Comments for Doing Public Work

Comment on Getting our feet wet: Ideas for Maundy Thursday? by Rick Hill

Rick Hill — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:57:44 +0000

The practice of foot-washing was not uncommon back in Jesus’ time. Travelers would often have their feet washed when they got to the host’s home. Jesus was not instituting some new practice, but redefining the roles in a very old practice. The disciples did not feel uncomfortable about having their feet washed, what made them uncomfortable was having Jesus, the rabbi, doing the deed.
We feel uncomfortable today, because we don’t do foot washings. What I am trying to think is what do we do that allows for the radical reversal of roles that Jesus demonstrated?

Comment on Human hands have made? by shnjgkf

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Comment on Emergent Episcopal worship in Boston by Marie

Marie — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:28:02 +0000

My goodness, I never knew about this blog or this post. You have so accurately captured the feel of my community! I’m so glad this was your experience.

Comment on On the manner of Eucharistic sharing by Phil

Phil — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:10:14 +0000

If this is to work, it sounds to me like there are two related problems:

1) the existing protocol does not work well for distributed distribution, because there are too many fussy details–things to be remembered and said, actions performed, sequences to try and remember. These things can be trained into a handful of LEMs fairly easily, and they quickly get it with a little practice. But when everybody is doing it, no one gets much practice, there’s no feedback mechanism, and there’s no net.

2) There needs to be better instruction in what to do. But given the challenge, this will only really work when the action has been reduced to the barest essentials. Ideally, that probably means to just an action, a or a short series of simple actions (take, break, give, eat/take-drink-give). Nothing to say. Just the action itself.

Maybe words of administration would have to be done collectively, although that’s also problematic. There’s something good, I think, in the individual offer and acceptance.

Comment on On the manner of Eucharistic sharing by Mary S.

Mary S. — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:42:24 +0000

I believe we’re talking holiness. The bread and wine become holy stuff only touched by appropriately holy people and to be revered as such. I desire it yet at the same time repeled by it. For such things the intricate cult of Leviticus was established. Then comes Deuteronomy and you are a holy people. My observation is that the church has reinforced that ordered access to the holy. To me, anything that can work towards making hard lines like altar rails open lines even if it’s a simple as leaving an opening in the rail or bringing stations out to the people symbolically makes the holy more approachable. We are a holy people.

What’s driving conversation here around the distribution of communion is the real fear around the perceived risk of infection of H1N1. Science set aside, perception in 9/10th of reality and people are becoming afraid. What is our responsibility as a church? Who are the marginalized for whom we should set aside privilege?

Comment on Getting our feet wet: Ideas for Maundy Thursday? by Phil

Phil — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:45:00 +0000

Christopher– is a Maundy Thursday handwashing something that you have experience of? I’ve seen the idea suggested once or twice, but I’ve never seen it done, and I’ve never been entirely clear on the reasoning underlying making a change from foot washing to hand washing.

Comment on Getting our feet wet: Ideas for Maundy Thursday? by Christopher Paine

Christopher Paine — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 06:17:21 +0000

One possible variation is to do a hand washing instead of a foot washing.

Comment on Getting our feet wet: Ideas for Maundy Thursday? by Pamela

Pamela — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:26:35 +0000

The main tweak we do is changing the first reading. I think that horrible reading about dead children wrongfoots the whole evening. People start out with, if that’s the kind of thing God does, why am I here?

Comment on Getting our feet wet: Ideas for Maundy Thursday? by Mary S.

Mary S. — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:41:10 +0000

My experience is that it just takes years of making the rite open and available and gradually people will avail themselves. Pitcher of a size easy to handle with warm water, pile of towels, chair for however many stations, usually 2. Washee becomes washer for the next person.

Last year I realized something new. If knees don’t work well, that’s a barrier to participation. I’d put a station by a rail where someone could hold on to have a foot washed or can stand on a lower level when washing.

Simplicity, clarity, patience and there’s a great Eucharistic prayer that mentions footwashing in the NZ PB!

Comment on Liturgy for church committee meetings by Mary S.

Mary S. — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:54:34 +0000

I agree completely. The New Zealand PB has a prayer for meetings (p 141) that speaks well. For a variation on the theme and continuing as a contrarian to the practice that separates the business of the church from its worship and liturgy, do not our budgets and perhaps annual meeting reports or ministry plans reflect our labor? Should they not be offered to God as well when the community gathers?