Prepping for the Sanctuary for Compline last Friday (October 2023)

Hi beautiful souls,

Hope you had a lovely weekend. A couple of things warmed up my day - and inspired this post. Top on my list is Arsenal beating Man City...allow that to sink in. I have to admit that I was a little scared that Saka's absence would destabilize that Nketiah, Martinelli, Odegard formation but Martinelli did his thing and finally, in Arteta's words, 'we beat the best team in the world'. We are currently No. 2 on the League and I couldn’t be happier.

Catching the match in my apartment - Arsenal did their thing (October 2023)

I am also excited about the Forum Hour series my church is doing this October. Given it is officially commercial spooky month here in the US, my church is jumping on the bandwagon and doing Biblical Stories of Terror aka stories in the Bible that are terrifying. I have hinted about my church on my Blackberry Pie post and when giving my thoughts on recommendations by the national church's mental health taskforce. Today, I will talk a little more about it by sharing my fav events, before I share that Biblical Story of Terror we looked at this morning.

When I volunteer as a wedding hostess, I wear a Cassock (the long black vestment)

I attend, and serve in, a church that was founded in 1744 - and built in 1820. Its beauty, contemplative practice and history, make it a prominent tourist and educational venue here in the city. I will work on more posts that will showcase all the things that make it tick, but today, I want to share my top three events - First Friday Compline, Saturday Night Mass, and Sunday Forum Hour.

Sanctuary set up for the instrumental group that played before the Compline prayers last Friday (October 2023)

1. First Friday Compline

Lancaster, the city I currently live and go to school in, hosts a monthly event called First Friday. On this day, stores, restaurants, galleries and event spaces stay open until late…everyone comes to the city on First Friday evenings to partake from food trucks, enjoy outdoor music at the Square or attend special events that various businesses curate specifically for this monthly event. 

Around 9pm last Friday, Compline led by the choir (October 2023)

Since my church is in the Downtown area, it participates in First Friday by hosting Compline. The word compline comes from the Latin word Completorium which in simple terms refers to prayers offered at the end of the day. The compline service is a contemplative discipline of quietness and reflection mostly practiced by monks and nuns, and follows a certain order - confession, a Psalm, Scripture or Hymn, Versicles (call and response type), The Lord's Prayer, Prayers, Time of Silence/Free intercession/Thanksgiving.

Copy of the July 2023 Compline Bulletin, loved every line of this prayer by Philips Brooks, Rector of Boston's Trinity in the 1800s (take a peep of the church here)

All the Friday Complines at church follow that order.  We usually light up candles, have an oud, reflections and chants led by the choir. This event starts at 9pm - which gives people enough time to have dinner, go through the various art exhibitions and other offerings in city, before winding down their day in contemplative prayer.

Yes, I love this event so much, I have one of the posters 'hanging' in one of my closets (July 2023)

2. Saturday Night Mass

While Compline might be challenging to people who find the practice of meditation and contemplation tricky, Saturday Night Mass is where the 'show' is. This event is hosted at 5pm on the second/third Saturday. It is a normal mass with a twist; instead of having ‘normal hymns', we have music from 'famous' musicians curated by local bands. 

Mini-poster of previous Saturday Night Mass events

My best was the John Denver one...I have his vinyl in my apartment, which I play every time I want to reminisce on road trips with my dad. Unfortunately, one of my best songs, Leaving on a Jet Plane, did not make it on the 'hymn list'.

Poster of the John Denver Saturday Night Mass 'on the street' - This one ended up in my apartment (July 2023)

 

The Priests wear jeans or something laid back and a collar during Saturday Night Mass...Took a pic of my 'laid back look' in the Sacristy - the place where communion is prepped and the priests get ready for Mass (July 2023)

Was serving on that day - Delivering bulletins for the Mass (July 2023)

The offering song was John Denver's Sunshine on My Shoulders (July 2023)

End of Mass Song was Take Me Home, Country Road (July 2023)

3. Forum Hour

Unlike the first two, this is a weekly event that happens during the hour between the end of the morning Mass and beginning of the mid morning one. By now you have a sense that my church is historical old school, not just in years but also in its offerings. Forum Hour sticks with that theme and past series have involved digging into writings by desert mothers and other early century folks to deep diving into Women in Bible and exploring back in the day forms of Prayer.

Took this after setting the Chapel for Forum Hour this Summer (July 2023)

For the next four weeks, we are looking at Biblical Stories of Terror. We started off with the story of Abraham and the time he was about to sacrifice his son. 

For those of you who aren’t into the Bible, here is a watered down summary. Imagine your dad, before you were born. He is almost clocking 100 (because people in the Bible didn’t die from lifestyle disease like we do) and he is childless. He believes in God, and has been in talks with him over the years. One day, God slides into his DM via an angel to tell him that he will finally have kids. Your mum, who isn’t your mum yet, laughs and leaves a 'you got jokes' meme on what she thinks is a heaven sent geriatric pregnancy joke. 

Fast forward and your dad gets two sons, one with the housekeeper and you - with your mum (I am giving highlights only). He then sends your step-bro to the desert (to die) and tries to sacrifice you...I vowed to stay away from True Crime Shows but this morning's discussions were True Crime on Steroids…Christians say your dad's attempt on your life was a test of his faith, but can we step back and  talk about all the trauma you and your stepbro went through because of those incidents...and every time you hear that he is still considered the Father of three religions - Christianity, Islam and and Judaism. I am so excited that we get four weeks of these types of discussion, I had to blog about it.

Parish House where the NA meetings happen

Bonus Event - Narcotics Anonymous

I want to throw in an extra event, which is not really an event that the church hosts but a ministry. My church provides space in the Parish House (building next to the main sanctuary) for two weekly Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Every Tuesday and Thursday, around 150 people (each of the days) convene at our Parish House for the Narcotics Anonymous meeting. To maintain the privacy of what is discussed, I will just say that it is such an empowering space and I am grateful that I get to be there as a 'community liaison' for the church. 

The front entrance of the church and bell tower

My best part of the meeting is towards the end when the leaders call out one month, and everyone who has been sober for a month stands and the group cheers them on, then they call out 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and so on and people stand and get applauses and congratulatory handshakes and hugs from their peers.

How I take breaks when I am serving in the main Sanctuary -  mirror selfies

The first time I walked through the doors of this 279 year old church, I was still in grief. I had not been in church for almost four months. I wanted somewhere quiet, away from all the jumping and shouting that happens during praise and worship in some churches. I did not have the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual strength for that. I am glad that this historic church was still standing when I needed a slow-brew completive space to figure what was happening internally. Years later, I am honored that through serving, I get the chance to help create moments for others who are 'heavily laden' and looking for a quiet spot to be fed just like I was...just like I continue to be fed, as I continue to ease the load from my grief.

Sending love and light,

Sitawa