Sunday, April 26, 2020

Eastertide in Plague Year 2020




You may or may not be surprised to hear this, but Church of England clergy aren't allowed to livestream their bizarre worship rituals from their churches, much less say Mass in them. So they do it instead from stripped pine kitchens and walk-in closets. Here in Texas it's different. We set up outside.




Healthy and, for small missions, good for morale. Brings people together in time of adversity against our common enemy, China the Devil. Some of the young women tailgated, and fair play to 'em.




I suggested that, thanks to a rancher, we put hay bales between the rigs for next Sunday's Mass but he didn't like the idea. Can't imagine why not, Cowboy Church meets the Sacrament of the Altar sort of thing. 

Regardless, there it was, we worshiped God on a Sunday and the Sacrament was confected and all without staring at some kind of dam screen.

If you haven't given to Linda's cause you'd better do so, and sharpish. Sayn.

God bless and keep you all,

LSP

12 comments:

Adrienne said...

Good for you, LSP.

That first little guy looks like someone I'd like to have coffee with and a nice chat.

Hay bales? Do you have a clue of how dang heavy a hay bale is? You probably do. Sorry.

I can't handle the Mass thingy online. It's just too bizarre. Starting, I think next week, we'll be having "public" Masses limited to 10 peeps with some strange sign up system in place. I think it will be 10 in the main church ares, 10 in the cry room (live streamed), 10 somewhere else. They've reserved the main church for "elderly" and since I don't qualify ;-) I guess I'll take a pass on the whole thing.

Okay - got that all wrong.

From the email:
We are going to begin having private Holy Masses, keeping the numbers of those in a room at 10 and less, through a sign-up system, beginning tomorrow, Saturday April 25. We ARE NOT beginning public Masses at this time, however this may change soon. All Masses are still private for now. We are only sending this email to all active parishioners who regularly attend St. Joan’s and ask that you please NOT forward or send it on to others.

In order to accommodate as many parishioners as possible, we are working creatively to have groups of 10 in different areas of the Church. Seven to eight people will be allowed to be in the main church (plus the priest, server and cameraman for the live streamed 9:00 am Mass); ten in the foyer (narthex) area (from the same family, since ‘social distancing’ won’t be possible in that small area); nine to ten will be in the choir loft (plus the technician needed for the live streamed Mass), ten will be in the ‘library/cry room’ (with audio and video available) and ten will be in the parish hall (with audio and video available). The number cannot exceed ten per room.

The Elderly:
The main church area will be sanitized just before the live streamed Masses, and the main church, for the live streamed Masses only, will be reserved specifically for the elderly. This choice seating area, for the live streamed Masses only, is reserved for the elderly out of respect for them, to protect their health by sufficient social distancing, and to ensure that the main body of the church is silent during the live streaming. Again, we are not permitted to have public Masses at this time and ensuring that the nave is quiet during live streaming will prevent the general public from thinking public Masses have begun, if they should see the Mass online.

I'll spare you the sign up system and all the other pesky rules. You're welcome!

I'm so sick of hearing the word "elderly." Do you think that is a worthy descriptive word for people like BJ and me - not to mention your beautiful mother?





LL said...

It looks like a good service. You have to play the hand you're dealt - and if it's turns out to be the Chinese Plague, sunlight is said to diminish its virulence.

You could have preached from horseback. It would have been sort of a bridge between a cowboy church and an Anglican service.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

+1 LL.
Once attended a wedding where the bride, groom, and minister were horseback. Crazy cousins.

Anonymous said...

No Mass here, just Welby doing his Kitchen Kitsch.

LSP said...

Adrienne, I found that incredibly confusing! But good your priests are doing something even if it's labyrinthine. And yes, "elderly" hardly applies... also, please, everyone, stop saying "social distancing." Who thought that nugget up? But I do like "cry room." Remember how full they were in November '16? Here's to a 2020 rerun.

LSP said...

That, LL, is an excellent suggestion and I've suggested doing overnight trail rides with a morning Mass "in the field." No one's bitten the bullet though, annoyingly. Sorry, "grasped the halter."

LSP said...

I'm picturing that, WSF.

LSP said...

Sorry about that, Anon. Closing the COE's churches -- completely -- was a weird and bad move.

Dad of Six said...

Hey Padre- It appears that your governor is more enlightened than our Gauleiter Whitmer. Hope that means you will have a return to normalcy soon.

Old NFO said...

Good for y'all!

LSP said...

I think in the next couple of weeks, DOS. Saying that, I kinda like the outdoor Masses! Still, it'll be hot soon so a return to AC is probably good.

LSP said...

You know, NFO, I think it's been good for our small crew(s). And thanks!