Responsive Readings - Mindless? Meaningful?

[GiancarloZ]

Nope. UUs have a long, strong tradition of lay leadership in the pulpit. Some, like Sarnia-Port Huron, have never had professional clergy. Others have it only part-time and rely on lay leadership for other Sundays (that's where the London fellowship is at right now). I used to lead 2-3 services a year myself, plus helped others with their services by acting as a "service leader", doing things like announcements, offertory, and such while the "worship leader" focussed on the sermon, meditations/prayers, and such.

This seems to be very nice!

 

[Jaebius]

Corporative Confession and absolution.

I've done that before in United Church congregations. In my experience, we Baptists tend to avoid such confession.

 

[GiancarloZ]

I've done that before in United Church congregations. In my experience, we Baptists tend to avoid such confession.

Even when it's a Communion service?

 

[Jaebius]

My Baptist church in Toronto...

(Coffee and sometimes snacks before the service).
- Welcome
- Congregational Singing - led by the Worship Team - 4-5 songs, most of which are upbeat. Clapping often accompanies the singing
- Offering
Announcements
- Greeting Time (and the children are dismissed to go to Sunday School).
- Congregational Prayer
- Scripture Reading - normatively an entire chapter done by the pastor from the NIV.
Sermon
- Closing Song - reflecting the big idea of the sermon.

At times, other things are added as well. These may include things like baptisms, testimonies, communion, and short talks.

 

[Jaebius]

Even when it's a Communion service?

Usually we've just had a time for quiet, personal reflection and silent confession.

 

[BetteTheRed]

All this parts include responsive readings which rarely change.

We seem to have a similar sort of flow, and we do include several responsive readings, in the calls to worship, in the prayers, but all of them are "original" to that particular service, although the Rev does, I'm sure, modify/re-use ones that she/the congregation particularly like, and I know she doesn't write all of them herself; there's a nice wide array of UCCan resources for worship. But also, her Dad was a UCCan minister, and her Mom was a drama teacher, so she has great background.

 

[paradox3]

The minister we had until a year ago used a lot of Richard Bott's liturgies.

 

[GiancarloZ]

We seem to have a similar sort of flow, and we do include several responsive readings, in the calls to worship, in the prayers, but all of them are "original" to that particular service, although the Rev does, I'm sure, modify/re-use ones that she/the congregation particularly like, and I know she doesn't write all of them herself; there's a nice wide array of UCCan resources for worship. But also, her Dad was a UCCan minister, and her Mom was a drama teacher, so she has great background.

I like this wide window of opportunities for liturgy in the UCCan. In the ELCIC, generally the congregation wants to stick to the Service Book. Even if there are some different settings, all of them are very much similar.

 

[GiancarloZ]

The minister we had until a year ago used a lot of Richard Bott's liturgies.

Bott's liturgies are really good. I've read a lot of them in his blog.

 

[Jaebius]

I like this wide window of opportunities for liturgy in the UCCan. In the ELCIC, generally the congregation wants to stick to the Service Book. Even if there are some different settings, all of them are very much similar.

In the FEBCC we have no written liturgy as such.

 

[GiancarloZ]

In the FEBCC we have no written liturgy as such.

I understand that's part of the Evangelical tradition, right? The vast majority of the Baptist churches in Brazil also abolished formal liturgies some 40, 50 years ago.

 

[Jaebius]

I understand that's part of the Evangelical tradition, right? The vast majority of the Baptist churches in Brazil also abolished formal liturgies some 40, 50 years ago.

Yes, I believe so. Too Catholicky for us.

 

[BetteTheRed]

Bott's liturgies are really good. I've read a lot of them in his blog.

And some of his modern lyrics to "heritage" tunes are equally wonderful.

 

[GiancarloZ]

Yes, I believe so. Too Catholicky for us.

Most Catholic services are actually very contemporary nowadays. If they didn't have the Pope and didn't pray to saints, I'd have no problem in being a Catholic.

 

[BetteTheRed]

Really? You don't think the male/female completely distinct divide, and that foolish celibacy demand skew things too much?

 

[BetteTheRed]

...I have a lot less problem with praying to saints than with the celibate male clergy...

 

[Jaebius]

Most Catholic services are actually very contemporary nowadays. If they didn't have the Pope and didn't pray to saints, I'd have no problem in being a Catholic.

Yes, I understand that to be the case. Nevertheless, I believe that evangelicals first abandoned written liturgy because it felt too Catholic at the time.

 

[GiancarloZ]

Really? You don't think the male/female completely distinct divide, and that foolish celibacy demand skew things too much?

...I have a lot less problem with praying to saints than with the celibate male clergy...

Oh, I forgot about those things...

 

[paradox3]

Yes, I understand that to be the case. Nevertheless, I believe that evangelicals first abandoned written liturgy because it felt too Catholic at the time.

How are you defining evangelicals here?

 

[Jaebius]

Really? You don't think the male/female completely distinct divide, and that foolish celibacy demand skew things too much?

The FEBCC is complementarian. Women are not permitted to be pastors or elders.