Lent 2019
Dear Friends in Christ,
Each year I add to the number describing the time since my birth, and it seems increasingly also the pronounced sincerity of my sigh of relief and prayers of thanksgiving that the long wait of winter is coming to an end. I look forward to summer each year and somehow even make unrealistic presumptions that winter is over for good. In any case, the long New Brunswick winter this year, now stretching into six months, shows signs of receding as days brighten and temperatures moderate one more time.
Seasonal rhythms, many would say, significantly enrich the experience of living where we do. The rhythms of the church seasons provide a similar spiritual experience as we, with the days of the calendar, walk through the life of our Lord each year. As we approach the end of another forty days of Lent, just over the horizon we see the first glimmer of light in the promises of Easter.
While that hope of resurrection, to which Jesus often alluded, is found in the shadows of the burial garden on Easter Day, there is another source of those hopeful beams. We most often think of the darkness of the hour of crucifixion the most intense of history. But the light that shines from the dark wood of the Cross is among the brightest. It is the reason, in the Christian tradition, that we are able to describe a terrible Friday as “Good.” The price paid on the Golgotha hill is what makes the suffering of life in the world worthwhile. Even though we struggle, like enduring the cold and windy days of winter, there is a brighter, warmer light in our future. Eternal life is evident, even in the Cross of Death. “I know that my redeemer lives!” said Job.
That’s the miracle expressed in the narratives of Holy Week and Easter. You’re invited once again to join in the walk toward Jerusalem and to hear both the shouts of Palm Sunday and the whispers of early Easter morn – the first suggestion that Jesus is alive, just as he has promised. Because he lives, we too will live, and continue even into eternity with him.
The schedule of Easter seasonal worship is included here. You’re encouraged to celebrate with us to the extent that you are able, and breath once again that sigh of relief that comes from knowing that our Lord lives!
Sincerely,
Geoffrey Hall (The Very Rev’d)
Dean of Fredericton
GMH
Monday - Thursday: 8:45 Morning Prayer and 4:45 Evening Prayer
The Holy Eucharist on 20 April is the first of Easter
Passion/Palm Sunday
(14 April 2019)
8:00 a.m. Liturgy of the Palms and Holy Eucharist
10:00 a.m. Liturgy of the Palms, Dramatic Passion and Holy Eucharist
11:45 a.m. Blessing of Palms and Come Worship Eucharist
Monday
5:15 p.m. Holy Eucharist
Tuesday
5:15 p.m. Holy Eucharist
Wednesday
10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist
5:15 p.m. Holy Eucharist
7:30 p.m. Tenebrae - Liturgy of Shadows (Traditional)
Maundy Thursday
11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Ministry Vows and Blessing of Oils
5:45 p.m. Maundy Thursday Shared Meal (Memorial Hall)
7:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist and Stripping of the Sanctuary
Good Friday
10:00 a.m. Celebration of the Lord's Passion
Easter Eve
(20 April 2019)
8:00 p.m. The Great Vigil of Easter, Renewal of Baptism and Eucharist
Easter Day
(21 April 2019)
8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist
10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist
11:45 a.m. Come Worship Eucharist
The Holy Bible is a compilation of various writings over many centuries, eventually agreed upon by the historical Christian Church to be included in the “canon of scripture.” The books included have been carefully curated and believed to be the holy word of God. WikipediA states that, as of October 2017, the full Bible has been translated into 670 languages, the New Testament into 1,521 languages and Bible portions or stories into 1,121 other languages.
Apart from what writings are and are not included in the canon is the matter of translation into modern English of texts originally written in various ancient languages including Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, Latin and. variations of those depending on the time and location.
The issue of translation, as one might imagine, becomes significantly complicated. A translator (or translators) need to determine what rules are being followed in expressing ancient words in modern ways. Is the policy dynamic or formal? Is it a word for word translation or is an overall sense of meaning the goal? How do current understandings, cultural influences of time and place influence the task of understanding these texts impact how they are placed on the modern page?
A word that meant one thing in the Middle Ages can mean something quite different in the 21st century.
Readers of biblical texts will often gain important perspective when returning to the original languages to decipher the literal “word” of God being uttered. This makes the study of the ancient languages an invaluable tool in the task of interpretation. But nuance of language, both ancient and modern, make this a time consuming endeavour. A word that meant one thing in the Middle Ages can mean something quite different in the 21st century. All of these factors makes accurately translating and interpreting holy scripture challenging indeed. Often comparing one translation with others can help in gaining a wider understanding of a specific concept.
The Anglican Church tends to rely primarily on translations considered to exhibit a great degree of agreement among scholars, leaning more toward word for word translations than those depending on cultural idiom and nuance. Bishops of Anglican dioceses throughout the world authorize the scriptural translations to be used in public worship. In the Diocese of Fredericton, and generally in the Anglican Church of Canada, the preferred biblical translation is the New Revised Standard Version, but an entire list can be found as a Bishop’s Directive . (1. General Liturgy and Worship –> 1.4 Biblical Translations Recommended for Public Reading) The NRSV is a modern example and product several decades in the making with various versions having been produced during its development. It generally holds to a policy of literal translation while paying attention to current acceptable linguistic expression in terms of gender neutrality.
There have been many popular bible translations in recent decades. Some may remember the Good News Bible or Eugene Peterson’s The Message, each having been looked upon as Bibles “friendly to the ear.” Difficulties that present themselves with popular versions of biblical texts are often both theological and doctrinal. Do these versions of scripture agree with official doctrinal (teaching) positions of the Church and/or specific denominational expressions of that church body?
Read more about bible translations on WikipediA: Bible translations
GMH
On Wednesday of Holy Week, we'll once again add Tenebrae to the wide selection of worship opportunities made available during perhaps the most solomn week of the Church year. The great three days (Eve of Good Friday or Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Day) are known as "the triduum."
An enormous amount of tradition and history informs modern practices where Tenebrae is celebrated. The following excerpts of the Tenebrae Wikipedia article references at least some of the detail.
The principal Tenebrae ceremony is the gradual extinguishing of candles upon a stand called a "hearse." In liturical history, eventually, the Roman Rite settled on fifteen candles, one of which is extinguished after each of the nine psalms of matins and the five of lauds. The six altar candles are put out during the Benedictus, gradually also reducing the lighting in the church throughout the chanting of the canticle. Then any remaining lights in the church are extinguished and the last candle on the hearse is hidden behind the altar (if the altar is such as does not hide the light, the candle, still lit, is put inside a candle lantern), ending the service in total darkness. The "strepitus" (Latin for "great noise"), made by slamming a book shut, banging a hymnal or breviary against the pew, or stomping on the floor, symbolizes the earthquake that followed Christ's death, although it may have originated as a simple signal to depart. After the candle has been shown to the people, it is extinguished, and then put "on the credence table," or simply taken to the sacristy. All rise and then leave in silence.
Some Anglican churches celebrate Tenebrae on Wednesday of Holy Week, although in various forms, thereby preserving the importance of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday observances.
The Episcopal Church in its Book of Occasional Services provides for a single Tenebrae service on Holy Wednesday in the evening. That form preserves the number of nine Tenebrae lessons, each followed by a responsory.
Christ Church Cathedral (Fredericton) uses Tenebrae in a sung traditional language form on the Wednesday evening of Holy Week
The majority of parishes within the Anglican Church of Canada do not routinely celebrate Tenebrae, and the Anglican Book Centre does not publish any service explicitly for Tenebrae. Parishes that do celebrate Tenebrae follow a variety of practices. The Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto) is notable for the excellence of its music, of which the musical Tenebrae services are exemplary. Christ Church Cathedral (Fredericton) uses Tenebrae in a sung traditional language form on the Wednesday evening of Holy Week which includes lessons from Jeremiah with responding psalms, the fourth being from John 17, and Benedictus. At the Church of the Epiphany (Oakville) Tenebrae is described as the reversal of the Advent wreath: "starting Lent with the brightness of six candles, the darkness grows as a candle is extinguished each week in anticipation of Jesus dying on the cross on Good Friday." This abbreviated Tenebrae liturgy begins worship services on Sundays during Lent. The Sisterhood of Saint John the Divine have their own liturgy, "The Order of Tenebrae," published in 1933.
"Individually, we can't carry a tune in a paper bag. Together, we sound GREAT!" Been told you can't sing, think you can't sing? Nonsense! Anyone can sing. Choirs and singing groups for people who don't have "a golden voice" have been springing up all across the UK and Canada. And now here in Fredericton, we have the Paper Bag Singers.
This is a casual group for people of all ages who just want to belt one out and have fun singing with like-voiced people. No auditions, no commitment; join us when you can. We meet every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month, starting Monday, March 11th. Only $5 an evening. Find us online! email questions to: <paperbagsingers at gmail.com>
Listen to Lynn Melanson interviewed on CBC's Shift on 28 February.
Hi all - the main idea here is to have fun. Our esteemed Cathedral music director, David Drinkell, will be giving us tips and hints to help us along the way - thank you David. Check out our meetup site; it costs you nothing to join the meetup group and RSVP. Spread the word; the more the merrier. Attaching a poster, should you wish to print out a few to put up in your place of work or on a local bulletin board - thanks for that if you do.
Hope to hear you all in fine voice - oh, we'll all sound wonderful!
Lynn Melanson
