Lent
Twangist
Shipmate
in All Saints
Wondered what folk do or perhaps more importantly don't do for lent and what the season means to you
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Our church is following a series of readings/Bible studies in Lent and the hope is that all small/home groups will be discussing it. To that end there is a "pop up" small group for those of us who are not in a regular home group and Mr Nen and I are joining that weekly group for the period of Lent.
I guess for me it means choosing to do something a bit different for a set period of time; it also means springtime, which is my favourite season of the year.
We might have just about got the hang of it by Easter ...
Hopefully there'll be a congregation for you all to lead!
I didn't ask my priest about this, but I have massively paired back Lenten observances. Massively. Primarily because I'm trying to focus on one thing. This does not mean other things won't feature, they may, probably will, but this past year, returning to some form of practical expression of Christianity after 10 or so years, has been difficult as some anguished posts (sorry) have shown. So baby steps for me. My personality is an all-or-nothing type, which can be useful; it can also not be.
A Blessed Lenten journey to, in the words of one of our Paschal hymns, "the Feast of Feasts and Festival of Festivals" to all travelling along it.
It's rather a matter of what people are used to. It was several years since I'd last sung it, and then with a (very) competent conductor/organist (it can be done with accompaniment). Plainsong can be a bit daunting to the uninitiated!
It actually went not too badly; there were 11 of us, including a few not from the choir. Rosie sang the priest's bits, and I did my best with the responses, in which the rest joined when they felt able.
I think it'll get better as people get more familiar with it.
Our Place puts out flags, and blows trumpets, if attendance at any *special* or *extra* service reaches double figures...
My first Orthodox parish in Sydney is having a day retreat on my beloved St Ephraim the Syrian [4th C; a hymn-writer, of deep theology: here is an example of him saying paradise yearns for the blessed person, not us for it]. Plan to see my godfather at his parish the next day. 5.5 or so hours driving one way (over 8 if I train it), but it will be worth it I think.
There are no house groups/Bible studies at Our Place, these being something we've never really adopted successfully. The 10am Mass on Mondays during Lent is being followed by a meeting in the Vestry, to watch a YouTube video (produced by one of the UK's Anglo-Catholic societies) on the subject of the Nicene Creed.
The austerity of Lent can contrast very effectively with the festal joy of Eastertide.
That's how I see it; especially as I'm no longer in a proper choir, singing Proper Music™ I don't miss the Gloria so much!
And as you say, it's nice to have it back on Easter Sunday.
The Gloria is at the end of Matins for us, which in Mediterranean practice occurs immediately before Divine Liturgy (Mass), it flows into it with no break, whereas the Russian church I went to did it Saturday night, often combined with Vespers (the so-called All-Night Vigil). It continues in Great Lent. We keep saying Alleluia too...I heard we sing it more, but I do not recall experiencing this, but this may be my infrequent attendance.
Confession time: I can’t say I have given up any particular food or drink, but I am trying to eat more healthily generally, after a winter slump. I have become more active in various directions too, but honestly not related to Lent.
Consumption resumes on Easter Day (well, Easter Eve, after the Vigil).
"Alleluia" with verses replaces "The Lord is God" and its verses at Matins on weekdays (Monday-Saturday) during Lent and on Monday-Friday in Holy Week.
During the other seasonal fasts (Apostles, Dormition, and Nativity) on weekdays when there is the lowest level of liturgical commemoration of the Saint(s) of the day "Alleluia" replaces "The Lord is God" at Matins and also the Prokeimenon at Vespers.
Apart from Holy Week most of those services are rarely done outside monasteries.
Fixed coding - Nenya, All Saints Host
Brings to mind cartoon from 1920s vol of Punch
Earnest Young Man: I'm giving up dancing and cocktails for Lent.
Girl: And I'm giving up you.
For years, my practice has been to pick a book to read during Lent. Sometimes it’s one I’ve been meaning to get to, sometimes it’s a reread. Usually it’s fiction, but occasionally not. It’s always one that I anticipate will have some value appropriate to Lent.
This year, the chosen book falls in the “been meaning to read for years” category—Godric by Frederick Buechner.
Here we are a week in, though, and due to Stuff, I haven’t started it yet.
Like Nick Tamen I try and particularly read some fiction during Great Lent. Looking for "The Picture of Dorian Grey" around the libraries here.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
We both enjoyed our Lent group last night more than last week so things are going in the right direction.
Good job I wasn't drinking tea while reading that!
That sounds interesting - do let us liturgy geeks know what was said, done, and/or sung!
Yes, I guessed as much!
It's the sort of service I would have liked to have had at Our Place occasionally, not necessarily in Lent, but there was little or no enthusiasm for anything that wasn't *Catholic* in the RC sense of that word...
Last time Lent courses were happening in my church the 3 of us in my group went rogue and chose a book we had all been meaning to read instead.
We spent a dutiful 10 minutes on the prescribed course then a very happy hour or so on our own choice.
I also very much miss the Friday evening glass of wine, sometimes preceded by a cheeky sherry whilst cooking the tea.
Only 6 present plus our priest - no men. Four of us were from my town, two from the local village.
Lovely. In someone's home, 7 adults and some children, a delicious Lenten lunch, and several hours of conversation: primarily for me with one guy who has had a very tough life and was open about his past, and current struggles. The whole day was a blessing, but talking to him (and playing with his 3 yo son with wooden animals and an umbrella he found where he put the toys in and spun them around, and was obsessed with a floor fan!) was such an encouragement, and eye-opener. A great day all around and a blessing to socialise [I live alone and don't do many community activities].
The study group, meeting on Mondays after the 10am Mass, is working its way through videos about the Nicene Creed, and around 6-8 people are making the effort to attend.
I noticed that after the service at our place this morning I sought out a couple of members of our Lent pop-up group to speak to, and it did make me feel more connected with things and people than I have for a while.
'Twas.
For any who have the hiccoughs and need a scare, I am looming large in the 3rd photo and on the left piling up my plate in the 4th (Facebook post).