Praxis News of Worship
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Issue 21 - Spring 2009 Price to non-affiliates of Praxis: £2.50 Praxis News of Supporting and resourcing the liturgical lifeWorship of the Church of England What is Fresh Expressions Praxis? Praxis was formed in catholic and contemplative 1990, sponsored by the Liturgical Commission, eeing the Archbishop of Canterbury in a head- Eucharist was 'stretched' across the day, beginning the Group for the set reminiscent of that used by boy-bands and with a Gathering in the baptistery where we renewed Renewal of Worship Sthe Bishop of Coventry lying on the floor of his our vows using our bodies to reflect the words. The (GROW) and the Alcuin Cathedral is not exactly what one might have Archbishop of Canterbury gave a key-note address in Club. It exists to provide expected to see on the feast of the Conception of the which he reflected on what it means to be 'Fresh and support liturgical Blessed Virgin Mary in December last year but, then Expression' within the one holy catholic and apostolic education in the Church again, this was no ordinary day of celebration in church. The Abbot of Burford, whose life as a of England. Coventry Cathedral but a pilgrimage of faith Benedictine is rooted in stability, study and prayer celebrating the liturgical life of Fresh Expressions. responded. Silence was an important element in the day. Affiliation For some time Fresh Expression practitioners from Catholic and contemplative traditions had been The day was marked by high tech liturgy — projected The sponsoring meeting at Lambeth with Steve Croft and others from images on five screens around the worship space, organisations do not the Fresh Expressions Team. Under the leadership numerous speakers providing surround sound and fund Praxis- financially. of Ian Mobsby, an Associate Minister for Fresh the need for an MC, (or is that DJ?) on the AV mixing The work that Praxis Expressions and leader of Moot based at St desk. Equally it was marked by simplicity — the use of does is supported Matthew's, Westminster, many of us were able to body prayer — prostration, kneeling and standing and mainly by affiliation. If discover a fresh approach to liturgy and spirituality a very moving praying of the Lord's Prayer using the you are not an affiliate, from communities all over the country. Unlike some body to worship. why not consider Fresh Expressions, these communities have prayer becoming one? Just get Music was provided by mixing ambient beat with live and the sacraments at the very heart of their life and in touch with the plainsong and polyphony ably provided by lay clerks work and attempt to explore them in new and office—details on the of the Cathedral. The haunting sound of a hang drum challenging ways. One such community is Visions back page. accompanied the blessing of water and the prayerful based in York and whose monthly 'Ancient-Modern sound of African drums punctuated the liturgy with Mass' brings together old and new in creative and their own particular timbre. The intercessions expressive ways. Website encouraged people to respond to images on the Have you visited the The pilgrimage at Coventry used traditional forms, screens by moving about the space and putting Praxis website? View us ancient texts, newly composed texts and fresh incense onto the numerous bowls of charcoal online at expressions of the sacraments to explore our sense scattered around the Nave while the wrapping of the www.praxisworship.org.uk of vocation through the example of Mary. The (Continued on page 2) Eucharistic Prayers and Children Inside this Issue of Praxis News of Worship - a progress report Conference coming 2 upSalisbury n the last issue of Praxis News of Worship we and Praxis News of Worship will bring readers much mentioned that the Liturgical Commission has more detail once they are in the public domain. Soft-back Daily 2 been given the task of producing new eucharistic I Experience gained during the introduction of Prayer prayers for occasions when significant numbers of Common Worship has demonstrated that it is wise to children are present. Since then a couple of draft test new liturgy during an experimental period by Correspondence 2 prayers have had an outing with the House of designated parishes and this practice will be followed Bishops and are now back in the hands of the 'Inspiring Worship' 3 with these prayers, too. It is possible that Liturgical Commission for further refinement in the experimental use might start at the beginning of 2010 Musical News 4 & 5 light of the Bishops' comments. and all dicoesan bishops will be invited to nominate a Book Reviews 6 & 7 These two eucharistic prayers are to be entitled number of parishes for this purpose. 'Additional Eucharistic Prayers' and are currently The preparation and synodical process of authorised Look! No paper 7 identified 'Prayer One' and 'Prayer Two', marking liturgical texts is always, however, a lengthy business. them out from the set of prayers in the main tranche Colin's Column 8 With even a favourable wind, it is unlikely that these in Common Worship that are identified by letters of new prayers will be fully authorised for use in the the alphabet. These prayers are certainly different, Notice board 8 Church until 2012. Praxis - enriching worship today ISSN 1748-2348 Fresh Expressions - continued from page 1 As the Bishop of Coventry sprinkled us, again, with water from the font, we left the News of a liturgical simple table, lit with electric-blue LED's, Cathedral tired with many emotions. Some with gold moire at the preparation of the found the day puzzling, others inspiring; conference in Salisbury gifts made it an object of beauty. some found words and actions Theology, Liturgy and the Arts uncomfortable; others thought they could One thought-provoking part of the liturgy 30 April - 3 May 2009 have been more radical! One priest said was the 'Luke-John Redux' which had two that it was the first time he had worshipped Sarum College, Salisbury Deacons, complete with torch-bearers and without a service booklet - ever! Some thurifers, reading the account of the conference that explores current thought that Benediction was 'the best bit' Annunciation and the Prologue from John's theological reflection on the arts, while others wondered what on earth was A Gospel simultaneously. A worn\about focussing on liturgical studies and the role 'fresh' about that! One thing was sure, the respect for the authenticity of scripture was of art in Christian Worship. Sessions will sacred space of Coventry Cathedral and it overcome by a careful handling of the text include interdisciplinary discussions on beautiful symbolism and art was the perfect and the ambient sound of a foetal heart• architecture, music and visual arts. setting next to the ruins of the old burned- beat throughout the proclamation. Blessed, out Cathedral. The Precentor, Virgers and Speakers include: based in Portsmouth, who had suggested Musicians could not have been more • Riccardo Larini this way of reading the Gospel, use words welcoming and accommodating. So, I and symbolic action to great effect. • Keith Pecklers guess, it was successful in that it brought • David Stancliffe Communion gave way to more silence and many together and made many ask • Michael Drury a wonderful blurred boundary into a questions. There were many limitations - • Martin Stancliffe delicious lunch in the Cathedral. communities gathering from all over the Workshops and explorations turned into a country and with hardly any time to set up in • John Harper period of silent reflection and prayer an unfamilar space let alone practice; the • Graham Howes stations around the Cathedral as a group of merging of different sources in a completely • Christopher Irvine. sisters gathered before the Blessed different context; expecting 250 and having Sacrament exposed in the beautiful 600 turn up; expecting bishops to try For more information visit the Sarum Gethsemane Chapel. something new and 'on the hoof! We College website (www.sarum.ac.uk/ learned a lot together but, for me, it brought pages/263). The Day culminated with the Sending out - new meaning to the words of Jesus: the Blessed Sacrament brought to the High Altar and, accompanied by a heady mix of "Therefore every scribe who has been dry-ice, incense, lasers and the Cathedral's trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the Soft-back Daily Prayer master of a household who brings out of his amazing organ, we were blessed for the ommon Worship Daily Prayer is now treasure what is new and what is rest of our journey. Gathering one more available in a soft-back version - old." (Matthew 13:52) time at the font, the Bishop of Reading bound in the same distinctive material as inspired us to continue our pilgrimage of Carl Turner the little volume Time to Pray. Complete faith and to challenge the confines of the Canon Precentor of Exeter Cathedral with all the marker-ribbons of the hard• liturgical cosiness of many of our home back equivalent, it costs £27.50. communities. Letter to the editor From the Reverend Mark Bennett in a useful way. If I were to have a criticism guests who can feel very much like of the narrative of these prayers it would be outsiders. that they are insufficiently thought out in Regarding baptism, the Easter Liturgy Dear Gilly, how they might engage with physical action, dramatising the symbol and deepens and enriches the drama, when Colin Buchanan's column in Praxis News of engaging the senses (what do people see baptism is included - and this suggests to Worship issue 20 is characteristically at this point?). me that Colin is right when he sees people provocative, and in engaging with the focussing overmuch on the words on the length of the Common Worship baptism rite But this raises a second issue for parishes page.