The Episcopal Tourist, Emmanuel Church Orlando

Work has taken me from the non existent New England winter to Orlando Florida to sing Rigoletto, Verdi's beloved tragedy. The opera has much more that its rightful share of beautiful melody and is filled with vividly colorful characters. On the first day of rehearsal, I watched the tenor sing La Donna E Mobile perhaps the most famous opera aria of all. A custodian was walking through our rehearsal space and he stopped to listen. The look of recognition and delight on his face was priceless. It reminded me that opera in Italy was popular entertainment, not something only for the elite.

Sunday I decided to go to church. Because of several big events here including the Basketball All Star game and the Daytona 500, we have had to change hotels several times. I found myself on the edge of Winter Park a very posh suburb. The day was cloudy and cool so I decided to walk armed with the map from my iphone. How I wish I had had this accessory for the past 35 years wandering in strange places.

My path lead me from a commercial strip into a residential area of homes by two lakes. There were plenty of huge old live oaks dripping with Spanish moss and large houses with beautifully manicured lawns. Eventually I came out on a busy thoroughfare and found the church situated in a much less wealthy area.

The greeters gave me a nice welcome and kindly showed me to their bathroom. After a quick freshening up after my 45 minute walk, I entered the sanctuary where the atmosphere was quiet and reverent. This diocese of Central Florida is known as being rather conservative theologically and somewhat insular so I was very curious. The rear of the altar area was dominated by the pipework of the 17 rank Heissler tracker organ. The quiet unnamed prelude was very soothing and appropriate for the first Sunday in Lent. There appeared to be around 70 present.

The processional was Forty Days and Forty Nights. The decalogue was chanted with the familiar Healey Willan responses. The lector read the Genesis passage very deliberately and clearly, no text was needed though it was provided. The psalm was sung in Anglican chant. After the Epistle, the Sequence Hymn was #443 From God Christ's deity came forth, not very familiar to me but a fine tune with splendid text. There was a very nice Gospel procession and the Rev Dr Malcolm Murchison proclaimed it boldly.

Perhaps attendance at the Ash Wednesday services had been below expectations as Father Murchison decided to recap those texts especially Joel and Psalm 51 stressing our sinful nature and our mortality. He reminded us that we have been uncharitable and polluted the earth. Lent prepares us for Easter. Sin has consequences. We need to clean the slate. He reminded us that the Genesis reading for today leaves out the flood and what lead up to it. There was rampant evil and wickedness. Mankind had used his God given gift of free will for rebellion. Sin is about broken relationships, with God, ourselves and others. He said that natural disasters in our time were caused by this!! He turned to Baptism saying that even as an Episcopalian he loved the symbolism of the Baptist Baptism with full immersion. We are first buried under the water, then raised up. Our first new breath takes in the Holy Spirit. However he noted that sin also is always being resurrected. He then quoted the end of Psalm 51

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

After this he said with rather grim expression "Thanks be to God".

The creed and form II of the prayer of the people followed. The peace was exchanged. A few people did come to me but I needed to make most of the effort. The choir actually an octet gave a valiant reading of Hassler's "Lord for thy Tender Mercies Sake".

The Eucharist form A was celebrated. The choir received followed by the Sunday school. This order confused me somewhat, but I asked the lady seated in the pew next to me. She said with a smile "Yes they do it this way, I don't know why and I don't approve".

Throughout the service I had noted that when responses by the people were called for there was a considerable delay before the congregation spoke. This caused me to come in solo until I caught their rhythm.

The recessional was "Lord who throughout these forty days" followed by an expert improvisation on that tune by the very fine organist. His hymn playing was lively and logical and I found it easy to sing with him.

Quite a few people came up to me afterwards during the postlude. Evidently there is no coffee hour as all seemed to head right out the door. I was introduced to the rector by one friendly lady who pointed out that I was the one with the voice. We had a brief conversation and he noticed my House of Deputies pin and asked what it was so I told him and he seemed a bit disturbed by that, but perhaps I am reading too much into it.

John Calvin appears to be alive and well in this parish. It is a bit severe for my taste, but nevertheless I am glad I worshiped here.