Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Feast of Presentation - how and ideas...
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Bishops Finger
Shipmate
# 5430
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Posted
We had a 'church family' infant baptism after the homily, so we abbreviated the Ministry of the Word by omitting OT reading and psalm. After Communion, candles were lit, prayer offered, and then we managed to get pretty well everyone to process to the font (singing Faithful Vigil ended) for what leo calls the palaver!
We produced 80 service sheets, but ran out of both service sheets and candles......92 in church, all told, more than double our ASA. Everyone seemed happy with the service, singing was good, and the post-Mass carrot cake was to die for......
Ian J.
-------------------- 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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leo
Shipmate
# 1458
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by leo: Our music was quite similar: When to the temple Mary went - Eccard; Of the Father's love begotten; when candles are lighted on Candlemas day (with the Lourdes/Walsingham refrain to different words; some long-winded piece by Purcell and then Faithful vigil ended before the palaver at the font.
And i forgot, we also has 'Christ be our light' at the offertory.
-------------------- My Jewish-positive lectionary blog is at http://recognisingjewishrootsinthelectionary.wordpress.com/ My reviews at http://layreadersbookreviews.wordpress.com
Posts: 23198 | From: Bristol | Registered: Oct 2001
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Chorister
Completely Frocked
# 473
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Posted
We sang the Nunc Dimittis (Stanford in C) as the Anthem, and 'Faithful Vigil Ended' during the candlelit procession to the font. Over a Festival Lunch after church, the vicar complained that the hymn 'When candles are lighted' (all 13 verses) wasn't long enough!!
Now we are returning to church for Festival Evensong - Rose responses, Wood in D Mag and Nunc, 'Lift up your heads' (Mathias), followed by Toccata in D Minor (Reger).
There is a definite sense of turning a corner as the candles are extinguished and the crib is dismantled, and we start to head towards Lent, Holy Week and Easter.
-------------------- Retired, sitting back and watching others for a change.
Posts: 34626 | From: Cream Tealand | Registered: Jun 2001
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Bishops Finger
Shipmate
# 5430
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Posted
LOL!
Well, yes - we took our material from Times and Seasons, which, as enny fule kno, replaced TPOHG a while back. I'm not familiar with the RC ceremonies, though - in what respect are they of deeper significance?
Ian J.
-------------------- 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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Angloid
Shipmate
# 159
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Chorister: the vicar complained that the hymn 'When candles are lighted' (all 13 verses) wasn't long enough!!
I know the author so I might be able to persuade her to churn out a few more (and maybe give a discount for quantity).
-------------------- Brian: You're all individuals! Crowd: We're all individuals! Lone voice: I'm not!
Posts: 12927 | From: The Pool of Life | Registered: May 2001
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Bishops Finger
Shipmate
# 5430
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Posted
/tangent alert/
Please could she add a few verses to the all-too-brief Walsingham Pilgrims' Hymn while she's about it? We're off to a Walsingham do at Guildford Cathedral later this month, and we need something to sing on the charabanc (especially if we get stuck in the roadworks on the M25)!
I'll get me coat......
Ian J.
-------------------- 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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leo
Shipmate
# 1458
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Bishops Finger: LOL!
Well, yes - we took our material from Times and Seasons, which, as enny fule kno, replaced TPOHG a while back. I'm not familiar with the RC ceremonies, though - in what respect are they of deeper significance?
Ian J.
T & S and the previous TPOHG concentrate on the 'turning' from Christmas to Lent. So it all 'hinges' on people facing the font and narrows down the festival to Simeon's words about a sword piercing Mary's heart.
The Roman Rite STARTS with the blessing of candles and procession where ALL join in. Candles are relit to greet the Lord who comes to us in his word and in the sacrament - gospel and eucharistic prayer.
The wider symbolism embraces themes such as;
• old age and youth
• longing for the Kingdom
• presenting ourselves to God
• light as a sign of hope
• continuity with Judaism,
• Jesus 'belonging' to God, not his parents
-------------------- My Jewish-positive lectionary blog is at http://recognisingjewishrootsinthelectionary.wordpress.com/ My reviews at http://layreadersbookreviews.wordpress.com
Posts: 23198 | From: Bristol | Registered: Oct 2001
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leo
Shipmate
# 1458
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Posted
We nearly invented a new ceremony yesterday - censing the oblations and altar with an open thurible.
The last time I witnessed that in was in 1974 in The Holy Spirit, Beeston, Leeds, when one of the coals landed in the chalice. That was on Candlemas too - but in the evening during the power cuts so there might have been some excuse.
Always make sure the lid is down and the ring around the chains is firm down.
-------------------- My Jewish-positive lectionary blog is at http://recognisingjewishrootsinthelectionary.wordpress.com/ My reviews at http://layreadersbookreviews.wordpress.com
Posts: 23198 | From: Bristol | Registered: Oct 2001
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LA Dave
Shipmate
# 1397
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Posted
As per the Roman rite, candles were blessed in the narthex prior to the procession. Candles were carried in procession by the choir, the confirmation class and the priest, lector and communion ministers. The processional hymn was a setting of the Nunc Dimittis, "Lord, Bid Your Servant Go in Peace" (Worship Hymnal #691), and the offertory anthem was Johannes Eccard's "Presentation of Christ in the Temple," translated from the original German. The offertory hymn was the other Presentation hymn in Worship, #692 "Hail to the Lord Who Comes." The communion canticle was Harold Friedell's 1957 setting of the Nunc Dimittis and the choir sang a Choral Recessional (first time for me), Richard Keys Biggs' setting of Lucis Creator, "Blest Creator of Light."
The homily, given by the pastor, the Rev. Larry Neumeier, focused on the meaning of the Presentation and its relation to Christmas. Interestingly, the Introit was the one appointed for Epiphany, "Ecce advenit dominator Dominus"; our choir director's research indicated that it could also be used for this feast.
Posts: 981 | From: Take a guess | Registered: Sep 2001
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Bishops Finger
Shipmate
# 5430
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Posted
Thanks, leo - I see your point. In all fairness, Father did mention several of those themes in his homily, viz.: longing for the Kingdom; presenting ourselves to God; light as a sign of hope; Jesus 'belonging' to God, not his parents.
We have, IIRC, done it the Roman way before now (on a weekday) so maybe we can try it again next year!
Ian J.
-------------------- 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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Ceremoniar
Shipmate
# 13596
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Bishops Finger: Thanks, leo - I see your point. In all fairness, Father did mention several of those themes in his homily, viz.: longing for the Kingdom; presenting ourselves to God; light as a sign of hope; Jesus 'belonging' to God, not his parents.
We have, IIRC, done it the Roman way before now (on a weekday) so maybe we can try it again next year!
Ian J.
Another theme is the foretelling by Simeon of the Sorrows of Our Lady.
Posts: 1240 | From: U.S. | Registered: Apr 2008
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dj_ordinaire
Host
# 4643
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Posted
A very good service led by children from the parish school in the morning, and a beautiful Choral Evensong in the evening. All very seemly. Even the weather cooperated by giving us a few hours of nearly-spring in the afternoon (don't worry, the next storm system had moved in by nightfall... )
-------------------- Flinging wide the gates...
Posts: 10335 | From: Hanging in the balance of the reality of man | Registered: Jun 2003
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leo
Shipmate
# 1458
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Ceremoniar: Another theme is the foretelling by Simeon of the Sorrows of Our Lady.
Indeed - except that the C of E 'invented rite' stresses that (without using the felicitous term itself) to the exclusion of anything else.
Maybe if I wrote to the Liturgical Commission t5o thank them for putting Our Lady back into our public liturgy, they'd change it to something more like the current Roman Rite (which most of us always used in the past).
-------------------- My Jewish-positive lectionary blog is at http://recognisingjewishrootsinthelectionary.wordpress.com/ My reviews at http://layreadersbookreviews.wordpress.com
Posts: 23198 | From: Bristol | Registered: Oct 2001
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Liturgylover
Shipmate
# 15711
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Posted
I had the pleasure - because of special circumstances last weekend - of attending 4 different Candlemas services:
The first a very low key Sat evening Vigil Mass in my local RC church using t-lights rather than proper candles and Longing for light as the processional hymn sung unaccompanied. None of the other hymns were Candlemas related.
A 9.30am Sung Eucharist in Islington Deanery in a central tradition church. The service began with the blessing of candles which were lit while the cantor chanted the Nunc Dimitis. Excllent sermon - all the usual candlemas hymns, and at the end a recessional hymn to the crib with relit candles where the Candlemas responsary was said. All in all a lovely service.
An 11am Choral Eucharist with full polyphonic setting and orchestra, again with the blessing of candles at the start, processional to Hail to the Lord who comes but no further use for the candles.
A 6.30pm Ceremonies, procession and choral evensong which began in a side chapel. As the candles were lit the choir sang Hodie beata Virgo Maria, the candles were then blessed and we then followed Jeses taken from the crib as the choir sang what were described as the two prper processional antiphons. Then full choral evensong with the Eccard anthem sang in German (lovely) and ending with the final responsary as candles were relit and then extinguished after the Nunc Dimitis.
Posts: 452 | From: North London | Registered: Jun 2010
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georgiaboy
Shipmate
# 11294
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Posted
A lot of the above sound lovely and appropriate. I fear that Candlemas at our place lost out to the Bp's Visitation, with baptisms (1 infant, 1 adult), 5 confirmations and 1 reception from RCC. Excellent sermon by our DEPO bishop (the TEC equiv of a 'flying bishop'), and a covered dish luncheon which ran out of food before I got any! The 'young turks' of the vestry were dispensing Bloody Marys, Mimosas (mimosae?), white wine and red wine in the garden (it was an unseasonably warm and sunny day), and I lingered there a bit too long. Hymns included 'Hail to the Lord Who Comes', 'Lord, now let your servant go in peace' (Gibbons Song One), other hymns were more general, ending with a romp through 'Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation' to the Purcell tune.
-------------------- You can't retire from a calling.
Posts: 1675 | From: saint meinrad, IN | Registered: Apr 2006
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Emendator Liturgia
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# 17245
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Posted
In our little corner ofanglicana our Sung Eucharist for the Feast of the Purification of St Mary the Virgin (Candlemas) (we are after all communities dedicated to the Blessed Mother) the preludes were two of J.S. Bach's chorales for the Feast of the Purification: "Es ist genug" (BWV 60) and “Herzlich tut mich verlangen" (BWV 727; the hymns were 'Blessed are the pure in heart', 'Hail the the Lord's anointed', 'Of the Father's love begotten', and 'O light of every nation'. The sermon meditation was the Gregorian chant of the Nunc Dimittis, while he Communion motet was Eccard's, 'When to the temple Mary went'.
After the blessing of the candles and the final hymn we then processed to the Lady Chapel singing the Nunc Dimittis to Anglican chant, then said the Angelus, had the blessing (different spot than usual, then processed to outside the door where we had a small liturgy focused on bringing the light of Christ to the world.
The organ postlude was the Toccata by Fjellestad.
-------------------- Don't judge all Anglicans in Sydney by prevailing Diocesan standards!
Posts: 401 | From: Sydney, Australia | Registered: Jul 2012
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Gwalchmai
Shipmate
# 17802
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Posted
Our church marked Candlemas as the real end of Christmas, when we turn from the stable to the cross. So candles, candles eveywhere, including hand held candles for the congregation (battery operated candles for the children). As it was a family eucharist we had a dramatised reading of the gospel, with Mary and Joseph bringing Jesus up the altar, to be received by Simeon. The solemnity was rather shattered when the lady taking the part of Anna came on to the words "she was very old" provoking laughter in the congregation (not least from the actress herself!). At the end a procession to the font where we were sprinkled with water.
The occasion was only marred by "Shine, Jesus, Shine" - as l'Organiste says, a crap song.
Posts: 133 | From: England | Registered: Aug 2013
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leo
Shipmate
# 1458
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Posted
Someone from our congregation showed me a novel liturgy from a church he'd attended last Sunday - they went from OT & Epistle to sermon,creed snd intercessions.
THEN candles were blessed, censed and sprinkled and everyone followed the Gospel procession to the back. The candles remained lit for the offertory and eucharistic prayer.
Eccentric but thoughtful. [ 09. February 2014, 14:36: Message edited by: leo ]
-------------------- My Jewish-positive lectionary blog is at http://recognisingjewishrootsinthelectionary.wordpress.com/ My reviews at http://layreadersbookreviews.wordpress.com
Posts: 23198 | From: Bristol | Registered: Oct 2001
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The Scrumpmeister
Ship’s Taverner
# 5638
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by venbede: The Orthodox call the feast on 2 February The Meeting (ie of Simeon and Anna with Jesus).
It is indeed the Meeting of the Lord in the Byzantine Rite.
In response to the exchange above, in the same rite, it is also one of the great feasts of the Mother of God and not one of the great feasts of the Lord. That is to say that, unlike a Great Feast of the Lord, there are no festal antiphons appointed for the Divine Liturgy but the usual psalms and Beatitudes are sung, and if it falls on a Sunday, it is combined with the Sunday celebration of the Resurrection rather than replacing it.
The blessing of candles is not a traditional observance of this feast in Byzantine usage but was imported from the Latin Rite, seemingly quite late on, and has settled quite awkwardly into place. Where it is observed, the rubrics (which reflect the Latin origins of the ceremony) are generally ignored and the blessing takes place after the Prayer Below the Ambo.
-------------------- If Christ is not fully human, humankind is not fully saved. - St John of Saint-Denis
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venbede
Shipmate
# 16669
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Posted
Nice to hear from you again, scrumps.
-------------------- Man was made for joy and woe; And when this we rightly know, Thro' the world we safely go.
Posts: 3201 | From: An historic market town nestling in the folds of Surrey's rolling North Downs, | Registered: Sep 2011
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