This report is based on my experiences of a Eucharistic service I attended on 26 February 2012 at St Paul's Church, Symonds Street, Auckland. The demographic make-up of this service is difficult to pinpoint, however, the overall congregation appears to be thirty-plus, Pakeha, from disparate locations across Auckland and primarily professional. The ministerial context is that of a Tikanga Pakeha environment with a very low liturgical tradition and a strongly charismatic flavour, with this service, at 3.30am on Sunday, being the only service openly relating to the Anglican liturgical tradition. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the service and my experiences as part of it, this will be done, primarily, through examining the liturgical space, the use of music, the hospitality, the nature of the conduct of worship and liturgy, the presentation of biblical texts and sermons, and finally a reflection on my feelings about how the service went in general. Liturgical Space The liturgical space within St. Paul's is a somewhat disconcerting place to enter for those familiar with more "traditional" patterns. The seating has been turned towards the wall rather than towards the chancel, in which the seats themselves are positioned and away from the magnificent altar table behind them. The chairs take up much of the congregation's space, creating a crowded environment that is, to me, more reminiscent of a church general assembly than a place of worship. I can't recall whether a character was featured prominently, but given that it's likely that it wasn't. When I sat down, the main attraction I noticed were, firstly, the two large projection screens on which we displayed the alerts, and secondly, the numerous instruments resting in the center of the paper... ...the the way in which aspects of the service were managed, primarily the distribution of elements. On the positive side, however, I was able to connect with God through music that seemed to reflect feelings within the congregation more than traditional music driven by hymns and choirs. I found the involvement of the congregation and the roles played very strong, demonstrating a community well in touch with its life of worship and its role. And finally, I felt that the sermon was a true announcement; almost like a new Theophany or Christophany, which, in essence, is what should occur when the Scriptures are opened and Christ is proclaimed. Works Cited Chan, Simon. Liturgical theology: The Church as a worshiping community. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006.White, James F. Introduction to Christian Worship. 3rd edition. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000.
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