There is something captivating about seeing glimpses “behind the scenes.” I know it’s a bit geeky but I always found it quite exciting when I came across sermons and preachers notes when tidying up the church and seeing how different they were! Bishop Richard’s sermons were perfectly typed in largeish print, double spaced with page numbers and arranged on the page so that there were no awkward page turns halfway through a paragraph. Fr Peter Delaney, the former Archdeacon of London, underlines his typed script in red pen to show emphasis and dynamics - like an actor or voice artist (perhaps an echo of his previous work in the film industry in Hollywood?) Fr Luke, the current Archdeacon, hand writes “word maps” on the order of service - with key words to remind him what to say - I have seen him adapting these right up to the start of the service - but he still delivers a flawless sermon, without reading word for word from a script. Impressive!
This latest book from St Martin in the Fields is perfect for anyone, like me, who loves having a nose behind the scenes to find out how things were done. But “Liturgy on the Edge” does much more than that. Through succinct commentaries by members of the clergy, music staff, PCC and members of the congregation, the book makes clear the connection between what was done and why - surely something all those involved in “doing liturgy” should be asking, all the time?
