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In response to our front page about missing church and finding weekday services (11 January 2015)

Usually clergy consider that there is little point in weekday services since "no one would come." Given the circumstances you described, you may have a calling here: perhaps you should speak to your rector/vicar and offer to attend a weekday Eucharist if it were scheduled (at an hour and day convenient to both to you).

And I should add that making weekday services possible simply by attending is a superb parish ministry for elderly and retired people—a ministry both BY and FOR them!

Fr/John-Julian, OJN
The Order of Julian of Norwich
Hartland, Wisconsin, USA
12 January 2015

We list all regular activities on our web site but alas only have Eucharist on Sunday at 8, 9:30 AM and 6 PM. Seems like this would be good thing for Dioceses to list.

Ann Fontaine
St Catherine of Alexandria, Nehalem/Manzanita
Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA
12 January 2015

I have two thoughts, maybe three, about your being bereft of the Holy Eucharist.

One, is that I think the words of the Holy Coffee are profoundly sacred, even if a little tongue in cheek. Two I was reminded of Teillhard's "Hymn to the Universe" when as a lone palaeontologist he found himself alone on a Sunday...and celebrated the Mass on the Universe. Three, my first training Rector taught me that on holiday he committed himself to a minimum of saying the Lord's Prayer each day. My children would sometimes catch me when we couldn't go to Mass and knew what I was doing when I couldn't do what I was obliged to do.

Last week I reminded my congregation that God said to "Listen to my Son"; sometimes we need to listen to our children...."We know what you are doing!" All of these things tell us the truth of the promise at the end of Matthew...I am with you always....I am really present...in the coffee, in the Universe, in our kids. My mother wrote the Matthew promise in my bible when I left home....some 40+ years ago. She was of course right! While we miss the comfort of the Eucharist, God has not missed us or forgotten us.

Sorry to be so preachy.

Stephen Clark
St Mary Magdalene
Adealide, South Australia, AUSTRALIA
12 January 2015

(Editor: well, um, you are a preacher)

I am a parish priest. Member of the New Benedictine Community and also member of the Society of Catholic Priests (Anglican, Canada and USA chapter) my spirituality is very Eucharistic, I celebrate as often as I can...I am on call for a local funeral home and usually have at least one Mass a week outside the three masses on Sunday. But I too need to be fed. Usually on my day off I go incognito to a local Roman Church for Mass and Eucharist. It feeds me, and alows time for my own thoughts. We also have a holy hour with Rosary on mondays before the Blessed sacrament, a weekly reminder to give thanks for the many benefits of the sacrament. We all need to be fed.

Fr Vincent Schwahn
St Marks Van Nuys
Sherman Oaks, California, USA
13 January 2015

Once upon a time it was the expected norm that a Parish Church would have a celebration of Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer (1662) at each of the Feast Days mentioned in the BCP. Sadly (for me and for many others, let alone sadly for the Church) those days have largely gone. Priests generally restrict themselves to one Celebration each Sunday — and for some not even that — with a few also having a mid-week Celebration.

And clergy wonder why church attendances are declining. If you don't 'put in' you won't get anything out. Our rector doesn't seem to attach much importance to Holy Communion. When the clergy stop their worshipping and praying and preaching, the congregations stop coming. It is very easy to slide into non-committment.

Trevor G Cowell
Christ Church, Illawarra, Parish of Longford
Perth, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA
13 January 2015

There is such a thing as 'spiritual communion'. A liturgy exists in St Augustine's Prayer Book. It isn't nearly as wonderful as being in church with family and friends, full choir and organ, bread and wine, but it does express the longing to be in full communion with Christ and his extended body, as it were. And in these days, when churches are slimming down their staff and their offerings of weekday communion, it helps those of us for whom this is of extreme importance, especially for Holy Days, that don't fall on a Sunday, which don't get as much attention as they used to do.

Once upon a time there was a service for the Feast of the Holy Name (aka New Years Day). At my church it has since been cancelled because the staff, understandably, want to have a day off, also. Thus my resort to spiritual communion. This one really irritates me, because shouldn't the church be in the business of promoting the church calendar, not the secular one? New years day is Advent 1.....or is this a losing battle? I have no answers.

But at the least, there is spiritual communion, and I am grateful for that.

Michelle C Jackson, ObJN
Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento, California
Elk Grove, California, USA
15 January 2015

I work in security and there have been times I've have to work on a Sunday morning and unable to attend Eucharist. I have a daily quiet time where I read the lessons for the day and have a time of prayer before starting my day. On Sundays before church I read the penitential order, as well as the ten commandments and review my week. I can often see where I have failed, sometimes greatly, sometimes a word or an act, or lack thereof.

The days I am unable to be in church due to work I spend a few quiet seconds, at the scheduled time (I'm an early person) and join my spirit with those at church and make a spiritual communion. I will tell God while I am unable to be with those at Trinity, I join my spirit with them and say "the body of Christ, the bread of heaven" then "the blood of Christ, the cup of salvation". Then a short thanksgiving.

In this way I am able to join with those at church, as well as the rest of the entire church on earth.

Joe Mackey
Trinity Church
Huntington, West Virginia, USA
18 January 2015

One of the 'innovations' of the sixteenth century English Reformation was the banning of the private mass. In order for a Eucharist to be cerebrated, people had to be present in addition to the priest. Hence liturgy is a requires both priest and people.

There are those of us in the clergy who would happily offer more midweek services along with Saturday evening ones, but actually need people to come to them. My parish added a Saturday evening service one summer because people kept saying they would come because it would work so much better with their other summer commitments. Attendance started around 5 or 6 and dwindled to none apart from the priest. So we discontinued it.

Mid morning mid week began with a request at an annual meeting. It limps along, ranging from two (including the priest) to six in attendance.

So whose responsibility is it? Priest or people? Or both? It’s often easy to talk about what we would like our worship life to be; it’s another matter to commit to being one of those people who make it happen, day after day, week after week.

So come, those of you who yearn for mid week services. Let your priest know that you want to have these opportunities to worship God, and commit to be part of those worshipping communities. You have no idea how delighted we would be!

Raewynne Whiteley (the Rev. Canon Dr.)
St James Episcopal Church
St James, NY, USA
19 January 2015

I tried to make it work, but it didn't

I am sorry to say my local parish, St Paul, is not a friendly or welcoming parish. I attended every Sunday for months. But neither the rector nor any one at coffee hour ever said hello. Ever.

I don't go anymore or give them money. I am hard wired for Morning Prayer & Sermon, so don't miss the Eucharist all that much, but have found a warm, welcoming Roman parish near to my home where I go to "the wafer" every now and then, without guilt.

A sad commentary.

Robert Mayo
St Paul in the Desert
Palm Springs, California, USA
13 January 2015

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