Evensong and healing the world

Mark Guydish, writing in The Times Leader of Northeastern Pennsylvania, reflects on Evensong and the Presiding Bishop's clear message of mission:

Something made the acoustics sing during a special “Evensong” last week that marked what was believed to be the first visit by the Episcopal Presiding Bishop in 190 years.

I know choral church music isn’t everyone’s cup of tea – heck, it’s torture for some -- but when done right, I find it spiritually uplifting in a way few other human endeavors match.
....
I confess, after a lifetime of male-only sermons in Catholic churches, there was something refreshing about hearing a woman’s voice at the podium, but it may have simply been the novelty. It was the universal tidbits in her message that struck me.

When she summed up the Episcopalian (sic) mission in a single sentence, I thought the message transcended the moment. Though spoken in a church, it should hold true in any setting; a worthwhile goal for everyone:

“We participate in trying to heal this world. That’s what we’re here for.”


Read it all here.

Posted by Ann Fontaine on November 17, 2009 1:30 PM | |
Comments (1)

Well, I find this to be just great. My spiritual path has led me to TEC, but one key stopping point was the synagogue. The concept of tikkun olam (healing the world) was always something important to me there, and ++Katharine keys in on it so well - just as she does with the word shalom.

TEC has made me want to really amp up my own efforts at healing the world. To that end, I'm working on creating a business plan for an organization that will be called "Scores of Good" and will have the goal of healing the world through music. Much of the music involved will be choral (and sacred), and some of it is Evensong appropriate. Actually, as I understand it, St. Mark's Cathedral in Seatlle will be performing one piece (the first track on this link: http://www.reverbnation.com/grantcharleschaput ) in their own Evensong program.

Once I have the business plan for the non-profit, Scores of Good, complete I'll look forward to sharing it with all of you who are also concerned with our role in healing the world.

Blessings to all!

Posted by Grant Charles Chaput [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 17, 2009 4:22 PM

Add your comments

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

Reminder: At Episcopal Café, we hope to establish an ethic of transparency by requiring all contributors and commentators to make submissions under their real names. For more details see our Feedback Policy.

Advertising Space