A Note on Taizé in Springfield
Amber and I went to a Taizé service at Brentwood the other day. It was the first Taizé service we had been too since we first discovered Taizé at East Liberty Presbyterian Church five years ago.
Taizé prayer is characterized by contemplative songs, low lights, crosses, and candles. I don’t have a picture of the service to show you because I left my phone in the car. The distraction of electronic devices just seemed antithetical to the whole idea of Taizé. The lights in the sanctuary were completely off. Candles were lit. Music floated from the piano and violin. It was time to sit still.
Taizé services are stripped down to the basic elements of religious experience: music, candles, and animated PowerPoint backgrounds. The songs are short, repetitive, and contemplative. Some are as few as ten words, and half of those are in Latin.
Only eight souls were present when we arrived. (That’s assuming one soul per body. Honestly I haven’t been in a church for awhile, so I might not be up on the latest numbers.) By the time everyone had sat down, there were 14 of us scattered throughout the sanctuary.
One of my favorite Taizé songs---the Taizé song that everybody in Taizé land knows---is called Ubi Caritas, which I refuse to learn the meaning of. My only complaint is that they sang it to a different tune than I’m used to. It’s like when Todd Agnew decided Amazing Grace should have a refrain about rain for some reason. But I still enjoyed it, and I learned several songs I didn’t know, many of which are stuck in my head at this moment. (Here’s an example.)
The beginning and ending of the service were beautifully unceremonious, punctuated only by silence. There was no call to order. There was no dismissal. Throughout the whole thing, there was less talking than a Quaker meeting. Just the way I like it.
I’m grateful Taizé exists in Springfield. Thank you to all the people at Brentwood who make it happen. I’m looking forward to the next one.
- 6:55 AM
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