On Sunday night, I went to St. Marks Cathedral here in Seattle with some friends for the Compline service. I’m not sure “service” is actually the right word here. I think technically that Compline is considered an “office,” but I’m not entirely sure what that entails. In any case, it seems to be a holdover from an older Christian tradition of having specific prayer-events occurring throughout the day. Compline is the one that closes out the day.
In any case, Compline at St. Mark’s has a group of individuals who formed a choir way back when to chant the prayers, and eventually started doing them in the Cathedral. Now, it is attended weekly by something like 500 people - most of them well under thirty, it seemed.
We got there a few minutes late and the place was packed. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we found teenagers and twenty-somethings sprawled out on blankets on the floor. Most had their eyes closed and were laying absolutely still. A few sat upright against the cathedral’s columns in meditative positions. The pews and chairs were loosely filled with people silently facing an empty altar. In the rear of the cathedral by the door, off to the other side of the reclining young people were a group of men in white robes, chanting beautifully and mysteriously. They were led by a small man in a brown monk’s robe, and except for their song, the place was absolutely still and quiet. We threaded our way to a clearing among the bodies and one by one began to lay down.
It was, I have to say, one of my better church experiences. Mainly because it was such a no-pressure event. You didn’t have to do anything to be a part of it (except for stand up at one point). You just had to be there and be amongst the other people in the space, and listen to the song as it filled up the cathedral. You didn’t even necessarily have to believe anything. And it felt very… good. Very right. Something important about how a religious event could be….
My guess as to why there are so many young people that go (more than I’ve ever seen at church - though I don’t go anymore since I moved out of my parent’s house when I went to college), is exactly because of the sort of no-pressure environment. You just go, you experience it, and then you go home. What you make of it is up to you, and I really like that. I’ve heard of a similar event that happens on Friday’s in Seattle as well (not sure where) which sounds roughly similar but it is part of the Taize movement, and I think everyone gets to sing, rather than just a choir. Seems to operate according to a very similar premise.
I would be curious to hear if anyone else has been to this or similar events - in particular religious-type events where you can just go, and no one asks you to believe anything, or to feel or think a certain way. While talking about this with others at work today, I heard of two loosely similar things that sound really cool: one is the John Coltrane Church in San Francisco, which - from what I hear - is a religious service which consists almost entirely (if not entirely - I’ve never been) of people bringing instruments and just jamming. There’s also a not-too-well-known group out of Seattle called “Gypsy Dan’s” (or something similar - details are sketchy) which supposedly meets on Sunday mornings at various school gymnasiums, where they hang up a bunch of tapestries, and then just dance. Both of these sound really awesome. Anybody been to any of these or know more info?
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5 Comments
Yeah, that whole thing sounds pretty sweet. My mom’s dragged me to the National Cathedral (in D.C.) several times. As much as at one level I think the idea of a gigantic, stone church is (as a n earthly symbol of organized religion, yada yada yada) there’s something special about that building. Between the stain glass and the gargolyes and the general imensity, I don’t know what it is, but you can definitly feel it, no matter what your faith. It’s like it’s a big symbol of god’s pressence on earth, you know what i’m sayin?
I’ve been to Taize, and it’s pretty beautiful. There’s no laying down– you do sit in pews, but the cathedral is usually pretty empty. Basically, everyone sings very short, repetitious chants to the accompaniment of (usually) a guitar or small ensemble. There’s no pressure to sing– you’re just as welcome to sit & listen or meditate. After some time, an Icon of Christ crucified is processed through the room and participants are invited to kiss the wounds on the icon. It’s very peaceful, very non-structured. There’s no speechifyin’ or sermonatin’. All in all, an exceptional experience– highly recommended.
I’m getting really into this idea of having a ritual experience like this on the one hand - with no real pressure to do or believe much of anything. And then on the other to have a small-group focused discussion again with no particular agenda but just to share. Seems like an awesome way to ease yourself into other things
These all sound really cool. I’ve been looking for something along these lines - somewhere to go, have some ritualized experience w/a group (but with no agenda and no attempts at conversion). Will have to check Compline out. Sweet. Thanks for sharing this.
BTW - there is a Taize ceremony Fridays @6:30 PM at St. James Cathedral on 9th Avenue. Maybe this is the one you heard about.