"A Baptist and an Episcopal were sitting in church, when..."
I grew up (and still am) Baptist. As a minister's kid, I really didn't have occasion to visit my friend's churches growing up, especially not of other denominations. I had never even attended a Catholic service until I was married and was asked to sing at a friend's wedding. So my experience with communion "procedure" was pretty singular.
Then I went to work for an Episcopal school. I LOVED the weekly communion (ours is only about once a quarter), and the ritual of it. It also gave me one of my favorite "Baptist fish in the Episcopal pool" stories.
One year as we attended the Association for Episcopal Schools conference that is held each year, we all gathered in an old church for the beginning of the conference. As the lesser priests (not the bishop) walked out to start the opening mass, I took note that they were dressed in mandarin-collared, long tunics of royal blue and black in a strangely reminscent pattern. I looked at them for a moment, then exclaimed to the seasoned teacher (and Episcopalian) sitting next to me, "Cool! Star Trek priests!"
One of the older priests walked within earshot as I made my remark. He soberly looked at me for a second, and as he walked by he discreetly greeted me with the Vulcan hand gesture.
I began grinning from ear to ear. My co-worker simply shook her head and asked, "What are we going to do with you?"
"Just shake your head and be glad I'm not actually yours," I replied.
That was one cool priest. It made me glad he wasn't wearing the red shirt.
Then I went to work for an Episcopal school. I LOVED the weekly communion (ours is only about once a quarter), and the ritual of it. It also gave me one of my favorite "Baptist fish in the Episcopal pool" stories.
One year as we attended the Association for Episcopal Schools conference that is held each year, we all gathered in an old church for the beginning of the conference. As the lesser priests (not the bishop) walked out to start the opening mass, I took note that they were dressed in mandarin-collared, long tunics of royal blue and black in a strangely reminscent pattern. I looked at them for a moment, then exclaimed to the seasoned teacher (and Episcopalian) sitting next to me, "Cool! Star Trek priests!"
One of the older priests walked within earshot as I made my remark. He soberly looked at me for a second, and as he walked by he discreetly greeted me with the Vulcan hand gesture.
I began grinning from ear to ear. My co-worker simply shook her head and asked, "What are we going to do with you?"
"Just shake your head and be glad I'm not actually yours," I replied.
That was one cool priest. It made me glad he wasn't wearing the red shirt.