Feedback, Please

Advent will arrive before we know it! Here in the office we are busy working on the lesson plans for Year A. As you know, we will be releasing a new set of plans based on the Old Testament readings of the Revised Common Lectionary. We hope to have them up in early September.

As part of the process of adding the second set of plans, our web person has been reworking the Lesson Plans web pages. While the look won't be all that different, we hope that you will find them a little easier to use. I'll remind you again, but when the new format appears, please let us know how it works for you. In fact, tell us what works and doesn't work for you right now on the Lesson Plans web pages!

And while I'm at it, and since this post is titled "Feedback, Please", let us know which plans you use most often and which ones you find the most helpful. And which ones don't you use. And why.

We want to make this resource as user-friendly and as helpful as possible. We can only do that with your help.

So thank you.

Begin Again

Some school districts begin their school year this week. It seems early to those of us who grew up in places where school usually didn't begin until the week of Labor Day. Summer isn't over for another six weeks, and already we find ourselves reflecting back on what we did over the "Summer." For me, this time of year always brings a sense of restlessness. For 19 years of my life this time of year was the time to prepare for school--often moving not just into another grade or year of college, but into new spaces and locations. I've ever quite been able to shake that rhythm. And so it is with our so-called "western" culture, and even our church. We become more and more separated from the rural/agricultural rhythms of our forebears, yet we can't quite shake it. The harvest is underway, and there is time again for education and other things. Are we ready for the return of Sunday School? Of our Adult Forums? Christian Formation Hours? Supplies laid in for the year? Volunteers recruited and trained? Fall is coming. It's time. Begin again.

Why We Do What We Do

Here at the Church Center we have Morning Prayer three days a week during the summer. The psalm appointed for this morning was Psalm 78:1-39, and while most of it talks about the Israelites and their behavior in the Wilderness ("a stubborn and rebellious generation"), the opening verses caught my attention:

1 Hear my teaching, O my people;*
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable;*
I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.

3 That which we have heard and known,
and what our forefathers have told us,*
we will not hide from our children.

4 We will recount to generations to come
the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord,*
and the wonderful works he has done.

5 He gave his decrees to Jacob
and established a law for Israel,*
which he commanded them to teach their children;

6 That the generations to come might know,
and the children yet unborn;*
that they in their turn might tell it to their children;

7 So that they might put their trust in God,*
and not forget the deeds of God,
but keep his commandments;

To tell the story from generation to generation. That is part of our work, and it is part of the Children's Charter for the Church, the framework of the Office of Children's Ministries' work in the greater church. In part, it states:

THE CHURCH IS CALLED:

• to proclaim the Gospel to children, in ways that empower them to receive and respond to God’s love;
• to give high priority to the quality of planning for children and the preparation and support of those who minister with them;

What are some of the reasons you are involved in this ministry? Post a comment and let us know.

Looking Ahead

We've been working on the Old Testament set of plans, which should debut in September with the Year A Advent and Christmas plans for Young Children and Older Children. These are the most used based on our statistics, so we're beginning with them. Introducing a second set of plans requires more than just having them written. We are in the process of reworking the Lesson Plans that Work web pages to accommodate the new plans while still retaining the plans for the Gospel readings. We've set up an editing process for both content and grammar. We are contracting writers to produce plans for the Old Testament readings through all three years of the Revised Common Lectionary cycle. And we've started planning for intergenerational plans for selected Sundays and Feast days that will begin with Year B, which begins in November 2011. We appreciate your feedback and input. Jeff Harre is the general editor for Lesson Plans that Work, and he can be reached at jharre@episcopalchurch.org.

The Lord's Prayer

The Notation for This Week’s Gospel (Proper 12: Luke 11:1-13):

The Lord's Prayer. We have said it so many times the words may have lost some of their power. What if we chose to really search and knock, expecting the door to open? What is the Holy Spirit longing for us to request?

Sometimes I wonder why some of these passages were assigned to the Summer months. Especially like the one for this coming Sunday, which is about what is probably the most well-known prayer in Christianity.

Well-known, but known in may different versions.

When I attend services with my brother's family at their Roman Catholic Church, I have to remember that the Roman Catholic mass splits what Episcopalians consider a whole. The Compline service in the Book of Common Prayer also ends the prayer after "and deliver us from evil." Some protestant denominations use "debts" and "debtors" instead of "trespasses" and "those who trespass against us." And then there's the contemporary form from our own Book of Common Prayer, which uses "sins" and "those who sin against us."

Which version is used most often in your church during Sunday worship?

Rite I gives only one option--the so-called traditional version ("Our Father, who art in heaven..."). In Rite II we have a choice: the traditional version or the contemporary version ("Our Father in heaven..."). It depends on which introductory phrase the priest uses. "And now, as our Savior Christ has aught us, we are bold to say," prefaces the traditional version, and "As our Saviour Christ has taught us, we now pray," the contemporary. Many congregations now add some sort of invitation to pray it in the language or form most comfortable for the individual. This often results in a wonderful cacophony of language.

Which version do you use during your private prayers?

At some point, saying and hearing the traditional version--at least in Episcopalian circles--became jarring to my ears when said in the midst of a Rite II Eucharist or Daily Office prayer. So I started using the contemporary version as often as possible. For a long time I stumbled over it. Even growing up unchurched, the traditional "Our Father, who art in heaven" version was the one that I learned and steeped itself in my consciousness. Now, however, I find myself stumbling over that form and have to look at the Prayer Book for the words.

Which one do you teach your children?

The priest that introduced regular use of the contemporary version of the Lord's Prayer in our congregation, when asked, admitted that he was teaching his children the traditional version at home. Most people probably do because that one is ingrained in their memories.

Here are versions of the Lord's Prayer taken from the various Books of Common Prayer. Note the changes that have taken place over the years.

1549 (the very first BCP)

Let us praye.

As our saviour Christe hath commaunded and taught us, we are bolde to saye. Our father, whyche art in heaven, halowed be thy name. Thy Kyngdome come. Thy wyll be doen in yearth, as it is in heaven. Geve us this daye our dayly breade. And forgeve us our trespaces, as wee forgeve them that trespasse agaynst us. And leade us not into temptacion.

The aunswere. But deliver us from evill. Amen.

1552 and 1559

OUR Father, which art in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy wylle be done in earth as it is in heaven. Geve us this daye oure daylye bread. And forgeve us our trespasses, as we forgeve them that trespass against us. And leade us not into temptacion. But delyver us from evyll. Amen.

1662

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

Episcopal Church: 1786 Proposed, 1789 (First TEC BCP), and 1892

OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name; Thy kingdom come; thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven; Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

1928

OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. Amen.

1979

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

-or-

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

How many different versions of the Lord's Prayer can you find?

How do those different versions speak to you as a Christian?

How do they enrich your understanding of the Prayer?

Summer

The preface for the next set of Lesson Plans that Work (After Pentecost - Late Summer, Propers 11-17):

Even on a sultry summer day, the wind of the Spirit hovers — almost imperceptibly. Our lives rarely accommodate a slower pace for the summer. Yet, we are invited to notice, again, the priorities that drive us. We are invited to stop, however briefly, the manic activity and consider options Jesus offers us.

Here in the Northeast the past couple of weeks have been hot and humid. This week looks to be more of the same. The breeze has indeed imperceptible at times. And during last week's official heat wave I watched even New Yorkers slow down as they navigated the streets.

This week's Gospel is Luke 10:38-42, the familiar story of Mary and Martha.

A number of years ago I was part of the logistics team for a large conference. I'd been told by the organizers that I'd be able to hear most of the keynote speakers and participate in worship. Obviously, as anyone who has worked the logistics side of a conference knows, that didn't happen. I got frustrated early on.

As I walked through one of the exhibits to get to my room to find some notes, one of the women responsible for the exhibit asked me how things were going. Some of my frustration leaked out. After listening, she took my hands in hers and said, "Sometimes we have to be Martha."

Sometimes. Not always.

When do you take time to "sit at the Lord's feet and listen to what he is saying"?

How do you put what I frequenlty refer to as "Martha Mode" aside so that you can sit and listen?

Telling Stories

The Lesson Plans note for next Sunday's Gospel Reading (July 11, Proper 10) says in part:

Often our task as we explore the Word, is to listen to a story we have heard before — maybe even many times before — and listen to it as if for the first time.

Sunday's reading is the story of the Good Samaritan. We've all heard it a hundred times. We've all told it a hundred times. And we're always looking for new and different ways to tell the story.

But do we really need to? There's something to be said for hearing a familiar story with a familiar message. Isn't that what tradition is all about?

Of course, we will hear it differently each time, or we'll find something new that we hadn't heard in it before. That happens because we have had different life experiences since the last time someone told us the story. But we still love to hear the old story...