ambitions, and a well-regulated liturgy

"The Holy Eucharist, the principal act of Christian worship on the Lord's Day and other major feasts, and Daily Morning and Evening Prayer, as set forth in this Book, are the regular services appointed for public worship in this Church." (BCP p. 13, "Concerning the Service of the Church")

How hard can that be?

Hard enough so that our parish cannot do it. There was a time when we did; Fr. S., our beloved former priest, said the Office in the parish church six mornings and evenings each week, taking one day off, and I covered Matins for that day (Friday). Thus, we lacked only one Daily Office service out of fourteen for the typical week. He said Mass at midday on every major feast, coming in on his day off to do so when necessary. He even came in for the daily Masses in Holy Week and Easter Week, and the three major feasts that follow Christmas Day.

When Fr. S. left, the midday Masses immediately ended. "They are not an effective use of our time," the rector said. "Who comes to them? A half dozen people?" Never mind that the point is not who shows up; the point is whether we as a parish are doing that which is "very meet, right, and our bounden duty," insofar as it is in our power. Neither have we carried on the Offices as we ought; between four of us as Officiants, we manage only eight of the possible fourteen services in the week.

Long ago, my ambition was to serve in a parish with a well-regulated worship life, and choral program to match. As late as ten years ago, it did not seem impossible to contemplate such a thing for a parish -- regular services "as set forth in this Book [of Common Prayer]" with support from choirs and organist. Fr. S. and I made it a priority to have Choral Evensong on the first Sunday of each month, and over these ten years the Choir has developed a strong commitment to it. This meant that the Choir could no longer present concerts as they used to do; it meant that Evensong would be humbler than the lavish events they used to include in their concert series once a year or so. We were too busy with the humdrum labor of learning the psalms appointed, and the canticles, along with our duties at the weekly Sunday Eucharist.

This year has not been a good year for us. First Sunday Evensong has been trumped several times by other events of wider interest to the parish community, such as the building dedication in February. But tonight was good. One of the basses called it the "best service all year," and in my opinion, he was right; it was certainly better than anything we have done on a Sunday morning in many years. It was the last Evensong of the season, and the only Evensong of the year for the Youth Choir, who combined with the adults. Our new configuration made it possible to set up chairs in order to make a divided choir, with the youth across from the adults. This made a remarkable difference in the psalmody. We had a brass quartet, repeating the piece for brass and organ composed by one of our basses for Easter Day and playing on the Anthem. The Smith Preces and Responses were spectacular; the canticles (a set by Martin How) equally so, with the youth choir alone on most of the Nunc Dimittis. The psalmody was best of all, as it ought to be at evensong. This was all topped off by splendid lessons from Leviticus and Hebrews, and a fine sermon. And a reception, featuring the odd combination of wine, cheese, and pizza.

When I auditioned for this parish, I also auditioned for an Anglo-Catholic parish back east with a well-established program: fine and historic Gothic edifice, all services in Rite One -- including daily morning and evening prayer and Mass on major feasts -- good pipe organ about three times larger than the one I now play, strong and vigorous congregational life, skilled choir of boys, girls, and men, with multiple weekly rehearsals for the boys and girls and well-established RSCM program, regular choral settings of the Ordinary -- the Sunday following my interview, they were doing the Vierne Messe Solenelle in the Eucharist, and I rehearsed them on the Gloria, as well as the psalmody for their weekly Sunday Evensong. In my younger days, my ambition was to work in precisely this kind of situation, and I think I would do it well. But in this case, I came in second; they hired an Englishman, and I came to the Midwest.

I can see some possible reasons why I belong here rather than there, and tonight was one of them. I think that I have done some good work here, along with much that is less good. Mingling with the people at the reception this evening, young choristers running back and forth, going outside in the rain with a couple of choir families to see a rainbow -- I have no higher ambition than this. I want to do precisely what I have done today, and this week; rehearse with these choristers (young and old), help them learn and grow, play the organ, and participate in liturgy with them.

We will not in any foreseeable future have a well-regulated liturgy; we will not be singing the Vierne Messe Solenelle (or any other choral setting of the ordinary) at the Eucharist; we will never have the boys and girls singing for church every Sunday and rehearsing three or four times a week; we will never have weekly Choral Evensong. But what we do have is liturgy and music, and choral training, that befits this parish and its people.

There are times, as I wrote recently, when church is not good. I am glad that there are also times like tonight when it is.