March 2010 Message
Dear Friends at All Saints',
Church was easy at the beginning of the 19th century: a small
Book of Common Prayer; two readings; a psalm or two; several hymns,
a very long sermon.
That was it.
Holy Communion was rare, vestments virtually non-existent, no candles,
no brass, no bells, definitely no “smells”, no altar
hangings (the “altar” was called “board” or
“table”), no chanting, no acolytes.
It was basically a one-man show: the minister's.
A jolt had gone through the Anglican Church when, beginning in Oxford,
a movement spread throughout the world, transforming our worship, and,
indeed, our understanding of what the church is.
The Oxford Movement professed and promulgated a radical idea: that the
Church of England (including its sister churches overseas) was not the
brainchild of a power-hungry king (Henry VIII) but the continuing church
of Jesus Christ, i.e. the holy catholic and apostolic church and nothing
else.
Soon the beauty of ancient worship was rediscovered, especially the form
and format of the Eucharistic liturgy.
That our worship today is done “with reverence and awe”
(Hebrews 12:28) must be credited to the efforts of men like James De
Koven whom we remember on March 22.
He was a priest and professor at Nashotah House, Wisconsin, probably
our church's most serious and committed seminary.
He fought for, and reclaimed with vigor, our catholic heritage, the
meaning of things we now often take for granted as Episcopalians: the
candles and colors, the sounds of organ, bells, and other instruments,
the dignity of worship “with Angels and Archangels”, the
rich symbolism of our liturgies.
Without him, we could do away with the Altar Guild, the Acolyte, Lay
Reader, Eucharistic Visitor Programs, the Spiritual Life Team, and much
more.
James De Koven paid a price for his commitment: twice he was denied
consent to his election as bishop.
In the paranoid fear of “popish” customs the initial response
was to clamp down on the radicals.
131 years after De Koven's death we need to ask ourselves what he,
and others like him, would think of the shallow informality, the
trivialization of the Numinous, the folksy sloppiness that have crept
into the church.
At our recent vestry retreat it was felt that the quality of our worship
is of utmost importance to us, that it is a treasure that needs to be
guarded “against moths, rust, and thieves”.
Catholic (the word means all-encompassing) worship involves all,
leaves space for all, does not manipulate any one.
It has no actors, no audience, no program.
It follows the gentle living stream of tradition, still offering its clean
water to thirsty souls who come in from the parched land of personality
cult, split screens, incessant talking, and pop-crooners who deliver
the flavor of the day.
May the solemn liturgies of Lent and especially Holy Week bless and
touch you as we pray:
Almighty and everlasting God, the source and perfection of all virtues, who didst inspire Thy servant James to do what is right and to preach what is true: Grant that all ministers and stewards of Thy mysteries may afford to Thy faithful people, by word and example, the knowledge of Thy grace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Fr. Georg Retzlaff+