Maundy Thursday
I went to the Maundy Thursday service at St. Mary's. mia_mcdavid was sick and stayed home. It was a small service, and no foot-washing. The parish does not have the full Holy Week cycle that we remember from St. Luke's in Evanston. I can handle this: A while back (10-15 years ago) I decided to give up liturgical argument for Lent (Really!). I never picked it up again.
While small and simple, it was well done. Small had its advantages. Not only could everybody gather around the altar for the liturgy of the table, but we could all participate in the stripping of the altar at end of the service, That part - removing everything bright, shiny, and pretty - was particularly moving this year.
Of course, when you are actually participating in the process you notice things that are not obvious back in the pew: Our fine brocade altar frontal was held in place by duct tape!
While small and simple, it was well done. Small had its advantages. Not only could everybody gather around the altar for the liturgy of the table, but we could all participate in the stripping of the altar at end of the service, That part - removing everything bright, shiny, and pretty - was particularly moving this year.
Of course, when you are actually participating in the process you notice things that are not obvious back in the pew: Our fine brocade altar frontal was held in place by duct tape!