Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Liturgy Wars in the CoE

From the Telegraph:
The Rev Derek Price has replaced traditional services with a more evangelical approach, including gospel-style singing and clapping.
Three months ago, his wife Deborah danced bare-foot around the coffin at a funeral with the bereaved family's approval.
Some worshippers were unhappy that the organ has been replaced by a CD player at St Paul's, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
Mr Price, 53, formerly a development officer with a DIY chain, has also faced criticism over plans to replace pews with flexible seating. He has been accused of failing to support the organist, choir, and youth orchestra at the Victorian Gothic-style church, built from pink sandstone and dedicated in 1871.
Ken Parkinson, 64, a former parishioner, said: "His style is terrible. He is forcing his way. He has caused a lot of heartache. My wife doesn't go any more because she could not put up with it." Sheila Fawcett, a regular worshipper, is also worried about the changes since Mr Price's appointment in 2002. "We used to have an organist, but that has gone. I am unhappy and sad about that. Lots of my friends have left. I can think of 30 off the top of my head."
I am reminded of something I overheard a priest say recently: The rubrics are there to protect the faith of the People of God from the lunacy of the Clergy of God.
In the Times is a piece about the (Anglican) Cathedral in Lincoln being used to film the Da Vinci Code along with a little bit about the Lincoln Elf:
Lincoln has a troubled history, for which many observers blame the Imp, a jaunty carving that was, according to legend, a small devil blown in by the wind and turned to stone by angels.
After a high-profile consistory court in the 1990s, the former Dean, Dr Brandon Jackson, was acquitted of inappropriate sexual behaviour towards Verity Freestone, the former verger. At one point, the Dean said that he wanted to exorcise the cathedral of the evil spirits that he believed resided within. The ceremony was never carried out.
The cathedral was involved in an earlier sex scandal in the 1920s. In 1185 it was partly destroyed by an earthquake and over the centuries the roof has been badly damaged by three fires. The spooky atmosphere, created by irregular angles in the masonry, also makes the building the ideal setting for a conspiracy theory novel.
The Lincoln Imp has also been held responsible by some for the troubled fortunes of Lincoln City Football Club, who are known as the Imps. They were playing Bradford City on the day of the stadium fire at Valley Parade, Bradford, in 1985. Fifty-six people died and more than 260 were injured in the disaster. But, having gone to the brink of extinction, Lincoln City’s future is looking up — the team are in a play-off to decide promotion to League One.

Pope's Former Apartment for Sale
According to this AP Report:
Germany - An apartment building in the western German city of Bonn where Pope Benedict XVI is believed to have lived in 1959-1963 was listed for sale Monday on the German eBay site.
And here's the link to the eBay auction - note that you need to e-mail the owner to bid.
[Edited to add:
Thanks to Papaefidelis for his witty comment.
First, his car, then a piece of his hair, now his apartment building. What's next on the eBay chopping-block--his brother George ("Cute, diminutive frater ponificalis; makes a good companion for children. Sings well. House-trained.")?]

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