I was called in - at the last minute - to play for a service at a church a few miles away. It was yesterday, hence an Ash Wednesday service.
I had forgotten that there might be incense. My experience with this is not good. When I was organist at a town church they would always park the thurible (when not in use) near the organ and, hence, near the console. I put up with it but I don't know why.
To me, incense is just smoke because that is what people want to see. Totally pointless and downright unhealthy IMHO.
We are a pretty High church at St. M's and use incense fairly often, but for the choir trying to sing through huge clouds of the stuff became such an issue that we refused to remain in the (narrow) chancel unless the fumes were directed down the nave.
ReplyDeleteSince we have several choristers and servers with asthma we won the battle.
I know it is part of the ritual but as far as I, and many others are concerned it's a part we can do without.
What's the point of ritual these days? I agree we can do without it. I will not be going back to that church.
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