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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Eccles: Tenebrae
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HoosierNan
Shipmate
# 91
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Posted
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.
Posts: 795 | From: Indiana, USA | Registered: May 2001
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Stephen
Shipmate
# 40
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Posted
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
Posts: 3954 | From: Alto C Clef Country | Registered: May 2001
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Wm Duncan
Buoy tender
# 3021
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Posted
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
Posts: 1193 | From: about 30 km above the Juan de Fuca plate | Registered: Jul 2002
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HoosierNan
Shipmate
# 91
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Posted
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.
Posts: 795 | From: Indiana, USA | Registered: May 2001
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basso
Ship’s Crypt Keeper
# 4228
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Posted
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.
Posts: 4358 | From: Bay Area, Calif | Registered: Mar 2003
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Nunc Dimittis
Seamstress of Sound
# 848
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Posted
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!]](graemlins/notworthy.gif)
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.
Posts: 9515 | From: Delta Quadrant | Registered: Jul 2001
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Siegfried
Ship's ferret
# 29
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Posted
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
Posts: 5592 | From: Tallahassee, FL USA | Registered: May 2001
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ken
Ship's Roundhead
# 2460
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Posted
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.
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Ken
L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle.
Posts: 39579 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2002
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Belisarius
Lord Bountiful of Admin (Emeritus) Delights
# 32
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Posted
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
Posts: 8080 | From: New York | Registered: May 2001
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Revbert
Apprentice
# 5443
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Posted
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
Posts: 5 | From: Baltimore, Maryland, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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Amanda B. Reckondwythe
Dressed for Church
# 5521
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Posted
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.
Posts: 10542 | From: The Great Southwest | Registered: Feb 2004
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ej
Shipmate
# 2259
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Posted
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]](smile.gif) 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...
Posts: 426 | From: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: Jan 2002
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Spiffy
Ship's WonderSheep
# 5267
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Posted
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.
--Night Vale Radio Twitter Account
Posts: 10281 | From: Beervana | Registered: Dec 2003
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HoosierNan
Shipmate
# 91
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Posted
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!!!!!!
Posts: 795 | From: Indiana, USA | Registered: May 2001
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RuthW
liberal "peace first" hankie squeezer
# 13
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Posted
It's for the Wednesday in Holy Week.
Posts: 24453 | From: La La Land | Registered: Apr 2001
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AdamPater
Sacristan of the LavaLamp
# 4431
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Posted
I thought it was clearly for Maundy Thursday.
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Put not your trust in princes.
Posts: 4894 | From: On the left of the big pink bit. | Registered: Apr 2003
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Cosmo
Shipmate
# 117
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Posted
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
Posts: 2375 | Registered: May 2001
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Liber Usualis
Shipmate
# 5193
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Posted
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"
Posts: 59 | From: Bristol | Registered: Nov 2003
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irreverentkit
Apostle's Amanuensis
# 4271
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Posted
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?
Posts: 1010 | Registered: Mar 2003
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lapensiera
Shipmate
# 4057
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Posted
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
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ecumaniac
Ship's whipping girl
# 376
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Posted
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
Posts: 2901 | From: Cambridge | Registered: Jun 2001
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Chesterbelloc
Tremendous trifler
# 3128
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Posted
Spy Wednesday and Tenebrae, for enquiring minds.
CB
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"[A] moral, intellectual, and social step below Mudfrog."
Posts: 4199 | From: Athens Borealis | Registered: Aug 2002
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Bishops Finger
Shipmate
# 5430
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Posted
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)
Posts: 10151 | From: Behind The Wheel Again! | Registered: Jan 2004
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Stephen
Shipmate
# 40
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Posted
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
Posts: 3954 | From: Alto C Clef Country | Registered: May 2001
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Spiffy
Ship's WonderSheep
# 5267
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Posted
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]](graemlins/help.gif)
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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
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magnum mysterium
Shipmate
# 3418
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Posted
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 ]
Posts: 3095 | Registered: Oct 2002
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ecumaniac
Ship's whipping girl
# 376
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Posted
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?
Posts: 2901 | From: Cambridge | Registered: Jun 2001
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jlg
What is this place?
Why am I here?
# 98
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Posted
Now that you've posted that, you just might be. How important is it that said friend be on that flight? ![[Biased]](wink.gif)
Posts: 17391 | From: Just a Town, New Hampshire, USA | Registered: May 2001
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magnum mysterium
Shipmate
# 3418
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Posted
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?!!
Posts: 3095 | Registered: Oct 2002
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Siegfried
Ship's ferret
# 29
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Posted
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
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Spiffy
Ship's WonderSheep
# 5267
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Posted
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]](graemlins/puke2.gif) . 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
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St. Punk the Pious
Biblical™ Punk
# 683
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Posted
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
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Amazing Grace*
Shipmate
# 4754
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Posted
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
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Chorister
Completely Frocked
# 473
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Posted
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.
Posts: 34626 | From: Cream Tealand | Registered: Jun 2001
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