Eastern Orthodox

[JohnnyReb]

It is a form of the Evening Prayer service. I’m not sure what prayer book your Anglican community uses, but in the older prayer books the Evening Prayer service is often sung chorally, when it is called Evensong.

Here is a link to the text.

This is from Wikepedia on the musical aspect:

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You might be able to find examples on Youtube. I’d have a look for you but my computer is not letting me listen to audio. Parishes with good choirs tend to do it, we have it one Sunday evening a month, though we have said Evening Prayer five days a week.

Edit: Actually, if you look at the external links at the bottom of the Wiki link, there are some to BBC broadcasts of Evensong. It looks like a nice selection.

I will look on youtube later today to see what I find. Our parish does not use one of the particular books of prayer. Our order of service/liturgy is out of Rwanda and is based I think on the 1662(maybe) BCP. The more I look at it, we are very evangelical in nature, and its not that evangelicalism is bad, I’m just looking for something more historically rooted. The Catholic and liturgical aspects of the faith are less represented. We have a liturgical style order of the service, and that is it.

 

[JohnnyReb]

Yes. everything is chanted (for the most part). You will get used to standing as your legs strengthen. It is okay to sit if you feel the need–the idea being that we stand to pay respect for the King (Jesus Christ). Yes–we cross ourselves often–some people more than others. We cross ourselves whenever we hear the mention of the Holy Trinity–and other times if we feel moved to do so. The act of “Placing the cross on oneself” is a request for a blessing from God.

Yes, the parishoners all made that very clear to me. One of the members-a middle aged woman-took time to sit probably because she needed to. I really thought was touched by the Vespers in a way that I was not expecting, I cannot explain that. I want to return to go to DL. I told the priest that I am on a journey, and I’m not going to make any decisions hastily. He told me, its no pressure at all. I respect that. He discussed the possibilty of an inquirings class forming soon because there are now 3 of us. I’m going to have to take time for this to sink in. I think I did fine, because I committed no sacrileges as far as I can tell.

 

[Bluegoat]

I will look on youtube later today to see what I find. Our parish does not use one of the particular books of prayer. Our order of service/liturgy is out of Rwanda and is based I think on the 1662(maybe) BCP. The more I look at it, we are very evangelical in nature, and its not that evangelicalism is bad, I’m just looking for something more historically rooted. The Catholic and liturgical aspects of the faith are less represented. We have a liturgical style order of the service, and that is it.

If you are using one based on 1662 it would be a very similar text.

If you search on youtube they are often given the title of the particular part of evensong - you may not be able to find an example of the whole thing. But you could search for something like “Magnificat Gibbons” and probably find something you would enjoy.

It’s true that many of the African Anglicans, though in a way “conservative” are in another way not particularly in the tradition. They have a closer relation to low church Anglicanism, but they are also new in many ways.

 

[Mickey]

I told the priest that I am on a journey, and I’m not going to make any decisions hastily.

Absolutely. It is not a decision to make hastily. I waited four months before I was Chrismated–and I was Ruthenian Catholic for eight years before that! I would recommend visiting often–attending the services when you can–and take the inquiring classes if possible.

I think I did fine, because I committed no sacrileges as far as I can tell.

We Orthodox are very loose. We are not inspecting you to see if you are being Orthodox.

 

[Bluegoat]

We Orthodox are very loose.

 

[JohnnyReb]

If you are using one based on 1662 it would be a very similar text.

If you search on youtube they are often given the title of the particular part of evensong - you may not be able to find an example of the whole thing. But you could search for something like “Magnificat Gibbons” and probably find something you would enjoy.

It’s true that many of the African Anglicans, though in a way “conservative” are in another way not particularly in the tradition. They have a closer relation to low church Anglicanism, but they are also new in many ways.

I found an evensong on youtube from All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church in DC and watched a couple of minutes. I did in fact enjoy it. I found some striking similarities to the Orthodox Vespers, and of course there are some distinct differences as well. I wish my parish had something similar right now, but instead we have Wednesday night Evangelical style prayer meetings.

 

[JohnnyReb]

Absolutely. It is not a decision to make hastily. I waited four months before I was Chrismated–and I was Ruthenian Catholic for eight years before that! I would recommend visiting often–attending the services when you can–and take the inquiring classes if possible.

Will do. I will keep people updated on my journey who I talk to on here.

 

[JesusforMadrid]

Yes. everything is chanted (for the most part). You will get used to standing as your legs strengthen. It is okay to sit if you feel the need–the idea being that we stand to pay respect for the King (Jesus Christ). Yes–we cross ourselves often–some people more than others. We cross ourselves whenever we hear the mention of the Holy Trinity–and other times if we feel moved to do so. The act of “Placing the cross on oneself” is a request for a blessing from God.

I too felt uncomfortable at first by all the crossing; seen through an Evangelical prism, it seemed an empty ritual.

However, once I realised that people cross themselves at the mention of the Holy Trinity, I realised how very Trinitarian the Orthodox DL really is. Then, I began to see it as a way that we all can participate in the worship of the Holy Trinity. I love that the DL is not about “meeting my needs”–it is much bigger than any one person there. Yet standing upright, at the confluence of heartily and heavenly worship, I too get to participate with all the senses.

So now I cross myself about 30 times every Sunday.

 

[dzheremi]

Yeah, I thought I was used to crossing myself as an RC…then I discovered the Agpeya (Coptic book of the Hours), wherein I cross myself at every “Kyrie Eleison”, every mention of the Holy Trinity, every “Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord Bless” (different than “Kyrie Eleison”, as the Kyrie Eleison has, in addition to various parts throughout the hour in which it is chanted, a section of its own wherein it is repeated 41 times in succession, in connection with the lashing of Christ during His passion). I have not counted, but if it were over 100 times in the hour, I would not be in the least bit surprised.

I know it’s not at all about the numbers, but still…wow! That’s so much more than any RC Mass I ever went to, and that’s in my house at least twice a day! I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at this being a part of the church of 412 prostrations every Good Friday, but still…!