Evening bells and smells

Since I couldn't go to Mass this morning, Ryan actually suggested that we go to Solemn Evensong and Benediction at St. Paul's K Street this evening after I got home. And—there's more!—he was actually ready on time and we weren't late to church for a change! Tonight was the first time I've been able to hear a complete prelude all summer. :::hugs, Ry Ry:::

Since the boys are off for the summer, tonight's Evensong was sung by the gentlemen of the choir. It was Charles Wood day: they did his a capella Evening Service in E for the Mag and Nunc and then a lovely job with his anthem, "View me, Lord." The traditional preces and responses were sung congregationally, as was an Anglican chant for the psalm. They picked Dickinson College for the office hymn, and then during Benediction, they did O salutaris hostia to Hereford and Tantum ergo Sacramentum to Oriel. There was a middle aged black priest I'd not ever seen before who served as officiant and he was uncredited in the service bulletin, so I don't know who is is; at least he could chant nicely.

One funny thing happened. During the chanting of the collect for the day, the server turned the page in the middle of the collect and there was nothing on the other side! Then he flipped back and forth a couple of times while the officiant stood there mid-sentence in awkward silence. Finally, I guess they gave up looking for the rest of the words so the officiant just sang "through Jesus Christ our Lord" and moved on. LOL

It's always interesting exposing Ryan to high church liturgy and to correct theology uncorrupted by Calvinist thought. He's still having a hard time comprehending the idea of communion not being a simple memorial during which one eats stale bread and a little cup of grape juice but rather being the act of receiving spiritual grace through eating Jesus Himself in the earthly forms of bread and wine. I guess transsubstantiation wasn't in the Baptist Vacation Bible School curriculum. Tonight was his first experience with not only Evensong, but with Benediction and Adoration of the Host. It was also the first time he'd ever been blessed with a monstrance containing Jesus. I certainly don't expect Ryan to become a theologian or even a priest, but I do hope that through the Church he will be able to find the peace and love of God.