The Reverend David Balfour
Sermon
Preached on 21st October 2007 at St John’s Dumfries
The Eucharist (3)
LITURGY

It is really good to be home for in many ways St. John’s feels like home. So it is good to come back for a visit. I guess for some of us there are quite a number of church families that fit into the title “home”, St. John’s has certainly become one for me.

I hope that I have managed to reflect to you the passion I have about Worship and its importance in the life of a Church Community. I want to encourage you to keep exploring, developing and growing in your understanding and practice of Worship. I also need to say that what I have been addressing is Liturgical Worship centered in the Eucharist. There are other valid forms of Free Worship, or that practised by Quakers which majors on Silence and each of these are about the same thing. I have recently been reminded of the way I used to begin the service in the Parish which taught me about Worship. In an Article in our New Zealand Church Magazine a friend of mine, Martin, says this:-
(He was at Theological College and on occasions came to the Parish I have just mentioned.)

He comments:- The Priest at St. Paul’s, David Balfour, would invariably begin by saying: “I’m Fr David- and it is my prayer that you meet Jesus”. Martin goes on to say:- “That is exactly it. Those few simple words – for me they capture it. All the ceremonial, and the rite, and the ritual has to be directed towards that, really. I want to meet Christ at Mass.”

Our call as we gather Sunday by Sunday to do what is our most important work, the Worship of God, our call is to worship in such a way that the encounter with Jesus will be a reality. As I have indicated, it is the responsibility of each person in the congregation to make an Act of Worship be that sort of experience. Not the Rector’s, not the Choir’s, not the Preacher’s, but all of us together committed with heart, soul, mind and body to be given in Worship.

As I said in the other two sermons we come to the service each on their own journey, each with our unique experience of God. We also come within the context of our personalities; some of us find words and thinking most helpful, for others the use of the five senses really gets them in touch. Some of us need time to take in what is going on, others of us like things to keep moving. No one approach is right. Other things also affect worship and I want to come to some of that in a moment.

But first let me underline something that is vital for our understanding of Liturgical Worship, and the sort of environment that we worship. Our church is one full of symbols. If you go to a Calvinistic Church you would find it very plain, in fact in some the walls would be white, the glass in the windows clear, and in some no organ. (Calvin thought the Organ was an instrument of the Devil – sorry Tom). The Word is the important thing, Scripture and its interpretation. Anglicans being a Church of Word & Sacrament, our building are full of symbols. Font; Altar or Table; Stained Glass; Crosses or Crucifixes; in some Holy Water Stoops and Incense; Processions – i.e. The Gospel procession, emphasising Christ’s coming to earth by bringing the Gospel down in procession with Candles into the midst of the Congregation. Candles emphasise The Light of the World. The Bread and the Wine. All these symbols can be off putting to some especially to folk who may have no church background, they might prefer a hall with a band and lots of people singing lustily to tunes that are easily sung. However for many they have deep meaning. I don’t believe I have the right to say any one way is the right way.

What then is a Symbol. It is not a sign. A sign points to something – like Exit or Library. A symbol is the Edge of a Reality. My wedding is the edge of a reality of 45 years of relationship next month, with all the heartaches, the joys, our four children our four grandchildren and our one and a bit great grandchildren. All the friends, all that we have learnt as a couple as parents. Etc.

The Font is a symbol – the edge of the fountain of life; of belonging to God and to a family called the church, the reality that God places His Spirit into our lives. The Bread and the Wine, symbols of all of Creation, symbols of a Meal with God, symbols of our Salvation through the Cross. They are much more than just Bread and Wine. The whole Creation is present in them. God so loved the world, in Greek the word is Cosmos.

Other things affect the way we worship. The way society is structured will impinge on how we worship. If we go back to beginning of the Anglican Church and the first Prayer Books, say the 1662 one,

Society had a very particular structure.

God
King/Queen – power of life or death

Courtier

Hoi Polloi

At home the structure was repeated.

God
Father

Mother – a possession, a chattel

Children – boys first.
then the Girls.

The Architecture of the Church reflected this and we can see it here at St. John’s. The Hoi Polloi sit in the Nave – Nave (after Navis; a ship in Latin) notice the roof the ribs of a ship.
Then there comes the Screen, then the Choir, and in 1662 that is where the Monks, Clergy sat and if the Monarch was present the Monarch. The Choir – for the offices and signing of God’s praises the chief role of the Monks & Nuns. The Sanctuary was where before the Reformation God would be present on the altar. In some Cathedrals that screen is 20 or more feet thick.

The Dominant theology of the Prayer Book and the Architecture was Transcendence – God High and lifted up. The tall pillars in Gothic buildings invite your eyes up up up. Lo and I recently visited Liverpool and both Cathedrals there so clearly illustrate what I am suggesting. The Anglican one has a very clear Nave and Choir and a large Sanctuary. The Nave and Sanctuary separated by a large Crossing under the Tower. Fabulous space and lots of it. I will come to Catholic one in a moment.

The Church was Established – In England the Priest had a role on behalf of the State. Everyone was meant to be part of the C of E. Funnily enough although New Zealanders tried the Church still played an established role – gone now. When hanging was last debated in Parliament the Prime Minister of the day went out of the Chamber and called the Anglican Archbishop and said, “ If you folk don’t do some thing we will have hanging back.” That wouldn’t happen today in fact when the Queen was last in NZ the present Prime Minister would not agree to Grace being said.

Parish Life was maintenance centred – no need to evangelise: it was presumed all belonged.
It was the time of the Printing Press – so the emphasis came on to The Word as the Bible became available to most. The Chained Bible.

Liturgy was Introverted – personal – Priest centred- “you in your small corner me in mine” When I was first ordained I did the lot. Priest with his back to the people because the emphasis was on Transcendence offering on behalf of everyone the worship of all.

Clergy Role – that of Parsona – the person of the Parish – often the only one who could read, knew all the people in the village- Parish of about 150 to 200. Ruled the Parish – the word Rector means Ruler.

The congregation tended to be passive; have things done to them

Things have changed
The Liverpool Roman Catholic Cathedral very clearly emphasises the shift in Society and Worship. If you haven’t visited it, don’t miss it – absolutely fabulous – both of them are – the Anglican one from the outside does nothing but inside is great.

The structure of Society now is Democratic. This began at the end of Queen Victoria’s reign and became even more emphasised after the Second World War. It is sometimes called the Democratisation of Society. In our time we see the UK and the USA trying to bring democracy to the whole world. At time with little success.

In Society now the structure is Circular

God – if God is present - is in the middle

Government is around - God - parliament still starts with a Prayer.
Government is elected and the people have a say

At home

Mother and Father are equals – didn’t really happen till the Matrimonial Property Act.

Children have rights and a say - viz. my kids quickly pull me into line – I would never have done that with my Father.

The Altar moves into the centre of the Church, The RC Cathedral is built in the round. The Dominant Theology is Immanence: God in the Midst of His people.

Church is disestablished - note the call in England for that to happen. In the paper this week the suggestion that Bishops should be given the power to appoint Deans of Cathedrals. At the moment many of them are Royal appointments.

Parish Life needs to be Mission Centred. The life of the Parish is no longer the centre of folk’s life.

We are in a visual Age - an age of feeling – touch – did you see one of the Springboks kiss another when they won – how things have changed.
Liturgy – is now Extroverted a dialogue between Priest and people – it is a partnership between Priest and people.

Clergy Role – is that of Gathering the Congregation for Worship and Ministry.

The congregation takes an active role in a LCM Parish that means that a lot of the Ministry is by members of the Congregation.

One of the facts we must face in all of this is that some folk still have a hierarchical world view that fits the old liturgy. One of the big mistakes I made in NZ was to get rid of the old services and in doing that make it very difficult for some to worship. However we are called to be relevant in every age so we have to find ways that speak to both constituencies.

In all that I have said over these three sermons I am encouraging us to deepen our worship, to explore ways that will speak to folk in this day and age. To encourage us to come together to worship and to desire to encounter the Living God through Jesus Christ and in the Power of the Spirit. To be totally given to this call on our lives to be the Body of Christ. AMEN