Ship of Fools: St Magnus, Lerwick, Scotland

The Mystery Worshipper

Ship of Fools: St Magnus, Lerwick, Scotland

Confusing sermon, ignored at coffee – or were we in an Indian restaurant?

Read the full Mystery Worshipper report here

Thenew

Although the third largest Church in the country, with barely 25,000 comunicants, Epicopalianism is a "definite minority denomination" throughout Scotland. If you're Scots then you are either Catholic or Presbyterian, the rest don't get a look in.

Arethosemyfeet

Thenew wrote: »

Although the third largest Church in the country, with barely 25,000 comunicants, Epicopalianism is a "definite minority denomination" throughout Scotland. If you're Scots then you are either Catholic or Presbyterian, the rest don't get a look in.

Generally true, but there are pockets of historic Episcopacy in parts of Aberdeenshire and the Highlands.

Bishops Finger

What's the difference between a *reflection*, and a sermon?

What was the reflection reflecting, IYSWIM?

Nick Tamen

I assumed the distinction was that the reflection was offered by a lay person, not a priest or deacon (or bishop).

Bishops Finger

Yes, but the sermon itself was preached by a Lay Reader.

Ah - but that's it!

The Reader is licensed (by the Bishop) to preach gentle heresy, but the lay person is not so licensed. However, it is permitted in some parts of the Anglican Communion (including the Scottish Episcopal Church, I presume) for the incumbent/priest-in-charge/whatever he or she may be called to allow a lay person to *reflect*.

I'd still like to know what the reflection was about, and whether it was actually more edifying than the sermon seems to have been...

Given the small size of Lerwick itself, and the fact that the SEC is a minority denomination, a congregation of 30 isn't too bad. It is - to use a word hated with vehement hatred at Our Place - a viable size...

Nick Tamen

Ah, I failed to catch that the lay reader preached.

Forthview

I think that the lay leader 'reflected'.

Nick Tamen

Forthview wrote: »

I think that the lay leader 'reflected'.

Lay reader, not lay leader. The MW report says: “The rector led the service and a lay member of the congregation offered a ‘reflection.’ A lay reader preached.”

Gee D

I thought that was a typo or auto-correct. It's not a practice we know save for Holy Week. For the evening services on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, there is a short talk by a lay person, usually the one who has read the OT, Psalm and Epistle.

Bishops Finger

Not something we do at Our Place, where sermons and/or homilies are praught by the Holy Clergy, or Licensed Readers. Why, if an unlicensed lay person were to give a talk, it would be seen by some as the equivalent of the Holy Priest sacrificing a goat on the altar...


Having a *reflection* (even if only 2 minutes' worth) as well as a sermon (again, quite brief, at least at the service MWed) does seem to be rather over-egging the pudding IYSWIM, and I wonder if this is a common practice at this particular church.