A Few Practical Notices

This story is more for me to remember than for you to “get it.” I hope I’ve explained myself well enough for you to understand why this is important to me. I have left my imprint on the Abbey services.

The services in the Iona Abbey are well scripted, because service happens twice a day, every day but Friday, when there is only one service. There is room for some self expression. However, there are some things that happen at every service. And if you’ve been here for a week, or a month, or a few years, the “Practical Notices” portion of the service gets old very fast. It’s a time some folks tune out, or make fun of it in their head. When it was my turn to lead service I thought of a few ways to spice it up. See what you think.

First here is the standard reading. The way it is supposed to be heard, twice a day:

A very warm welcome to the Iona Abbey. My name is Lisa and I’m a volunteer here in the Iona Community.

Here are a few practical notices.

You are welcome to take photos and videos of this beautiful place of worship, but we ask that you wait until after the service.

At times we are invited to stand during the service, but this is an invitation—please do what’s comfortable and appropriate for you.

We are very aware that language over time changes and there can be times when we feel uncomfortable with it. As we sing and pray, feel free to makes changes that make sense to you, in a respectful way.

My idea incorporated the signs above. I used these when I did my evening service on creation. (Here’s a linkie dink to my reflections for that evening.) I got out from behind the leader’s desk and walked up and down the center aisle of the Abbey showing the congregation my signs and tell them as follows:

Welcome. My name is Lisa and I serve this community by volunteering in the kitchen.

You can take photos in the abbey, in fact we hope you do! But please wait till the service is over.

If it’s been a long day please stay seated. It’s okay.

Language is a living thing, sometimes old words are outdated. Feel free to change them in a respectful way.

Now let’s take three deep breaths together and worship our God.

I was on a roll so I decided to take things one step further. I got to do the Leaving service on Friday morning. This is the last time the guests will be in the Abbey. By now they’ve heard the “Practical Notices at least a half dozen times. Much of the service is call and response. So I wrote out the “Practical Notices” in call and response form as follows:

Leader: You are welcome to take photos and videos of this beautiful space.

All: We shall wait to take photos until after the service is over.

Leader: At times you will be invited to stand.

All: We shall do what is comfortable for us; knowing we can stay seated if need be.

Leader: At times the language used in hymns and prayers may make you uncomfortable.

All: We shall change language as needed in a respectful way.

Leader: Thank you for your caring of this place. Now let us take three deep breaths together before we begin our worship service.

This is all very satisfying to me. It made me feel very creative. I was also heartened to have the Warden (leader of the Abbey) ask me to use the call and response for the upcoming week when Iona Community Members will gather. I think I did something right. Truth be told, I was being a little cheeky.