Fully to Life
Fully to Life
Just after Becca and I were married, she was selected as concert master of a Milwaukee orchestra performing several summer concerts in Milwaukee's outdoor venue. I couldn’t have been happier: newly married and a free concert ticket, too!
One of the performances featured a male ballet dancer at the height of his career, dancing to a Vivaldi piece that he had choreographed. His choreography was classical but with some modern movements, too, for a fresh encounter with the dance and the music.
I had never sat so close to the stage for a ballet, to where I could feel the energy of the dancer so strongly. This dance was creative and beautiful, vigorous and passionate, yet at times subtle and restrained. At one crescendo, the dancer suddenly opened up into what I think is called a “coupé jeté en tournant en manège” which means, approximately, “leaping while turning in a circle.”
Anyway, it took my breath away. Each leap was a thing of beauty in itself, a combination of poise and power, arms and leg fully expressed, accelerating across the entire stage in an arch of vitality.
I have often thought that photographs of ballet dancers in mid-leap or striking pose were arresting. But they are nothing like the dancer in flight. There is something about the phrasing and connection to the entire dance that makes each particular move come fully to life within the context of the whole piece.
It's hard to put dance to words. However, that moment in Milwaukee came flooding back into my memory when I read Peter’s cascading attributes tumbling out in I Peter 1:3-5 and verses following. The life of Jesus is beautiful in its parts: pre-existent Logos, incarnation, baptism, teaching, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, second coming, consummation. Each part is worthy of a lifetime of contemplation. But taken together as a whole, as much as we can fathom, each part is brought more fully to life so that altogether, it takes our breath away—or rather, breathes new life into us!
“Though you have not seen him, you love him.” That's the heart of it. Jesus’s resurrection reminded me of the dancer, full of motion, embodied vitality rising up to fullness, connection what's past with what's to come, inspiring love.
I will not attempt a coupé jeté on Sunday, fear not! But I do look forward to encountering Peter's words together with you.
Steve E+
Changes to Our Liturgy
Beginning this Sunday we will be adjusting the order of our liturgy (currently 2019) to conform more closely to the order of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer—the standard of Global Anglicanism.
One of the Fundamental Declarations of our Province (the ACNA) states, “We receive The Book of Common Prayer as set forth by the Church of England in 1662, together with the Ordinal attached to the same, as a standard for Anglican doctrine and discipline, and the standard for the Anglican tradition of worship.”
What you’ll notice primarily about the 1662 order is that:
The Nicene Creed is said just before we dismiss the children to their time of formation. Preceding, rather than following the sermon.
The Gloria in Excelsis (“Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth…”) is said or sung—we will be singing it (you can learn it here)—just before The Blessing at the conclusion of the service rather than near the beginning.
The language in the Eucharistic Prayer of Consecration is slightly different than what we’re used to hearing, though briefer and quite beautiful.
The Decalogue (The Ten Commandments) is read more frequently (we currently read it only during the penitential seasons of Advent and Lent).
The Exhortation is read more frequently than just the first Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Trinity Sunday.
The 1662 order offers a beautiful narrative arc, moving from candidly confessing our need for mercy, to the proclamation of the good news of the Gospel, to celebration and thanksgiving: guilt–grace–gratitude.
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Discovery Luncheon— Sunday, May 3, after worship. If you’re new(ish) to Redeemer or would like to know more about the process of membership, join us! RSVP to Steve Wishart.
Baptisms—Sunday, May 17
ADLW Missions Conference & Synod—May 28–30, McLean, VA
5th Sunday Potluck/Membership Sunday—Sunday, May 31
Bishop Julian Episcopal Visitation—Sunday, June 7
Weekly:
Around the Table—A prayer time for women, Thursdays, 9:00am at the Wishart’s (1854 St. Margarets Rd, Annapolis).
Youth Formation (ages 10–13)—Sundays at 9:00am in the Rectory apartment (the side of the Rectory nearest the Sanctuary).
Morning Prayer—Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 8:00–8:30am on Zoom (redeemerannapolis.org/midweek).
Men’s Bible Study—Thursdays, 7:00am @ 1309.
Photo: Stewart MacLean on Unsplash
