6 Comments

  1. Allen Calhoun
    March 10, 2011 @ 9:33 pm

    I too was glad to be Anglican at 7:30 last night. Sometimes I think of Anglican liturgy as a finely-tuned conversation between God and his people. That’s why the intentional silences in Anglican worship seem so significant: sometimes I listen but God seems silent. Last night I could relate to Pascal’s words, “The eternal silence of these infinite spaces fills me with dread.” Dread was not the last word, though, as I began to realize it’s OK to be small and let God be big. In the structure of the liturgy, it is as if grace broke through and caught me. For example, each confession in the Litany of Penitence was like another twist of the knife as it showed me more of my sin. They were liberating twists of the knife, though, as each one revealed more of how hopeless it is for me to try to bring anything to the table. By the end of the Litany, I was joyful. As someone has said, “Cheer up! You’re much worse than you think you are!”

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  2. Erin
    March 10, 2011 @ 10:00 pm

    I love that last line, Allen! You’re right… In the upside-down world of the gospel, there’s joy and freedom in that.

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  3. davidmartinhanke
    March 11, 2011 @ 10:24 am

    Allen, you win a ton of points on the Pascal quote pull. That is awesome. From his Pensees?

    small and big have been simple and effective descriptors for my relationship with God recently. Sometimes I need it simple… God help me be small. Thank you that you are big.

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  4. corrin
    March 11, 2011 @ 10:50 am

    especially missing our anglican church this season! i am grateful for the way in which Restoration introduced me to this tradition of worship, especially point #5. i now crave weekly communion. it’s a wonderful opportunity to reset my perspective

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  5. davidmartinhanke
    March 11, 2011 @ 11:16 am

    We miss all 3 of you!

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  6. Allen Calhoun
    March 11, 2011 @ 12:27 pm

    I think it’s Pensee no. 206.

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