Reverend Ref +

GOOD FRIDAY

Man, I don't know. The service today at SWTS was different. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, we do things "different" all the time here. One of my favorite sayings to people who complain about SWTS services is, "Hey, this is our lab. We don't get to blow things up, so instead we mess with liturgy."

More than anything, I think I'm bothered with the fact that this service seemed to be more of a performance than worship. I don't mind performances around Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, as long as we know that that's what they are. This was to be a worship service that ended up being a performance. Kind of like a liturgical bait and switch.

I couldn't really watch the performance, because at some point I (the congregation) had a part in it. I couldn't pay attention to the ordo because I would miss the performance.

But, as almost always, the people behind the service did a good job of putting it all together, and you have to give them kudos for doing that.

And speaking of Good Friday, I'm actually heading out to see "The Passion of the Christ" tonight. I've heard it described on more than one occassion as a "cinematic stations of the cross." Probably an appropriate thing to do on Good Friday.

To be honest, I probably wouldn't go see this movie on my own, but there are a group of women from Mrs. Ref's office who want to see it. So, we have an almost graduated seminarian, the perceived "always proper" seminarian's wife, a Jewish woman and a black woman (I'm not sure why that matters, but we have almost all of our bases covered). Afterwards we are going out for food and debrief. Not sure about the movie, but the post-Passion conversation should be interesting.

Peace