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How can we incorporate personal thanksgiving into the flow of Anglican liturgy?
When spontaneous prayer was added to worship services as a result of liturgic renewal and charismatic renewal, there was a provision for adding thanksgivings into the intercessions. In most churches this has not worked. Whether through shyness, insecurity or a sense of decorum, Anglicans are very resistant to blurting out their personal thanksgivings in the midst of intercessions.
I recently visited an Episcopal church that appropriately found a way to reintroduce this element of personal thanksgiving into liturgy. The rector invited, to the front, those who would share in two or three sentences their reasons for thankfulness. (No doubt the rector had carefully approached two or three people to be sure the time would be used effectively). A couple came forward to show their new baby. Another couple was marking an anniversary. A man had a new job that would enable his family to stay in that area. Another person was marking a special birthday.
It was a very short addition to the service. Over the course of time, the members of the congregation would be able to get to know one another so much better. This little glimpse into the lives of one another would also enrich the conversation during the subsequent coffee hour.
Personal thanksgiving had been successfully introduced into the tide of the liturgy in ways that did not consume inappropriate amounts of time and in ways that all participants felt lifted up and inspired.
Item XLVIII
©2002 Ronald C. Ferris
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