tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027438145843075022.post3012392041558719680..comments2023-06-26T08:07:39.634-04:00Comments on Orthodoxy or Bust!: Visit #26 - Holy WednesdayJimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18023716101668315942noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027438145843075022.post-48867888284134001382011-05-01T18:58:24.514-04:002011-05-01T18:58:24.514-04:00Marianna,
You are so right! I never really put my ...Marianna,<br />You are so right! I never really put my finger on it before but many of the songs in my protestant church are about God, rather than to God. What a difference!Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18023716101668315942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027438145843075022.post-21334366026158947422011-04-29T21:36:38.426-04:002011-04-29T21:36:38.426-04:00When I was on my journey to Orthodoxy, the differe...When I was on my journey to Orthodoxy, the difference I noticed the most between my charismatic Baptist church & the Orthodox church is that the Protestant church mostly talked *about* God & sang *about* God. The Orthodox mostly talked *to* God and sang *to* God. I felt that this was a profound difference. To this day I can't tell you why this seems like such an important difference: except that the church who talked the most about a personal relationship, seemed to stand at arm's length. Conversely, the Orthodox were immersed in God, or at least in conversation to Him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027438145843075022.post-75020189693795325472011-04-28T03:26:08.768-04:002011-04-28T03:26:08.768-04:00David,
The idea of the service being for worship t...David,<br />The idea of the service being for worship to God and not just a "show" for us- even if it is a show that would edify- is when I witnessed the man reading from, what I now learned is the book of Acts on Holy Saturday before the Vigil started. He was reading out loud but not in a voice that was meant for all of us to hear. Rather, it was for God. That "background noise" really helped me in me centering my heart on Worship. I was there to worship the Risen Christ!Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18023716101668315942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027438145843075022.post-33670880335343624372011-04-23T18:33:18.504-04:002011-04-23T18:33:18.504-04:00One thing I have been noticing regarding those who...<i>One thing I have been noticing regarding those who lead in Worship - whether the choir or the reader or the Deacon or the Priest- is when they are doing their part, they are not performing but rather worshiping. I am not saying that protestants don't worship but there seems to be more showmanship in protestantism in general. My church uses a video screen to display the lyrics to the hymns and choruses, my own pastor, who is a godly man, tends, in his preaching, towards the dramatic. But at Vespers, I see John the reader, leading us in Psalm 51 and doing metanies, and crossing himself along the way. I see choir members Crossing themselves at appropriate times when they could, by rights, just read the music. Father Gary, in his homilies, exhorts us in an undramatic way, to follow Christ.</i><br /><br />This is so profound and true, Jim, and it is something I haven't considered enough. "Leitourgia" means "work of the people" or "the people's work." Some hear this and hear "saved by works" (which is not accurate), but I'd wager an equal number look at our Liturgy and instead see the Priest, Deacons, Readers, etc. as somehow placing themselves above the rest of the congregation, when the truth is they are <i><b>within</b></i> the congregation by their participation in the common "work" of the parish in worship.David Garnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10885067733992577305noreply@blogger.com