How to do church
22 September 2007 - 11 תשרי 5768 by Huw
I Pray a lot
A. pray without ceasing
B. pray with others
II Decide you want to
III Get some others together who want to, too.
A. Find a book.
1. Christian Anarcy
B. Invite locals to join you in reading.
1. Post an ad on your local Craigslist
2. Post an ad in your local Cool Paper
3. Post an ad at your local cool coffee shop.
C. Meet with the folks to read the book
1. At the cool coffeeshop
2. At your house
D. meet weekly
1. may have to start out monthly or so
IV Introduce the idea of praying together.
A. Liturgical
1. Seasons
2. Times and days.
a. Prayers for the Domestic Church
b. Northumbrian Community
i. very easy
ii. modern translation
3. Book of Common Prayer
a. Morning and Evening Prayer
i. very easy to navigate
ii. modern translation
4. Compline
a. BCP
b. Benedictine
i. very easy to memorise
ii. needs modern translation
c. Breviary
i. not very easy at all
ii. needs modern translation
B. Scriptural
1. Synagogue
a. has no New Testament lections (drrr)
i. can use Messianic lectionary
ii. develop your own
b. try using this for a while
i. grow out from there
2. Book of Common Prayer
a. has daily and weekly options.
i. can be confusing.
3. Revised Common Lectionary
a. has only weekly options.
i. use this with the BCP daily option.
4. Traditional RC Missal
a. has very few Old Testament readings.
i. use this with Synagogue rota
ii. develop your own
b. has only weekly options
i. has enough extras to make daily possible
c. has liturgical selections (psalm verses, etc)
i. appropriate to the readings
ii. easy to sing such items
V Develop a way to do communion together
A. you are what you eat
1. Try to do it weekly
2. communion makes the church
a. not bible
B. Didache
1. share a meal
2. anyone can use it
a. pretty much no one does now
3. anyone can lead it
a. priesthood of all believers
b. Judaism
i. head of the house is priest in the home
c. Eastern Orthodox Christianity
i. head of the house is priest in the home
4. short
a. easy to flesh out
i. songs
ii. liturgical plug-ins
iii. Bible readings
iv. sermon/meditation/talks
v. books
vi. discussion
vii. fellowship
Just posted an ad on the Orlando Craiglist. Thanks for that idea, I would never have thought of it.
If there is any response, I might try posting for a book study on Peter Gillquist’s book “Becoming Orthodox” or some similar volume.
Sorry, forgot, the posting is http://orlando.craigslist.org/com/429068669.html If you have any suggestions for improvement, wording, etc., I would welcome your comments.
Well… this is your call - depending on who you want to reach at this stage in the game.
“Come whether you are already Orthodox, have questions about early Christianity, or are simply curious.”
I suggest:
Come if you’re not Orthodox or not Christian, just exploring or questioning. Come even if you are Orthodox or already Christian!
OK, made changes you suggested. Thanks, will report back to you by e-mail on this.
Huw - You should put this plan in action, whether in NC or Buffalo.
John -
Pray with me, ok? Buffalo.