At the name of Jesus

When I was a chorister we used to bow our heads on three main occasions.

1. When crossing from one side of the cathedral to the other (North to South or vice versa) when we had to stop, face the altar and bow either from the waist or just the head. This was especially done when we crossed on, say, an errand near the choir stalls. If we were right at the West end or in the nave it didn't seem to matter.
   
   
2. As we entered or departed from the choir stalls in procession. We would bow in pairs (Dec. and Can.) as we entered, pausing for half a second (or the next pair would bump into you). On the way out we did rather a clever move: we got out of our respective stalls and joined the growing procession but, for a brief time, we walked backwards as we bowed and then did a 180 degree turn and continued to process in a dignified manner.
   
   That's what I recall anyway. Many choirs you see these days do a corporate bow - if memory serves, we only did this on Sundays when the crucifer was present. Obviously, we did not bow when singing about Jesus!
   
   
3. During the Apostles' Creed, in Evensong, when we got to the name of Jesus. We were bang on with our bows just as the syllable 'Je-' left our lips. I knew it was coming, I would get ready and be keen not to miss it.
   

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost... (people do not like ghosts these days and Spirit is used, as well as Creator not Maker. In fact, I am disgusted with the C of E for the text on that page)

I do not see '3' happening these days. Certainly '1' does not (although it may do in places I have not been to). I always found it difficult if there were visitors about, as I felt they would not understand. When I first became an organist my then vicar would actually stop and genuflect when walking around the church.

I have to say I miss bowing: I did it this morning - automatically - in the Nicene Creed which we say rather than sing. I was the only one.

I miss saying the Creed in Evensong in a choir and it is one of my strongest boyhood memories, as I often stood near one of the bass lay clerks, Bill, who joined in with a quiet confidence I sought to emulate. It was team action; a programmed response; the right thing to do; "a sign [which] lifted us all from the mundane and served as a convenient reminder that there are lofty realities that transcend and beckon us." (I have quoted from HERE)

Church today has been the usual disappointingly casual affair. Noise during my pre- and post-service voluntaries: not just chatter [in the vestry which is adjacent to the organ] but loud, excessive chatter.

I'm not sure I want to bother much more. Nobody else does.