Wednesday, October 19, 2005
ST. GREGORY OF NYSSA EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The church is located in San Francisco.
The Who We Are webpage shows a picture of the church interior.
The liturgical objects webpage has pictures. It appears that the altar is sitting at the center of the labyrinth. They have a Japanese Shinto Shrine and Ethiopian processional umbrellas.
Worship includes singing, circle dancing, reflection, and communion.
In their newsletter they advertise "SF Night Ministry Benefit" titled "You and the Night and the Music." One of the performers on the program:
Donna Sachet, Mistress of Ceremonies, has been applauded by San Francisco for her fun-loving spirit, quick wit, and musical talent. Miss Gay San Francisco 1993 and the thirtieth elected Empress of the City, she has received many awards including the Darrell Yee Award from the AIDS Emergency Fund, the Cable Car Entertainer of the Year Award, the International José Honors Imperial Award, the Inter-Club Fund's Most Supportive Non-Leather Title Holder, the Castro Lion Club President's Appreciation Award, and the Alice B. Toklas Lesbian & Gay Democratic Club Community Service Award.
If you go to this page in the website, you can click the arrows on the right to go through the pictures of the 8 a.m. worship service held at the altar inside the labyrinth. It includes a circle dance around the altar.
For pictures of the 10 a.m. worship service go here. They use the umbrellas in this one.
I'm assuming this is not exactly a high church Episcopalian service. It doesn't look anything like the Episcopalian service I've been to. That one looked mostly like Catholic Mass.
Now, why does any of this matter? Because on the website of Contemplative Outreach of Northern California there is a link to this church down near the bottom under the heading "Vibrant Communities." Immediately below the Link to St. Gregory Nyssen Church is a link to Taize. One wonders if this is what the monks have in mind for Roman Catholics?
