Worship Times

Contemporary Christian music sales declined last year for the first time since 1995. The Christian music industry reported an 8.5 percent drop in sales for 2000 despite the fact that just a bit more than half of all its sales now come from mainstream stores. Greg Ham of ForeFront Records mused, “We’re becoming more of a mainstream market, and I think our consumers, maybe for the first time in Christian music history, were buying ’N Sync and didn’t feel bad about it.”

Or perhaps they were buying Christopher Walker or Tom Booth. Dave Island of OCP Publications said though cassette sales are in decline, CD sales continued to improve in 2000, with youth-oriented music doing particularly well.

Lutheran and Episcopalian unity

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Episcopal Church celebrated their full communion agreement with a two-hour worship service at the Washington National Cathedral on Saturday, Jan. 6. Some critics have questioned the agreement, implying that Episcopalians have abandoned their theological understanding of the role of bishops. Lutherans generally see the role of a bishop as jurisdictional. In contrast, Episcopalians value the historic succession of their bishops.

Apparently such a difference is no longer enough to prevent sacramental sharing among the nearly eight million Episcopalians and Evangelical Lutherans. Church officials point out that the agreement is not a merger. It permits the sharing of clergy, buildings and mission efforts. However, each church will continue with separate administration. Local congregations will continue to celebrate liturgy in their accustomed style.

On cremation

Since 1997, many U.S. bishops have given permission for cremated remains to be present at the funeral Mass. Bishop Raymond L. Burke of La Crosse, Wis., recently promulgated a pastoral letter, Christian Burial of the Dead, joining other bishops in permitting this practice. (The letter can be accessed at www.dioceseoflacrosse .com.) The church still prefers a body not be burned following death but acknowledges the pastoral reasons for the cremation option. Old fears of superstitious practice seem to be supplanted these days by simple economics, the reason most given for cremating deceased loved ones.

Liturgy in paradise

Key West, Fla., hosted one of the last events of the Jubilee Year in the United States on Jan. 5. Perhaps the solution to the church’s architectural controversy can be found there. Miami Archbishop John C. Favalora described the outdoor setting in Bayview Park as “paradise.” According to the Florida Catholic more than 2,000 people celebrated Mass surrounded by palm trees, gentle breezes and a cloudless sky. No pews, just lush green grass for sitting or kneeling. Sounds like heaven, doesn’t it?

Another testimonial for the ideal of liturgy in the language of the people

Forty years ago, Roman Catholics everywhere worshiped in Latin. It is amazing to consider how much progress we have made since and that we still face a few challenges here and there in the world. Archbishop Kelvin Felix of St. Lucia spoke of the merits of liturgy in the vernacular on his island nation. “People who normally would be passive, or not there at all, you get them involved in the Mass. Their families come and their friends come ... and they sing. It’s part of them, you see.” Years ago, his people lived with other obstacles of language: British rule forbade speaking Creole. Although music and spirit now flourish, St. Lucia still lacks enough clergy who can preach in its native tongue.

“Happy-clappy music” for a soap opera

The organist lives with his girlfriend. His boss, the Rev. Philip Evans, fired him last spring. The musician sued for the “right to live in sin,” seeking £30,000 in damages. Now the congregation of St. James Church in Wetherby, North Yorkshire, in England, has sacked their pastor. People did not appreciate his efforts to update worship in their parish. “You’ve not got a choir and a proper organist and it’s all happy-clappy music,” said one parishioner. Attendance at services reportedly dropped 50 percent during Evans’ tenure.
 ML

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