 4230

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We've done a shortened Tenebrae a couple of times with the Couperin 'Lecons de Tenebres' (sorry for the lack of cedilla). We arranged the loud noise by asking everyone via the order of service to hit the chair/pew in front with their hymn book, with the choir being given a cue and pre-warned to give it laldy. Remarkable effect!

We also don't have a 'hearse', but arranged 14 of the candles in crucifix formation up the staps towards the high altar.

This thread makes me sorry I didn't organise one this year...

I got our order (with plainchant) from RSCM, who have apparently sold their stocks of traditional plainchant publications to an American company (see http://www.beaufort.demon.co.uk/books.htm)

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Degs

Friend of dorothy
# 2824

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quote:
Originally posted by Dyfrig:
As it appears nowhere in the BCP, CW or in any other book commended by the House of Bishops, can someone clarify how having Tenebrae sits with reference to canon law and legally permitted services?

Try Canon B5:

2. The minister having the cure of souls may on occasions for which no provision is made in the BCP or by the General Synod under Canon B2 or by the Convocations, archbishops, or Ordinary under Canon B4 use forms of service considered suitable by him for those occasions and may permit another minister to use the said forms of service.

3. All variations in forms of service and all forms of service used under this Canon shall be reverent and seemly and shall be neither contrary to, nor indicative of any departure from, the doctrine of the CofE in any essential matter.

I think Tenebrae fits the bill!!

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The preest when he hath sayd and red all: he gyueth the benedyccion upon all those that be there present and then he doth tourne hym from the people retournynge thyther from whens he came.

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Sine Nomine*

Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631

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So I went to Tenebrae at my own church last night. We had our Methodist friends with us, and in their honor we replaced some of the psalms with hymns because, as the order of service informed us, that is in the Methodist tradition of Tenebrae. Other psalms were replaced with contemporary poems, which puzzled me since I had foolishly thought the psalms themselves were poetry. Oh well. Whatever. Anything for a quiet life.

Then we stand up to sing "O sacred head" which is printed in the Order of Service and due to a printing screw up, the second half of all the verses were missing, and they hadn't given out hymnals. Sine, of course, doesn't leave home without his hymnal, so he got to do solos on the second half of all the verses.

The piece de resistance, however, was the acolyte going brain dead at the end and extinguishing the last candle instead of removing it. So the clergy marches out. Most of the congo follows, while a few of us stand around muttering under our breath. As I said to our rector on the way out "Oops! Guess there's no resurrection this year."

But still better than the cathedral, where I am given to understand each psalm was "interpreted" by liturgical dancers.

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Nunc Dimittis
Seamstress of Sound
# 848

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I am off to Tenebrae tonight in Melbourne at St Peters... Wish them (and me) all the best; I always feel nervous at premieres...
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Mrs Toad
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I hpe everything went well, Nunc.

Well, I got to Margaret Street. The music was beautiful (of course), absolutely everything was sung including the readings. We had some Victoria, Lassus, Ingegneri, Viadana, Anerio and the rest of the responds were Faburduns.

The hearse had fifteen holders for candles but only eleven were used. Two candles were extinguished at each Psalm. This doesn't sound right to me, maybe they ran out of candles (in that place, yeah right).

Lights
I was a bit disappointed that the main lights in the church, though dimmed, remained on until the benedictus. I think it was because we had sheets with all the words on and might have wanted to read them.

The choir went to the back of the church before the Benedictus so there was a little light from there but that was all apart from the six tall candles on the high alter. I thought that some fool had forgotten to extinguish them before the liturgy began, but during the Benedictus they were slowly extinguished one-by-one until there was just the one candle burning.

Candle
I got a big scare when the candle was hidden under the alter. The server lifted the corner of the frontal and assorted other cloths and slipped the naked flame through the gap. I was waiting for the altar to become a ball of fire.

The Miserere (Victoria) was sung in complete darkness.

Loud noise
The earthquake sounded like someone’s fist on a wooden board. It gave me such a shock, even after chanting in my head “I know it’s going to be now, here it comes, right now, here it is, now…” I think there’s a sermon in that.

At the end there was a pause with just the one candle and whatever light the street lamps spared for us (I liked to think it was the moon – more romantic), then snap, many lights near the door came on to illuminate the bearers of collection plates as we had been handed sheets saying

quote:
“The Vicar and Churchwardens invite generous offerings at the retiring collection this evening. The expense incurred at this additional Holy Week service is considerable but we nevertheless hope to maintain the tradition we have revived.”
I was accosted on my way out so I paid up. It makes sense with such an expensive choir but it did spoil the effect a bit.

I enjoyed the liturgy and will definitely try to go again. Thank you for persuading me to go.

Ken, did you make it?

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Here to-day, up and off to somewhere else to-morrow! Travel, change, interest, excitement! The whole world before you, and a horizon that's always changing!

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Hooker's Trick

Admin Emeritus and Guardian of the Gin
# 89

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The Tricks dutifully wandered down to St Paul's K Street to sample this Lenten offering.

Plain chant singing of psalms and reading sung to a very dull tone by the rector who looked as if he had broken his Lenten fast a bit early and hit the gin in the sacristy (he was extremely red-faced). By the way, what ought the clergy wear at Tenebrae? I suppose I expected that he would wear a scarf as for the Offices, but in fact he made do with cassock and cotta.

The verdict is that it was so boring I could poke my eyes out with a crucifix, and La Trick suggested that we sneak out the aisle door.

We decide that we are of insufficiently exalted churchmanship to appreciate having St Augustine's wise words chaunted to us by candlelight, and are much better off sticking with the Daily Offices.

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Stephen
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# 40

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Well it wasn't the traditional Tenebrae,but I felt it was nonetheless effective.It was a bit like alt.worship in parts - Edward Green would have liked it(!) methinks - with candles of all shapes and sizes on the altar.There weren't all that amny of us - about 20 of us in the St.Anne Chapel but it is new to us.
The service consisted of hymns,readings (mainly Biblical altho' there was one by RS Thomas ) and psalms.The candles were put out 2 at a time apart from the one.The last reading was an excerpt from the Easter sermon of St.John Chrysostom after which the big Bible on the altar was slammed soundly shut and slammed equally as loudly on to the altar.
There are no prizes for guessing who was delegated that particular duty.....

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Best Wishes
Stephen

'Be still,then, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations and I will be exalted in the earth' Ps46 v10

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HoosierNan
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# 91

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Tenebrae was not done very well at my church this year. Our interim pastor, although in many ways very nice and capable, is not much of a liturgist. The campus pastor, who is much better at such things, can't carry the whole load, especially in a cooperative service like this.

For people who are contemplating doing something like this, some deficiencies I noticed:

Not dark enough. The organist left the light on his music stand, even though all his work was done before the Christ candle left. There were other problems with the lighting.

The silences for reflection, which are an integral part of the service, were much too short. Most were less than 10 seconds. (I pretended I was Mystery Worshipping and started timing them with the sweep second hand of my watch after the first two or three.) Even Americans can learn to tolerate half a minute of silence! A full minute would have been better.

The participants in the dramatic reading of the gospel lesson should have been vested, at the very least in acolyte robes. Or in dark street clothes, as if going to a funeral. As it was, the two ministers and the two additional readers were all wearing something different.

What was done right:

The worship space had been thoroughly stripped the night before as part of the Maundy Thursday service.

The Taize chant after the Christ candle was returned (Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.) was started at just the right time by one of our best soloists, then taken up by the congregation very reverently. Many people hummed it through the last time, and everyone sang it or hummed it quietly, and ended in unison. Especially nice to see how everyone was in sync with one another, since the service leaflet had not said how many times we should sing it through. It just seemed right to end it when we did.

Aside from costuming, the dramatic reading of John's gospel account of the arrest, trial, and crucifixion was done very well. Reverent, used microphones for clarity of sound, good pacing and inflection.

I should probably volunteer to be in charge of the details next year; maybe even organize a rehearsal.

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Stephen
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# 40

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Hoosiernan,I was wondering how yours went - it sounded OK to me.Ours was different again,but I found it very moving and and in many ways almost disturbing.The light was a problem with us too I thought - it was at 7.00pm which as Easter is late this year was perhaps a bit early.
However,I'm glad I went

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Best Wishes
Stephen

'Be still,then, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations and I will be exalted in the earth' Ps46 v10

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Wm Duncan

Buoy tender
# 3021

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I'm wondering about hiding the last candle, versus extinguishing it.

In my church, this was understood to signify a choice of significance, between Christ seeming to die, and really dying.

Extinguishing it would seem also to be a fitting move, if the the Christ candle is to be lit from a new fire kindled on Easter morning.

Wm Duncan

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I have overcome a fiercely anti-Catholic upbringing in order to attend Mass simply and solely to escape Protestant guitars. Why am I here? Who gave these nice Catholics guitars?
-- Annie Dillard

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HoosierNan
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# 91

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I imagine that the Christ candle could be done either way. In the Apostle's Creed, it states that Christ "descended to hell." Taking the candle into the sacristy could symbolize that. We bring the candle out again soon (but not too soon!) after the loud noise, as a sign of hope.

If you do extinguish and then rekindle on Easter morning, there is the discontinuity of it. Is the resurrection Christ the same person or a different, new person?

Whatever symbolism you wish to emphasize would make a difference here.

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basso

Ship’s Crypt Keeper
# 4228

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quote:
Originally posted by saecula saeculorum:


The earthquake sounded like someone’s fist on a wooden board. It gave me such a shock, even after chanting in my head “I know it’s going to be now, here it comes, right now, here it is, now…” I think there’s a sermon in that.

I get to make the loud noise when we do Tenebrae. Since I'm in the loft at that point (the final chants are done from the back) I have the director's stand -- a wooden platform -- that I can bash on the floor. It makes a very satisfying crash.
Next time, though, I'll moderate it a bit -- I've been told that it was a bit too startling last year.

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Nunc Dimittis
Seamstress of Sound
# 848

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Tenebrae at St Peters was cold, but very effective, I thought...

The pauses in the middle of lines (the psalms were all said responsorially) were inordinately long... But the choir made up for this! [Not worthy!]

I spent most of the time stressing over whether or not my recording gear was working or not - but it all seems to have turned out ok.

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Siegfried
Ship's ferret
# 29

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4 local churches listed Tenebrae services this year here in Champaign-Urbana: 1 Methodist, 1 Baptist, 1 Lutheran and 1 "Bible Church". None of the three local Episcopal churches had them, from what I can tell.

Sieg

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ken
Ship's Roundhead
# 2460

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quote:
Originally posted by saecula saeculorum:

Well, I got to Margaret Street.

[...]

Ken, did you make it?

Yes! It was lovely. And more "meditative" than I had imagined. The chanting was (mostly) quite clear enough to follow the readings, which is not always the case with chanting.

quote:


Lights
I was a bit disappointed that the main lights in the church, though dimmed, remained on until the benedictus. I think it was because we had sheets with all the words on and might have wanted to read them.


or the choir...

I agree. More and earlier darkness would have been more effective. Even at the end I was getting enough light to see quite clearly, though not to read by.
quote:


Candle
I got a big scare when the candle was hidden under the alter. The server lifted the corner of the frontal and assorted other cloths and slipped the naked flame through the gap. I was waiting for the altar to become a ball of fire.


Just what I thought too! Also the man didn't look tall enough to reach the candle at first.
quote:


Loud noise
At the end there was a pause with just the one candle and whatever light the street lamps spared for us (I liked to think it was the moon ? more romantic), then snap, many lights near the door came on to illuminate the bearers of collection plates as we had been handed sheets saying
quote:
?The Vicar and Churchwardens invite generous offerings at the retiring collection this evening. The expense incurred at this additional Holy Week service is considerable but we nevertheless hope to maintain the tradition we have revived.?
I was accosted on my way out so I paid up. It makes sense with such an expensive choir but it did spoil the effect a bit.

Some other way of handling this would have been preferable. An event like this is always in danger of ceasing to be a church service and becoming a performance instead.

But all in all, very good. I can imagine going again. And lovely music.

In some ways the strangest thing was walking out at the end and being almost immediately in Soho.

And the hugest contrast with my own church, and the Good Friday service we have in combination with the local Baptists and others. But I still don't see myself becoming a closet Anglo-Catholic. The plainer and more participatory nature of our "normal" services (not to mention the sermon) does, in the end, feel more "worshipful". Whatever that means.

--------------------
Ken

L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle.

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Belisarius
Lord Bountiful of Admin (Emeritus) Delights
# 32

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Orginally posted by Josephine
quote:
I think the tenebrae is a beautiful service. The Lutheran church I belonged to, lo these many years ago, did it on Good Friday. It was, I think, my favorite service of the year.
Oringally posted by Eigon
quote:
I went on an Easter retreat with the Order of the Holy Paraclete (Anglican nuns in Whitby,Yorkshire) about 20 years ago. We were students, mostly from the RE departments of Lancaster and Nottingham universities, and we joined the sisters in all their services, keeping silence, fasting, and feasting. I think they did two tenebrae services as part of this, which involved getting up in the middle of the night, and it was the most marvellous experience. My only clear memory after all this time, though is the huge triangular rack of candles they had at the front of the chapel, and the feeling of peace.
Oringally posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe
quote:
I believe Tenebrae was originally Matins of Good Friday but was "anticipated" on Maundy Thursday evening. There are as many lit candles as there are readings, plus an extra candle representing Christ. After each reading a candle is extinguished until finally only the Christ Candle remains lit. This is then removed from the church, signifying Christ's death. After a period of meditation, a loud sound is made, signifying the earthquake that occurred on the day of Resurrection, and the lit Christ Candle is returned to the church, signifying the Resurrection -- the triumph of light over darkness. Many churches in the US observe Tenebrae on one day during Holy Week. I've seen it done most often on Tuesday.

Last year I led an abbreviated Tenebrae service at my office (major US law firm), as one of our lawyers had led a Hannukah service previously. It went over well.



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Animals may be Evolution's Icing, but Bacteria are the Cake.
Andrew Knoll

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Revbert
Apprentice
# 5443

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quote:
Originally posted by Stephen:
I think we're having a form of Tenebrae on Good Friday.I seem to remember Nancy Winningham describe such a service in the Lutheran Church.Isn't the Bible slammed shut with the words 'It is finished' at the end?

<groan> Tenebrae is NOT for Good Friday. Why do my Lutheran sisters and brothers insist so often to do it then????

AFH

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Art Hebbeler
aka. Revbert or Bishop of Beltsville

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Amanda B. Reckondwythe

Dressed for Church
# 5521

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Last year I organized an abbreviated Tenebrae at the office (major US law firm). One of the attorneys had previously conducted a Hannukah service and I thought that Christians should be given an opportunity likewise to share with their co-workers.

I had first surveyed the employees to determine interest, and the service was put together based on their suggestions. We "talked it up" as a service commemorating the triumph of good over evil.

The service began with Opening Sentences recited in responsory fashion:

John 8:12
Psalm 139:10-11
John 3:16-17,20-21

We then had seven readings, each done by one of the participants, with the exception of the Lord's Prayer, which was recited by all:

John 1:1-14
Psalm 3
Psalm 35:17-28

The Lord’s Prayer

Lamentations 1:1-14
John 19:17-30
Isaiah 53:1-9

The service was held in a windowless conference room, and so we were able to achieve total darkness after the Christ Candle was removed. For the loud noise, someone knocked once at the door.

I especially like the Lamentations passage. Although the writer was referring to Jerusalem, I can't help but think of Baghdad.

The experience was quite moving, especially in the context of the workplace, and I think I'll do it again this year.

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"I take prayer too seriously to use it as an excuse for avoiding work and responsibility." -- The Revd Martin Luther King Jr.

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ej
Shipmate
# 2259

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We ran a tenebrae a couple of years back which we were terribly pleased with... And when I say 'we' I mean a group of about 8 people between about 15 and 25...

This was in a fairly traditional Baptist church which usually didn't find much time for 'reflection' or darkness...

The sanctuary was primarily candlelit, and featured the communion table with six large white and one large red candle, and seven large red banners hung across the front of the church, each with a single sentence that represented each of the shadows. Each shadows reading was also accompanied by a suitable item of background music, and with an appropriate image displayed on an overhead projector. At the conclusion of each reading the appropriate banner was pulled down, one of the candles extinguished, and a few minutes for quiet reflection were given. A very quiet heartbeat was also playing through the entire service, which only ended on the death of Christ, thereby leaving the entire congregation in an empty silence.

Went beautifully... The mix of sound, light, word, image, movement... All just came together quite amazingly.

If anybody's interested, I've got the complete order of service, complete with images, words, etc ready to go. Happy to share! [Smile] Better than gathering dust in my drawers!!!

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For my next trick I shall turn this water into funk...
...a little breathing-space...

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Spiffy
Ship's WonderSheep
# 5267

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Apparently my parish choir is doing a Tenebrae service this year the night of Palm Sunday. We're using a Hal Hopson arrangement of both liturgy and music. Only sang through it once so far, and that was a sight-reading 'Here's what's coming up in six weeks' kind of deal. Whatever.

Seems odd to be doing it the night of Palm Sunday, though I guess I'm just used to going to services every night of Holy Week.

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Looking for a simple solution to all life's problems? We are proud to present obstinate denial. Accept no substitute. Accept nothing.
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HoosierNan
Shipmate
# 91

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OK, if Tenebrae is NOT for Good Friday, when IS it for?

It certainly seems to have Good Friday written all over it to me!!!!!!

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RuthW

liberal "peace first" hankie squeezer
# 13

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It's for the Wednesday in Holy Week.
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AdamPater
Sacristan of the LavaLamp
# 4431

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I thought it was clearly for Maundy Thursday.

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Put not your trust in princes.

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Cosmo
Shipmate
# 117

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All of you are wrong.

Tenebrae is set for the last three days of Holy Week; namely Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. However, as it is the combined Office of Matins and Lauds, it is often anticipated and thus sung on the preceding evening. In this way, Tenebrae of Maundy Thursday is sung on Spy Wednesday evening and so on.

Advanced churches will have three sets of Tenebrae but most of us will just have to get along with one. The most common day to have it seems to be the Maundy Thursday set, ie on Spy Wednesday. This is probably because people are scared of overloading the programme later in the week.

Cosmo

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Liber Usualis
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# 5193

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For those of your interested, Tenebrae will be sung on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Holy Week at S. Michael and All Angels, Mount Dinham, Exeter. If anyone intends to join us, let me know via this and I can give you more details.

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Sing all tongues, let none be dumb; "Sacred Heart thy Kingdom come"

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irreverentkit
Apostle's Amanuensis
# 4271

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quote:
Originally posted by Cosmo:
All of you are wrong.

Tenebrae of Maundy Thursday is sung on Spy Wednesday evening and so on... the most common day to have it seems to be the Maundy Thursday set, ie on Spy Wednesday.

OK, dumb American here. What is Spy Wednesday?
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lapensiera
Shipmate
# 4057

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ok ... i'm with irreverentkit - just guessing that Spy Wednesday is the name for Wednesday of Holy Week, maybe? but i'd really love to know for sure ... and speaking of - do Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week have such names as well, or just Wednesday through Sunday?

and how should i go about trying to find out if anyone in this half of the world is having a Tenebrae service anyway?!? would they have posted it on website (if site is updated with any frequency), or will i have to depend on something like the local newspaper's Saturday religion briefs the day before Palm Sunday? sounds like in the US it's most likely to be done by Catholics, Episcopalians, Lutherans, and/or possibly Methodists, right?

[ 29. February 2004, 02:30: Message edited by: lapensiera ]

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"We need not be afraid of the power that is in us;
it will meet its match one day in the omnipotent weakness of God." Simon Tugwell

Posts: 211 | From: south central Louisiana, USA | Registered: Feb 2003  |  IP: Logged
ecumaniac

Ship's whipping girl
# 376

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On Good Friday, a group of my friends and I traditionally go on a "church crawl" (traditionally=for the past 2 years)

Each year we try to squeeze in one more service but we've hit the limit at seven, so this year we are going to run one of our own.

I've thought of doing Tenebrae, but starting about 45mins before sunrise and using the texts for Good Friday. None of this anticipating on the night before stuff!

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it's a secret club for people with a knitting addiction, hiding under the cloak of BDSM - Catrine

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Chesterbelloc

Tremendous trifler
# 3128

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Spy Wednesday and Tenebrae, for enquiring minds.

CB

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"[A] moral, intellectual, and social step below Mudfrog."

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Bishops Finger
Shipmate
# 5430

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If anyone's in London on Palm Sunday, the Lutheran Church of St. Anne and St. Agnes, Gresham Street, EC2 (near St. Paul's Cathedral) is holding a service of Tenebrae at 7.00pm with music by Victoria.

This church has a fine musical tradition, so it should be worth attending.

Ian J.

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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)

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Stephen
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# 40

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Possibly some kind soul can do a MW report on it or possibly just a report on this thread - assuming anyone goes (it won't be me)
It certainly seems to have a fine musical tradition as you say....

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Best Wishes
Stephen

'Be still,then, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations and I will be exalted in the earth' Ps46 v10

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Spiffy
Ship's WonderSheep
# 5267

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We have been going backwards through the Tenebrae booklet (arr. by Hal Hopson), and got to piece #4 today.

Four verses of boooring stuff. To the tune of 'Kum bah ya'. [Help]

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Looking for a simple solution to all life's problems? We are proud to present obstinate denial. Accept no substitute. Accept nothing.
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magnum mysterium
Shipmate
# 3418

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I'm conducting at a Tenebrae service on 6 April at 8pm at my place (All Saints Ainslie) if anyone is interested. I'm having responsories by Victoria, Handl, and our own shipmate Nunc Dimittis. The form will be adapted from the 1991 ECUSA Book of Occasional Services.

PS - Allegri's setting of Psalm 51 will be used at the end.

[ 17. March 2004, 23:21: Message edited by: Magnum Mysterium ]

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ecumaniac

Ship's whipping girl
# 376

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One of the people coming on my Good Friday church crawl has to be on a plane at 6am on Good Friday. So we are going to have our first service at 5am on the median strip in the middle of the road leading into the Airport. I wonder if we'll be suspected as terrorists?
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jlg

What is this place?
Why am I here?
# 98

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Now that you've posted that, you just might be. How important is it that said friend be on that flight? [Biased]
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magnum mysterium
Shipmate
# 3418

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We're having Tenebrae at our place this year, on the Tuesday night of Holy Week. The responsories will be ones set by Victoria, Handl, Pacchioni, and our very own shipmate, Nunc Dimittis. We shall sing Allegri's Miserere at the end. I'm very excited about it as it hasn't been done before in the parish. Anyone feel like MWing it?!!
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Siegfried
Ship's ferret
# 29

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bumping so people can ask questions or report on Tenebrae services

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Siegfried
Life is just a bowl of cherries!

Posts: 5592 | From: Tallahassee, FL USA | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
Spiffy
Ship's WonderSheep
# 5267

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Well, we sang the H.H.H. Tenebrae again this year (and once again I stated that if I have to sing Kum Bah Ya any more this year, I'll [Projectile] . Turned out well, I think. Turnout was about the same for a service, which was good 'cause usually these extra-Shabbat services have low turnout.

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Looking for a simple solution to all life's problems? We are proud to present obstinate denial. Accept no substitute. Accept nothing.
--Night Vale Radio Twitter Account

Posts: 10281 | From: Beervana | Registered: Dec 2003  |  IP: Logged
St. Punk the Pious

Biblical™ Punk
# 683

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Tenebrae at my favorite barely ECUSA parish was somber. No music or singing. It was two service leaders, four older ladies, and me.

But it was still good worship. Visually, it was quite nice. There's a single round stained glass window of Jesus over the altar. To have the candles a ways in front of that window in a darkened sanctuary gave an excellent setting.

And they did make the earthquake loud. I was startled even though I was expecting it.

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The Society of St. Pius *
Wannabe Anglican, Reader
My reely gud book.

Posts: 4161 | From: Choral Evensong | Registered: Jul 2001  |  IP: Logged
Amazing Grace*

Shipmate
# 4754

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I was under the impression that this was a choral service at my (new to me) church. It's not.

Two people from our choir lead it and took turns being cantor/reader. The service was entirely chanted, except for the responsories, Psalm 51 at the end, and the closing collect.

There were about thirty people present. While it would be nice to hear an excellent choir (such as ours) doing it, I felt like I was participating in the office fully.

The darkness and the noise at the end were quite effective, even though I knew the latter was coming (and had seen the instrument of said noise beforehand).

Charlotte

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.sig on vacation

Posts: 2594 | From: Sittin' by the dock of the [SF] bay | Registered: Jul 2003  |  IP: Logged
Chorister

Completely Frocked
# 473

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We didn't have Tenebrae last night. But someone did drop their hymnbook with a loud clatter, so maybe, in a way, we did?

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Retired, sitting back and watching others for a change.

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