Lifting our prayers like incense
Dear Members of the Parish,
The Worship Committee is always interested in your feedback about the various elements of our service on Sundays and we value the comments that are made to us. The word "liturgy" literally means, "the work of the people." Our worship services try to reflect our work in the world and our work in the church and we have tried over the years to incorporate your suggestions into our liturgy, especially in the Prayers of the People.
We also strive to create places in the liturgy that are reflective and reverent. Many people have said that the only real quiet they have in their lives is the time they have when they come to church each week. One way to create an expansive and reverent space for our prayer is through the vehicle of chant. Some may think that chanting is "High Church" or "too Anglican." The truth is, almost every civilization for thousands of years has had some form of chant as part of their expression of the Holy.
Wikipedia says, that many religious traditions consider chant a route to spiritual development. There are many types of chant: African and Native American, Gregorian Chant, Vedic chant and Jewish chant, Baha'i, Buddhist and various mantras which are chanted and yes, even the great tradition of chanting the psalms in Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican and various other Christian denominations.
Why do we chant? Because it engages the body, mind, and spirit in a way that regular spoken words cannot. Something happens to us when we chant either alone or with a group. We are transformed and if we allow ourselves to be open, our bodies relax and our mind is calmed and our prayer reaches an entirely different level.
Children respond to simple chanting -- they respond to directions more readily when they are chanted rather than spoken and babies are soothed when they are upset. People who have difficulty speaking find chanting something they can do and feel part of something greater than themselves.
While chanting may not be something that everyone is comfortable with, I hope you will consider joining in with us when we do chant in our worship services. Open your mind to the possibility that you will benefit from joining in the chant and by your participation, the whole congregation's prayer is lifted to a higher plain.
Chant -- it's not just for monks and nuns. It's been around for thousands of years and millions of people can attest to its efficacy. And God smiles when our prayers are lifted on such a sweet and simple series of notes.
Peace and Blessings,
Miriam
The Worship Committee is always interested in your feedback about the various elements of our service on Sundays and we value the comments that are made to us. The word "liturgy" literally means, "the work of the people." Our worship services try to reflect our work in the world and our work in the church and we have tried over the years to incorporate your suggestions into our liturgy, especially in the Prayers of the People.
We also strive to create places in the liturgy that are reflective and reverent. Many people have said that the only real quiet they have in their lives is the time they have when they come to church each week. One way to create an expansive and reverent space for our prayer is through the vehicle of chant. Some may think that chanting is "High Church" or "too Anglican." The truth is, almost every civilization for thousands of years has had some form of chant as part of their expression of the Holy.
Wikipedia says, that many religious traditions consider chant a route to spiritual development. There are many types of chant: African and Native American, Gregorian Chant, Vedic chant and Jewish chant, Baha'i, Buddhist and various mantras which are chanted and yes, even the great tradition of chanting the psalms in Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican and various other Christian denominations.
Why do we chant? Because it engages the body, mind, and spirit in a way that regular spoken words cannot. Something happens to us when we chant either alone or with a group. We are transformed and if we allow ourselves to be open, our bodies relax and our mind is calmed and our prayer reaches an entirely different level.
Children respond to simple chanting -- they respond to directions more readily when they are chanted rather than spoken and babies are soothed when they are upset. People who have difficulty speaking find chanting something they can do and feel part of something greater than themselves.
While chanting may not be something that everyone is comfortable with, I hope you will consider joining in with us when we do chant in our worship services. Open your mind to the possibility that you will benefit from joining in the chant and by your participation, the whole congregation's prayer is lifted to a higher plain.
Chant -- it's not just for monks and nuns. It's been around for thousands of years and millions of people can attest to its efficacy. And God smiles when our prayers are lifted on such a sweet and simple series of notes.
Peace and Blessings,
Miriam
posted by Miriam | 3:34 PM
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