kitewithfish (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kitewithfish) wrote2011-03-05 03:54 pm
kitewithfish) wrote2011-03-05 03:54 pm
Paper writing Makes Kite Think; or Wine!
I'm thinking about the ritual significance of wine. Quick background!
I am working a bit at an Episcopal Church (what's usually called Anglican, outside the US.) And we are really, really focused on the Eucharist, the communion, breaking bread and drinking wine- it's the center of the Sunday service, it's what we do.
Now, we also have Lent, the end of which is marked by Holy Week, including Maundy Thursday. Maundy Thursday celebrates the ritual of Jesus of Nazareth, (or, ya know, Christ, YMMV) taking a servile role towards his disciples by washing their feet. This particular church not only does a quick footwashing service, but also a very very nice free dinner for everyone in the parish, in the sanctuary (our chairs get pulled out, tables put in, the altar stays where it usually does) with a lot of free wine, and then after dinner we all take turns washing each other's feet. Again, the wine is kind of a thing.
(Digression: For anyone who's never seen this, I honestly cannot stress how cool and humanizing and compassionate it can be. Feet are just kind of funny, and it's a moment of careful, respectful physical contact in an act of care for another fragile, ticklish person. It's AMAZING. Don't wear stockings.)
Then, we had this silent auction where we had wine tasting stations set up along the side of the church and a similar-to-Maundy-Thursday table setup and a bunch of cabaret acts from the congregation members, some of which were openly mocking some of our church's traditions (mine act in particular, where we coughed dramatically at the dry-ice "incense" in the thurible) and some kind of risque. (For a church.)
And I'm kind of having to think to myself just a little bit to try and figure out-- where does the worship stop? What's worship? AND WHY IS THE WINE SO IMPORTANT?
I am working a bit at an Episcopal Church (what's usually called Anglican, outside the US.) And we are really, really focused on the Eucharist, the communion, breaking bread and drinking wine- it's the center of the Sunday service, it's what we do.
Now, we also have Lent, the end of which is marked by Holy Week, including Maundy Thursday. Maundy Thursday celebrates the ritual of Jesus of Nazareth, (or, ya know, Christ, YMMV) taking a servile role towards his disciples by washing their feet. This particular church not only does a quick footwashing service, but also a very very nice free dinner for everyone in the parish, in the sanctuary (our chairs get pulled out, tables put in, the altar stays where it usually does) with a lot of free wine, and then after dinner we all take turns washing each other's feet. Again, the wine is kind of a thing.
(Digression: For anyone who's never seen this, I honestly cannot stress how cool and humanizing and compassionate it can be. Feet are just kind of funny, and it's a moment of careful, respectful physical contact in an act of care for another fragile, ticklish person. It's AMAZING. Don't wear stockings.)
Then, we had this silent auction where we had wine tasting stations set up along the side of the church and a similar-to-Maundy-Thursday table setup and a bunch of cabaret acts from the congregation members, some of which were openly mocking some of our church's traditions (mine act in particular, where we coughed dramatically at the dry-ice "incense" in the thurible) and some kind of risque. (For a church.)
And I'm kind of having to think to myself just a little bit to try and figure out-- where does the worship stop? What's worship? AND WHY IS THE WINE SO IMPORTANT?