Instructed Eucharist Week 1: Intro to Liturgy BACKGROUND: Since New Testament times, breaking bread and sharing in Holy Communion has been the most common way Christians worship together. In the Episcopal Church, we call this service, the Holy Eucharist, which comes from the Greek word meaning thanksgiving. In sharing together the bread and the wine of communion, we remember the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples, and follow his commandment to continue in this practice after his death. We also join together as a community to SEASONAL COLORS: We change the color of our vestments and our Eucharistic hangings (those on the pulpit and those on the altar) throughout the year. There are four basic colors in the church year - green, purple, white and red. Blue and Black are also used throughout the year. The changes occur when we change what s happening in the church with each new season, we change. That is a way to wake us up and let us know something different is going on. The figure to the right shows the changes throughout the year. Green: This is used most throughout the year it is the color of ordinary times, between times. The color recalls the color of nature and God s creation and providence. Red: This is used twice in the calendar year and at two other times during the year. First, it is used for the Day of Pentecost (50 days pente(50) cost (days) after Easter). The color red symbolizes the Spirit coming with fire to the apostles after Jesus rose from the dead. Pentecost is also considered the church s birthday. It is also used during Holy Week (the week between Palm Sunday and Easter) to symbolize the impending death of Jesus and his sacrifice. Red is also often used for the celebration of ordination because of the invocation of the Holy Spirit. Finally, it is used on feast days for those who have been martyred (or killed for their faith), the red symbolizing their blood shed. Purple: Purple is the color of royalty, and is often the symbolic color for kings. In Advent, we use purple to remember the King who came into the world as a little baby, preparing ourselves for his coming. Purple is also the color of repentance,
and so, in penitent seasons, like Lent, purple reminds us to prepare ourselves for the salvation by letting go of those things which get in the way of our salvation. White: This is the color of celebration! It is used for Baptism, weddings, ordinations, and more and more frequently at funerals (as a celebration of the resurrection). White is also used on our most holy days Christmas (and the Sundays between Christmas and Epiphany) and Easter (and the seven weeks following Easter). Blue: Sometimes the color blue is used in Advent. It was adopted when the season of Advent moved from being a penitential season to a more reflective season. The color blue is often used to represent Mary, Jesus mother, and so it is used now during this time as we prepare for Jesus birth. Black: This is used on Good Friday and Holy Saturday a day without color the day Jesus died and the days following where he was amongst the dead. GESTURES: First and foremost, no gesture is required, but rather personal preference. Over time, each person may have devised their own reasons for doing what they do. The following represents the most common reasons and explanations for the three basic gestures in the Episcopal Church: bowing, crosses, and genuflection. A word about WHY we make gestures: All ritual gestures and movements have in their core is the idea of the incarnation God taking human form in Jesus of Nazareth. Incarnation tells us that what we do with our bodies is important. Because of this, we believe that worship involves the whole human person, not just the mind and mouth; we worship with all our senses smelling, tasting, seeing, hearing, and even moving and touching. Bowing: Often you will see people bow their heads or bow at their waist at various points in the service. Generally, a bow is a sign of reverence. The most common times people will bow are the following: 1) When the cross passes: as a sign of reverence for Jesus sacrifice on the cross. 2) When Jesus name is said (this is in reference to Paul s statement at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow Philippians 2:9) 3) Before the altar (and the tabernacle, where blessed bread and wine are kept) whether that is before going to sit down, or walking past the altar. There are very many variations on this, and many opinions on where, when and how it should be done.
4) In the Nicene Creed: He was incarnate from the Virgin Mary and was made man to stress the importance of the incarnation 5) at the beginning of the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and might ) Crosses: There are two times when you will see a gesture of a cross made with hands in the Episcopal Church - by the priest (and bishop) and by the people. The Priest makes a sign of the cross when offering a blessing in the name of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Sometimes it is grand gesture; made with the whole hand (a bishop uses only his/her two fingers). Other times it is a small cross made on the forehead of a person (baptism, healing, anointing). The people may make a sign of a cross on themselves. They do this by using their right hand to touch their forehead, then their chest, then their left shoulder and finishing with their right shoulder (though some return to their chest after their right shoulder). This is most often done at the following points: 1) when the priest offers a blessing. Think of it as catching the blessing offered thrown out by the priest, caught by the parishioners. It is a bodily recognition of the blessing offered. This happens, at the beginning of the service, after the confession of sins, and at the end of the service. 2) When Jesus name is mentioned. Some people do this in recognition of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. 3) At the mention of the Trinity Father, Son and Holy Spirit Genuflecting: This is a holdover from the Roman Catholic tradition, and is done more frequently in Anglo-Catholic parishes. Genuflecting is basically going down on one knee (like in a proposal) and then standing back up. Generally, people genuflect when coming toward or passing in front of an altar where blessed bread and wine are kept. Altar parties (acolyte, chalicers, and clergy) can also kneel at various times during the Eucharist and before the bread and wine are handed out. PARTCIPANTS: A Eucharist takes many people to make it work. The following are those who participate and help out with the service: Ushers: these are folks who help people find their way around the church and church property, hand our bulletins, direct traffic during the service and are available for other needs.
Choir: Members who help the congregation sing and provide music for the service. Acolytes: These are the helpers in the service they carry the cross, candles, banners, and bells during the processions, serve at the altar, and help as needed. Lectors (Readers): These are the people who read the lessons aloud in church. They are volunteers, who go through brief training. Chalice Bearers (Eucharistic Ministers): These are the people who give out the wine during communion. Deacon: A Deacon is ordained. A deacon is one who serves, cares for those in need and spreads the Good News to the world. They are said to have one foot in the church and one foot in the world. In the church service, a deacon reflects their service by setting and cleaning up the altar for communion, care for the needy by offering the Prayers of the People, and spreading the Good News to the world by reading the Gospel. They also, then, send the rest of us into the world to spread the Good News when they dismiss us from the service. Priest (or Bishop): A priest is necessary at every celebration of the Eucharist. They are the only ones who can bless the bread and the wine. Generally, a priest is the presider (or leader) at the service. Congregation: There can be no service of communion unless there is a congregation. Participation and communication are keys to a communal service of Eucharist. Lay folks (those who are not ordained) are considered the highest order of the church, followed by bishops, priests, and deacons. VESTMENTS: At the core, wearing vestments is a way to put the focus of the service not on the individual but on God. We cover up our regular clothes, and wear basic clothing, so our designer labels or ragged jeans don t distract from what s most important. Vestments have developed over the centuries from ordinary garments of the ancient Roman world. As fashions changed, the Church retained the older styles of garments to reflect our history and longevity, but also and reserved them for particular functions in worship. Choir member: Cassock: The base layer is a cassock, which is the basic garment for a minister in the church. Our choir wears red cassocks. Cotta: Over the cassock is a cotta. This is a white waist-length vestment with large sleeves and usually a yoke shaped neck. The name
comes from the Latin for coat. Acolyte and Chalice Bearers: Cassock-Alb: Our acolytes wear two different vestments a cassock and cotta (above), or a cassock-alb and cincture (described below). The cassock-alb is a long white garment with narrow sleeves. This is considered the basic undergarment of vestments, and is often associated with the whiteness of purity. The alb comes from a Latin word meaning white thing. Priests & Deacons: Alb: Priests and Deacons wear some kind of alb. Karen and Rachel both wear a traditional Cassock-Alb (above). John wears a cowl-neck Alb. Some clergy wear lacy or embroidered albs. The differences are all personal preference. Cincture: Around the waist of the Alb is a rope called a cincture. Originally, this rope was originally used both as a belt and by fisherman to hike up their robes and keep them out of the muck and water. As the church became less local and moved into buildings, the ropes became simply belts. Over time, as in most religions, the ropes came to symbolize the following: 1) the rope with which Jesus was flogged; 2) the rope with which Jesus drove out the animals and vendors at the temple; 3) the rope with which Jesus said he would pull his followers. Stole: Over their necks (priests and bishops) or shoulder (deacons), is worn a stole, the scarf-like vestment, which bears the color of the season. The stole symbolizes the yoke of Christ, and is worn by those who are ordained during sacramental services. It is a reminder that the true minister of ever sacrament is Jesus, whom we serve. The priest who is wearing Chasuble: This is the poncho-like garment priests (or bishops) wear when celebrating the Eucharist. The chasuble descends to us from ancient Rome; it was the extremely ornate overgarment used by the wealthy for warmth and elegance. As the early church was beginning, they took Paul s advice to adopt the appearance of those who made the rules. Over time, the chasuble came to symbolize both the yoke worn by those in service and the seamless robe work by Jesus at his time of arrest and death. Chasubles, like stoles, follow the colors of the seasons.
VESSLES: The Altar Guild is the group of people who make sure everything we need to serve communion is ready. We cannot have communion without the following items: Bread (Host): There are two kinds of bread we use communion wafers and communion bread. The wafers are made from wheat and water and are more like crackers than bread. At the 10:15 service, we use real unleavened bread, which is made by a member of our Parish. We can keep wafers in reserve, but the real bread we have to eat up after every service, as it won t keep. Wine: Any kind of wine can be used. Some use a very dark red wine, like Port, to look more like blood. Others use a lighter wine (or even white wine) because it is difficult to get out of white linens. We use a traditional cream sherry/ Chalice: This is the cup for the wine. It looks very much like a wine cup. Some are elaborate, some are gilded, others are simple pottery. It doesn t matter what it looks like, it is used to serve wine to the congregation. Paten: This is the bread plate. It is used both for the bread while it is being blessed during the Eucharist, and also for handing out the bread to the congregation in the communion. Again, it can be very ornate or simple pottery. Candles: Candles were originally used because they provided light (before electricity). But they also are symbolic telling us that a service is in session. We are entering a holy time (a time set aside for God ) and preparing ourselves for this holy time. Candles can also remind us that Christ is the light of the World. Linens: The following are used during the service: 1) the fair linen the table cloth for the altar (it is embroidered with crosses) 2) the corporal the placemat for the chalice and paten (it is a reminder of the linen found at the empty tomb) 3) the purificator the napkin used to wipe the cup between service to each parishioner.