Solemn First Evensong & Benediction at St Thomas's, Huron Street.
The service was preceded by a recital so there were a lot of unchurched visitors. I arrived five minutes to the hour and had to sit near the back. My neighbours, who flinched every time I put down the kneeler, treated me to a superb Protestant cough during the Mag. Canticles were Brian Kelly's Emmanuel Service.
We sang Aeterna Christi Munera to the plainsong, and used Hereford (ugh) and Grafton (tolerable, but not the plainsong) at Benediction, which involved the veiled ciborium, though we did get the actual Benediction over us at the end. The Sacred Ministers wore splendid red copes, though I had to crane my neck to see them.
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9 comments:
If you really wanted to piss em off, you should have left the kneeler down the entire service.
The funny thing was that I couldn't smell the incense myself. I was thinking, "I'll have what she's having."
In Baltimore, the recital follows Evensong so that the unchurched only disturb should they arrive early.
re "unchurched"? Come on! The place was full of church organists! (Yes, I know that "church organist" is not necessarily an indication of Faith; often the opposite).
But most made a conscientious effort to sing nicely the music printed in the program booklet. I found the congregational singing felt like being part of a parish choir again. And the packed church reminded me of the full churches of my suburban childhood (in the flight-to-the-suburbs days when the baby boom passed Confirmation age).
Yes I couldn't see anything, either. There was a very tall, broad-shouldered young guy in a black tee ahead of me. But it was kind of him to move over promptly when the sideswoman was finding pew space for two young women (one of them the recitalist).
I did get a glimpse of the Benediction at the start of the return procession to the altar of reservation. I was shocked!! I had no idea the Rector gets up to that kind of thing at "Devotions." My weak suspension-of-disbelief in the Real Presence is easily shaken.
I loved the tune used for O Salutaris Hostia. I've been warbling it joyfully all this Tuesday morning.
Yeah! That cough really killed the enjoyment of the choir pieces and always at key moments.
Thanks for your thoughts on it all, though. I look forward to more.
Do you happen to recall if the lad in question was wearing a multicoloured band around his neck? I came straight from Pride and definitely yielded my coveted aisle seat to the cougher.
"Broad-shouldered" is more polite than how most people put it!
It sounds like your Evensong outdid ours at St. James', Vancouver, but our full on Benediction with the traditional tunes after a procession topped St. Thomas' Devotions. :)
Nevermind the eight coals in the thurible for Benediction...
We had Solemn Evensong & Devotions again this week for the Patronal Festival, but no sneaky Benediction from the associate priest. =(
Back to Festal next week, but I imagine it'll be Solemn on the 26 for St James.
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