April 23, 2007

Go in peace

When the deacon sends us forth from worship, we are reminded of our commission to address the needs of the world. It is a dismissal not a dispersal. We are sent, not excused. —Tobias Haller

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9 comments:

Maggie said...

Amen.

April 23, 2007
barbarab said...

So our attendance is an implicit "Here am I, Lord. Send thou me." I like this. Thank you, Tobias.

April 23, 2007
Anonymous said...

Our deacon, who has since left for service elsewhere, used to begin her dismissal as follows: "Our worship has ended; our service now begins. Go and serve the Lord"

April 23, 2007
Le Fou said...

I have never liked "dismissal" because it implies "sent away", ie. "We're done with you for now."

I invented a new word.

Exmissal means "sent from", ie. "You are sent out from among us."

Blessings,
Bede

April 23, 2007
Anonymous said...

Bede's insight is right, but his Latin is wrong. "dismissal" has exactly what he wants; it would be "absmissal" or something of that sort (if there were such a word) which would mean "sent away".

April 23, 2007
Reverend Ref + said...

My biggest problem is simply getting people to sound alive ... especially during Easter.

I finally made an announcement before service on Sunday: It's Easter, people! Christ is Alive. Let's at least ACT excited!

It worked. I had the best responses in a long time. I think I'll remind them again this Sunday.

April 23, 2007
Rich said...

I would add, Rev. Ref, that there's not enough enthusiasm at the great Amen concluding the Eucharistic prayer. It's written: AMEN!

April 24, 2007
Le Fou said...

Thanks to Thomas Bushnell for the Latin lesson. I knew I shouldn't have skipped Latin in H.S.

I, too, add "The worship is ended, let the service begin!" before the dismissal (note my repentance).

To RevRef: If I don't get a good response in Easter to "Alleluia. Christ is risen!" I repeat it louder and louder until I do, usually to big smiles from the congregation.

Blessings,
Bede

April 25, 2007
Reverend Ref + said...

Rich: Yes, an enthusiastic response at the Great AMEN is seriously lacking, but we're working on it.

Bede: If I don't get a decent response, I will say, "Let's try that again, shall we."

April 25, 2007

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