Online Anglican Worship Services

 Out of curiosity, I have long had an interest in the liturgical services available online. At times, this general interest has been more personal, such as during an illness, during bad weather, or during the pandemic. More recently, living in the rural Appalachian mountains and advancing in age, it has become harder to drive the long distances required to attend traditional Anglican liturgies. So I continue online explorations. 

Unfortunately, there are often two main difficulties. First, there do not seem to be that many traditional liturgies posted on a regular basis. Some parishes post sporadically, and some parishes that have posted in the past have ceased to post. Some do not post any complete services but only excerpts such as sermons. Secondly, those services that are posted are often problematic. There are often technical issues such as poor connections, poor equipment, or bad camera angles. In particular, sound is a recurring issue. Some churches that I generally admire post streamed services that are hard to listen to. The music may come through but the readings from the steps or lectern do not; some readings may come through while the proclamation of the Gospel from the aisle does not; some parts may be audible while what is said from the pulpit or altar is garbled. In many cases, the audio issues make the effort too frustrating to pursue.

Despite such drawbacks, recently I have heard two traditional examples of the Eucharist that seem worthwhile. One is from St. Matthew's ACC in Newport Beach, CA (https://www.youtube.com/@stmatthewsnewport). Another is St. John's APA in Greensboro, NC (https://www.facebook.com/stjohnsgso), which has recently upgraded its streams. For the traditional Daily Office, I have not come across regular or consistent video examples, but Cradle of Prayer (https://cradleofprayer.org) does have good audio recordings. There are probably other examples that I have yet to discover, but this does seem to be an area where traditional Anglicans could make greater efforts.

St. John the Baptist- 24 June- Luke 1

The feast of St. John the Baptist is significant on the calendar. In the secular context, it is associated with San Juan in Puerto Rico, with St. John's in Newfoundland, and with the holiday of Quebec Province. On the church calendar, the feast is six months before Christmas Eve, a deliberate arrangement that points to the coming of Christ. The Gospel from St. Luke 1 recounts the birth of the prophet, the naming of John, and his father Zacharias' hymn, the Benedictus. 

The meaning of the day's Gospel is nicely summarized in Cranmer's 1549 collect. John was sent to prepare the way for the Savior by preaching repentance. John is also an example of speaking the truth, rebuking sin, and holy suffering. So, on this day, we recall a saintly biblical example. Yet, there is more to this commemoration. John points beyond himself to Christ. This celebration of John's life and ministry also looks ahead to Christmas and reminds us of Christ's Incarnation for our salvation. 

Trinity III- Luke 15:1-10

 The Gospel from Luke 15:1-10 contains two brief parables: the lost sheep and the lost coin.   A shepherd who loses one sheep out of a hundred and a housewife who loses one coin out of ten make great efforts to recover what has been lost. And when they do recover the lost sheep or coin, they rejoice greatly. These parables illustrate the divine attitude toward sinners. God cares for every soul, no matter how insignificant that person might seem. He searches for the lost, and He and all of heaven rejoice over every soul recovered.

These parables apply to us. We all belong to God, but at different times or in different ways, we get lost. Yet, each of us has great value to God, and He keeps seeking us. He offers us His amazing grace in Word and Sacrament; He takes the initiative even when we are unaware. If we have already been found by Him, we should be grateful to Him and live accordingly. If we are still wandering like lost sheep, we should be aware of God's desire to find us and accept His mercy.  We should always be aware of the divine grace that seeks us, and we should respond in humble gratitude. We should also acknowledge that the same divine grace is seeking the people around us.

Trinity II- Luke 14:16-23

In this week's Gospel from St. Luke 14:16-23, our Lord tells a parable about a feast. He uses the comparison of a feast to illustrate God's gracious invitation into His presence and the human tendency to resist and reject divine grace. Many of those invited to the feast despise the gracious host's hospitality and offer plausible-sounding excuses. The host knows that there are others who will gladly accept, and he promises that the ungrateful will not benefit from his hospitality.

Of course, the parable of the ungrateful guests is about redemption and the kingdom of heaven. Throughout history, and especially in our time, many people have rejected the offer of divine grace. They make all sorts of excuses, great and small. They always seem to have extenuating circumstances for every avoidance or rejection of God's invitation to fellowship with Him. However, by their excuses, they really harm themselves, not the divine host. 

God is the gracious host who takes the initiative. He invites us into fellowship with Him. If we refuse His grace, we may offend Him, but He can always find other guests who will be grateful. Every day and every week, God invites us to spend time with Him. He asks us to read and hear His Word and pray, both privately and publicly. He also invites us to the Lord's Supper. God wants us to accept His hospitality and fellowship with other guests, but we human beings are often ungrateful. We look for excuses to refuse divine grace and deprive ourselves of great blessings. So, let us examine ourselves and re-order our priorities while there is time. Let us accept the grace that God offers and respond in gratitude.

Trinity I- Luke 16:31

 This Sunday's Gospel from Luke 16:19-31 contains the Parable of the Rich Man and the Beggar Lazarus.  (The rich man is sometimes called "Dives" from the Latin for "rich.") This passage brings us several themes, including the importance of compassion and the nature of the afterlife. In rereading the passage this week, another theme was noticeable. In Luke 16:31, the Gospel concludes, "And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." 

This statement highlights the basic human spiritual and moral problem. God has created human beings to be spiritually and morally responsible. He expects them to love Him and their neighbors. In His mercy, God has provided and still provides revelations of His expectations. In nature, in the Mosaic Law, and in the prophets, the divine expectations are clear for those willing to see and hear. In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has revealed His expectations even more clearly. Moreover, He has revealed the possibility of repentance, faith, pardon, and renewal after human failure. God offers redeeming grace. 

Unfortunately, human beings are often like the rich man in the parable. They ignore both divine expectations and divine grace. They persist in hardness of heart. They continue in their selfish sinfulness. Not only are they immoral, but they are also unspiritual. Their attitude is the central problem. They are not open to divine holiness, love, or grace. They have no transcendent faith. Their confidence is in themselves and their earthly status or possessions. And such hardened attitudes have eternal consequences.

Fortunately, such a sad state can be remedied. Sinful and selfish human beings are offered grace. In His mercy, God can change them and soften hardened hearts. With God, all things are possible. People can turn from sin, and faith can arise in unexpected ways. All humans (even a poor Lazarus) are sinners who can develop humble and faithful attitudes through the divine grace revealed in Jesus Christ. May we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to believe this good news!