We just got home from Great Falls where we attended the installation of the new Lutheran bishop.? So… here’s the redux:
The Good
[-] the music — HEAVENLY and with appropriate brass on “Thine Is The Glory.”
[-] at LEAST 150 clergy in the procession.
[-] getting to schmooze with those who I wanted to see afterwards.
[-] seeing President Ramseth again and explaining that I’m using my Trinity education to teach Greek and Bible to inmates at the local prison.
[-] the good natured teasing from the pastors who were at FLBC with me during my adventures in yellowjacket stings
[-] the lovely lunch afterwards with Jon (we skipped the reception)
[-]$tarbucks after lunch
The Bad
[-] inclusivized hymns *dopeslaps those who changed words on “Let All Things Now Living”*
[-] inclusivized liturgy.
[-] the canned parts of the Presiding Bishop’s sermon as well as the parts which sounded like they were plagarized from an LDS fireside chat on evangelism.
[-] the fact that with 300ish people, it was bloody hot in the sanctuary.
[-] molasses bread for communion (I will *NEVER* get used to it)
The Ecumenical
[-] the Episcopal bishop coming in full ecclesiastical regalia. (I thought he was Catholic as I’d never seen a Piskie bishop in full regalia.? It finally hit me after I saw him take communion.)
[-] the service being held at the largest CATHOLIC church in Great Falls because no Lutheran churches were big enough.
[-] the vicar general/pastoral administrator of the Diocese of Great Falls/Billings offering greetings and reading the Gospel
[-] the number of clergy from other backgrounds who were there and in the procession.
[-] two members of the Jewish community taking part in the service (one offering greetings and one reading the first lesson).
[-] the Assinibone leader who gave a blessing in his native language before the service began as well as a tribal song before the blessing at the end.? (Montana has a huge Native American population and it was fitting that there be some aspect of that present at the service.? It was tastefully incorporated.)
The one sadness I have is that I don’t know that many people in Jon’s parish would have appreciated the diversity of people and faiths present.? Some asked incredulously why we were holding the installation in a Catholic church and others would have claimed worship was “too formal” or “too Catholic”. ? I’m really hoping that it’s something that can change with Bishop Jessica though I hate to say that I’m not holding my breath.