Ash Wednesday resources

I was talking to a friend about Ash Wednesday services. They’re not my favorite — the ashes can be ostentatious, and it reflects a particular Western Christian piety that I don’t care for — but the service has become more widely observed in the last couple of generations, so I’d like to revisit three blog… Continue reading Ash Wednesday resources

Bleg: Copy of a service book

This is a bleg. A blog beg. I’m looking for a copy of a liturgy. In Protestant Nonconformity and Christian Missions (ed. Wellings Martin) I learned of a Unitarian-Free Catholic service book: J. P. Oakden’s 1934 A Free Church Liturgy based on the Words of holy Scripture together with A Simplified Latin Rite and Orthodox… Continue reading Bleg: Copy of a service book

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Categorized as Worship

Another source of “red hymnal” liturgical resources

The Services of Religion associated with the red Hymns of the Spirit drew from many sources. One was Devotional Services for Public Worship (1903), an example of English Congregationalist liturgy; it represents a parallel strain to Free Christianity within English Dissent. To note.

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Categorized as Hymns, Worship

Revisiting worship from 1939

I’m making a historical review of worship at Universalist National Memorial Church, by request, to help worship leaders understand how worship has developed. I’m curious to see what will turn up. I’ve written very generally about a set of orders of service, saved in the Library of Congress ephemera collection and posted online. Two posts… Continue reading Revisiting worship from 1939

The arranged reading (for Christmas and otherwise)

It’s a given that old hymns may be re-arranged to suit the particular service better, even if it’s just to choose some verses and not others. And responsive readings are often edited from their source documents to better suit the occasion. Readings for preaching are chosen, and are sometimes edited for inclusive language, but I… Continue reading The arranged reading (for Christmas and otherwise)

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Categorized as Bible, Worship

Blue Christmas/Longest Night rollcall

“Blue Christmas” and “Longest Night” services are related phenomena that respect the worship needs of mourners, depressed or distressed people. Or more generally, those for whom the cheer of the season brings more pain than joy. But it’s not easy to find these services if you’re not looking for them, and some are well before… Continue reading Blue Christmas/Longest Night rollcall

An Advent daily reader for mixed generations?

Well, after writing yesterday that I had no comment about Advent… well, a conversation at church changed that. Do you know of a family — that is, appropriate for use by adult and school-aged children — daily manual for Advent, appropriate for Universalist Christians? Ideally, something with a Bible passage for the day, a meditation… Continue reading An Advent daily reader for mixed generations?

A question for wedding officiants

Legislative and court successes have expanded same-sex couples access to legal marriage; my husband and I have benefited from it. It’s exciting to see the couples line up on the first “legal” day. Some of these will then get married on the courthouse steps, or some location nearby. It’s particularly encouraging to see Unitarian Universalist… Continue reading A question for wedding officiants