And even if there was the promise of an orgiastic tat festival, well, it still wouldn't be, you know, the real thing.

So actually, help a dense little coot out, is the object to create a humorous and make-believe 'office' (in which case you're in with a chance) or um, is it, oof! I can't bring myself to say it.

I accompany my office with incense and icons if at home. If I am in town I may well visit LSM and pray some devotions to Mary, if near my church I will go into the chapel where we reserve the most holy sacrament, genuflect (of course) and say my office.

Take the tat, the ceremony, and the processions, but do not take away from me what truly makes me "catholic".

Before I get this thread sent to Hell perhaps we ought to think about the sort of office that would be a Liturgy of Christian unrest.

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Happy Coot:
So actually, help a dense little coot out, is the object to create a humorous and make-believe 'office' (in which case you're in with a chance) or um, is it, oof! I can't bring myself to say it.

(Repeats in the manner of a Litany: Gregory of Nyssa Gregory of Nyssa)

---

Well, think about the SoF. It is kind of funny, but also very serious. Something serious enough to use at a meet, but with a sharp edge to it ...

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Happy Coot:
[If I can make a quick response without getting us sent to purgatory: my idea of a catholic spirituality involves continuity of worship eg. the orthodox concept of continuity of worship. ie. they still faithfully use the Liturgy of St John Chysostom]

---

I think the term "Living Tradition" sums up my approach. I would expect the SoF liturgy to include elements of tradition, but also new content that followed a Liturgical form. Common Worship has adopted this approach I feel. New Liturgies in this form have been created by various neo-monastic communities, such as Northumbria and Iona.

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Happy Coot:
But it was a real question - I genuinely was unsure as to whether the idea of a Ship of Fools liturgy was a joke idea or not. Ahem. Your response leads me to conclude it is serious - but even this I can't reconcile with a dismissal prayer of: "Now get us off our arses to actually do something."

---

Well the dismissal prayer is a Joke in my mind, but represents a tradition of dismissals that can be seen in the following Post-Communion prayer

quote:

---

Almighty God,
we thank you for feeding us
with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.
Through him we offer you our souls and bodies
to be a living sacrifice.
Send us out
in the power of your Spirit
to live and work
to your praise and glory.
Amen.

---

In short ... get off our arses.

Is there a way of creating a new liturgy that would make others think a bit deeper, or surprise them. Some people need to pray that God would get them off their arses and start doing things. Others will heed "Go into the world, and be an example of compassion and justice as Christ was."

Can you think of something that is meaningful to you, that might aid another?

One of the elements of the SoF Office would be a Expression of Faith. Should we use a creed, or something like this from the northumbria community?

Modern thematic liturgy doesn't turn me on. In fact. I hate it. However. The Ship is such a cool place that I feel obliged to offer some sort of support - if only feedback or my prayers that you will create something that others will find edifying.

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Happy Coot:
Who says what others only think.

---

Me 2.

quote:

---

Originally posted by sacredthree:
well being an office it should be fairly broad in its appeal. <snip> I generally find a variety of churchmanships can sit and share a basic liturgy fairly well.

---

It seems to me that before writing a listurgy [sic :-)], we need to do some work of discernment. Are we being called by God to pray together as a group? About what? Is this calling one that needs to be answered with collective and corporate prayer? If so, are there already existing forms which will serve to allow us to answer the call?

I'm suggesting here that creating a liturgical form divorced from a community need to pray it may be rather an empty exercise. It might have modest virtues as an aesthetic work or as a didactic device, but it's not likely something that will be of much help to building the body and supporting our prayer.

Please don't consider this cold water, however. We may well indeed be called to pray together in someway - but we first need to determine if we are called to journey together to a particular destination before making travel plans and building a vehicle.

quote:

---

Originally posted by sacredthree:
Joan the SoF is an online community. We live, laugh and suffer together. We are united by the sense of unrest we feel.

Liturgy should flow like water from that interaction.

---

I completely agree - but we still need to do the work of discernment. If we are indeed "united by the sense of unrest we feel", we still need to work together to articulate the content of that 'unrest' and hear how God might be calling us to respond. I will confess to being a relative newbie here, but I'm not yet clear in my mind on either the content or the calling.

But I do look forward to doing this work if others are so inclined.

More seriously and because I feel that a general confession taken at breakneck speed and an absolution which follows hard on the heels smacks of "let's get this out of the way and not associate it with our lives as we lead them": a confession

"Lord, we have said too much and said too little." (pause to reflect on insensitive remarks and lack of comfort/encouraging remarks)

"Lord, we have done too much and done too little." (pause to reflect on being too busy and procrastinating)

"Lord, we have prayed too much and prayed too little." (pause to reflect on praying to change the order of things to suit ourselves and ignoring real injustice)

"Lord, we have thought too much and thought too little." (pause to reflect on hair-splitting and prejudice)

"Lord, we have loved too much and loved too little." (pause to reflect on infatuation or smother-love and ignoring those who don't interest you)

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ann:
(it needs a conclusion, anyone?)

---

how about:

Lord, we have confessed too much, and confessed too little. Enough already.

The Lord forgives; never too much, never too little. In the Lord there is perfection and peace. Be still and receive the forgiveness and peace of the Lord.

bb

[add this to the end of Ann's contribution]
Lord, we have confessed too much, and confessed too little. (reflect on the minor transgressions that you've blown up so that they obscure the major transgressions.)

[use this as a bridge]
Lord, You know all that is said and unsaid,
done and undone,
prayed for and unprayed for,
thought and ignored,
loved and unloved,
confessed and hidden.

Lord, we have done too much and done too little.
(pause to reflect on being too busy and procrastinating)

Lord, we have prayed too much and prayed too little.
(pause to reflect on praying to change the order of things to suit ourselves and ignoring real injustice)

Lord, we have thought too much and thought too little.
(pause to reflect on hair-splitting and prejudice)

Lord, we have loved too much and loved too little.
(pause to reflect on infatuation or smother-love and ignoring those who don't interest you)

Lord, we have confessed too much, and confessed too little.
(reflect on the minor transgressions that you've blown up so that they obscure the major transgressions.)

Lord,
You know all that is said and unsaid,
done and undone,
prayed for and unprayed for,
thought and ignored,
loved and unloved,
confessed and hidden.

Will try and work on a Collect of Unrest while I'm on holiday

Since Tony is currently unemployed I commission him to contact FJ about the psalm.

Also had to face up to lots of unresolved problems and unconfessed sins. Funny, had a terrible week this week in a job that I love and there are only decent workmates. The management are a bit hypersenstive and I really stood on someone's toes this week and was terrified that I might get sacked. All the old paranoia was back and the devil was laughing at me again.

this time it wasn't the shipmates who rallied round, cos I haven't been on the boards lately, but my non-xtian workmates! God used them to show me that there is no way I'm going to lose this job cos He put me in it, and I just gotta stop and trust!

So it's a Psalm written out of unrest, just like David did. I had my own "Saul" to be frightened of, and that which I wrote was the result.

If it helps, have it. I've lost my copy so I'd appreciate the chance to retrieve it from Tony to go on my poems page on my own website at Fudge's marshmallow World

Psalm 34, or otherwise

I cried unto the Lord and He heard me,
And sent me the love of all my dear friends,
The Angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him,
And creates a shield from the prayers of those closest to me.

Such kindness and friendship in a wicked world,
Was indeed a treasure to discover.
An oasis in the boiling seas of life,
Where all my shipmates came to gather round me.
I had not thought such love
Still existed in this fast decaying time,
But you all care more than any
A balm to a troubled spirit and frightened heart.
Reminded me who holds the chart,
Who the pilot of my ship is,
Who has the answers and listens when I scream and stamp.
Who puts the sun behind the clouds
To burst through a billion times brighter
When the storm passes.

My guardian angels were the hearts of my friends,
There in the time of need,
Let me praise you and the Captain,
Whose sons and daughters we all are,
For giving such clear assurance,
He's still in charge.
----------------------------
Land ahoy, me lads,
The Journey won't be much longer,
Press on towards the shore,
To gain an eternal harbour secure.

It's great to see something like this grow.

we believe in unrest, to separate the chaff from the wheat.
we believe in doubt, in questions, in opinions. god has them; jesus has them, why shouldn't we?
we believe in ourselves - the only people who can change things.
we believe in jesus, the subversive, the rebel. he regarded people rather than laws as important. he felt all feelings, including anger, pain and abandonment.
we believe in a god who uses misfits, oddballs, unlikely, ordinanry people to tell his story.

it's late, and i'm running dry. will maybe add more later.....

any one else?

Preparation

Greeting:
God loves you, and there is nothing you can do about it

A Prayer of Preparation / Confession:
Lord, we have said too much and said too little.
(pause to reflect on insensitive remarks and lack of comfort/encouraging remarks)
Lord, we have done too much and done too little.
(pause to reflect on being too busy and procrastinating)

Lord, we have prayed too much and prayed too little.
(pause to reflect on praying to change the order of things to suit ourselves and ignoring real injustice)

Lord, we have thought too much and thought too little.
(pause to reflect on hair-splitting and prejudice)

Lord, we have loved too much and loved too little.
(pause to reflect on infatuation or smother-love and ignoring those who don't interest you)

Lord, we have confessed too much, and confessed too little.
(reflect on the minor transgressions that you've blown up so that they obscure the major transgressions.)

Lord,
You know all that is said and unsaid,
done and undone,
prayed for and unprayed for,
thought and ignored,
loved and unloved,
confessed and hidden.

The Lord forgives; never too much,
never too little.
In the Lord there is perfection and peace.
Be still and receive the forgiveness and peace of the Lord.

A Collect of Christian Unrest:
TonyK? Anything yet?

Liturgy of the Word

An Expression of Faith:
we believe in unrest, to separate the chaff from the wheat.
we believe in doubt, in questions, in opinions. god has them; jesus has them, why shouldn't we?
we believe in ourselves - the only people who can change things.
we believe in jesus, the subversive, the rebel. he regarded people rather than laws as important. he felt all feelings, including anger, pain and abandonment.
we believe in a god who uses misfits, oddballs, unlikely, ordinanry people to tell his story.

Space for Readings:

Psalm:
Psalm 34, or otherwise

I cried unto the Lord and He heard me,
And sent me the love of all my dear friends,
The Angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him,
And creates a shield from the prayers of those closest to me.

Such kindness and friendship in a wicked world,
Was indeed a treasure to discover.
An oasis in the boiling seas of life,
Where all my shipmates came to gather round me.
I had not thought such love
Still existed in this fast decaying time,
But you all care more than any
A balm to a troubled spirit and frightened heart.
Reminded me who holds the chart,
Who the pilot of my ship is,
Who has the answers and listens when I scream and stamp.
Who puts the sun behind the clouds
To burst through a billion times brighter
When the storm passes.

My guardian angels were the hearts of my friends,
There in the time of need,
Let me praise you and the Captain,
Whose sons and daughters we all are,
For giving such clear assurance,
He's still in charge.
----------------------------
Land ahoy, me lads,
The Journey won't be much longer,
Press on towards the shore,
To gain an eternal harbour secure.

Prayers
Intercessions and Thanksgivings
The Lords Prayer (perhaps our own "translation")

Conclusion
Dismissal:

Go with God, and stay with God.

quote:

---

Paul Sheppy from "Prayers for a New Millennium".
The worship is over; the service begins.
Go, people of Go, into God's world.
Mett Christ in friend and stranger,
serve him in all you meet.
And may the blessing of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit fill you
and the whole of creation,
now and always.

---

Possible addition to the creed:

We believe in love, that comforts and challenges, that never lets us stay still but always draws us towards God.

The Lord Prayer will be quite hard, je pense. Interestingly, though, I think the Our father/hallowed be your name dichotomy will fit in quite well with the restless tension there seems to be in the rest of what's been written... How about starting:

God, whose home is heaven, who we on Earth love, and laugh with, and revere...

And for the 'forgive us our sins':

Here's an offering for the Lords Prayer:

God, whose home is heaven, who we on Earth love, and laugh with, and revere, may we help to build your Kingdom right here and now, uniting Earth with Heaven in one creation centred on you and living by your light and your love.

You became an embodied spirit, like us, and you know our needs of body and soul. May we have what we need to live so that we may give ourselves wholly to you.

Challenged by the knowledge of your complete forgiveness, help us to forgive others. Forgive us that we are afraid to receive only the forgiveness we have given.

We believe you will not break us, but if we must be tested for your glory and our growth then give us strength.

Do not abandon us in the darkness that is sometimes our own minds, and stand between us and others who may try to imprison us in the darkness of the world.

The worship is over; the service begins.
Go with God, and stay with God.

or some other fusion?