Verger's location in the Procession

[Dave Rubin]

My Rector, as well as most of my congregation, are unfamiliar with the Office of the Verger. I have been told by the Rector that his primary focus is worship, not “tradition for the sake of tradition.” Since we are a rather small church, I will process mainly on special occasions and Feast Days. The Rector states that he is theologically uncomfortable with me being in front of the Crucifer and, unless I can give him a valid theological reason (as opposed to the traditional reason of protecting the Procession), he will place me behind the Crucifer and Torches. Can anybody offer some arguments I can bring to my Rector concerning this, or shall I allow the precedent of the Verger not leading the Procession be set here?

Dave Rubin, Verger
Grace Episcopal Church
Ocala, FL

[Val Hymes]

My rector is the same.  For an ordination this weekend, I will lead the visiting clergy.  In the past I led the confirmands  to their seats at a confirmation.

 

 

Val Hymes

St. James’ Parish

Lothian MD

Est. 1692

 

valh...@aol.com

 

410-224-2478

410-703-2673

 

520 Coover Road

Annapolis MD

 

Editor, www.PrisMinNet.org

Prison Ministry Network News

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[Dick]

My Rector also has the Cross in front, while our previous rector had the verger in front.  It took our vergers a little while to get used to the change, but we found that we could control things just as well from the second position.  Our procedure is to stand in front of the procession as it forms up, step to the side for the crucifer and torches to pass, then step into the procession.  For the Gospel procession and recessional, we put the crucifer and torches in the gate and we post ourselves between the crucifer and the altar (just in front of the crucifer).  At the end of the Gospel, we again step to the side to let the crucifer pass us, then fall in behind, followed by the Gospel Book holder.

 

I have been told that about 20% of the churches with vergers have the cross lead.  This is strictly up to the rector.  We should not get caught up into thinking that it is “our right” to be at the front.  We can lead just fine from behind the crucifer.

 

Dick Johnson

Trinity Episcopal Church, The Woodlands, TX

rtj...@msn.com

 

From: vl...@googlegroups.com [mailto:vl...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Dave Rubin
Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 10:59 AM
To: vl...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [V-List] Verger's location in the Procession

 

My Rector, as well as most of my congregation, are unfamiliar with the Office of the Verger. I have been told by the Rector that his primary focus is worship, not “tradition for the sake of tradition.” Since we are a rather small church, I will process mainly on special occasions and Feast Days. The Rector states that he is theologically uncomfortable with me being in front of the Crucifer and, unless I can give him a valid theological reason (as opposed to the traditional reason of protecting the Procession), he will place me behind the Crucifer and Torches. Can anybody offer some arguments I can bring to my Rector concerning this, or shall I allow the precedent of the Verger not leading the Procession be set here?

[Scott Crowell]

There is no right or wrong place on this.

When I was head Verger at St. Timothy's Episcopal, Henderson, NV we had two Vergers on Sunday: One lead and one followed the clergy in to historically be the protector of the procession. One would clear the way up front and the other protected from attacked from behind.

Washington National Cathedral has them all throughout the procession, or did when I visited there a few years back.

St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood, CA uses a Verger only on High Feast days and places them just before the clergy

St. Francis Palos Verdes Estates, CA leads the procession...which goes back to my days at St. Timothy's. A parishioner jumped on me for going first down the aisle saying, "The cross ALWAYS leads the procession." I gently reminded him that it still does but it is guided by the Verger.

So as you see, there are local customs that run the gamete of where to place the Verger.

Scott Crowell

St. Francis, Palos Verdes Estates, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Rubin <ocal...@gmail.com>
To: vlist <vl...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Fri, 2 Nov 2012 8:59
Subject: [V-List] Verger's location in the Procession

[Brewster...@aol.com]

At St. John's the verger is in front of the procession but is not leading the procession, at least in mind set, the Crucifer is the procession lead.  The verger is functioning as the guard and path clearer for the procession only.

 

There are times when that is not just a shame especially during Blessing of the Animals or when the children want to get a better view of the procession at which time we are needed to shoo dog and child out of harms way.  I promise the mace is never used.

 

A second verger is present before the Clergy Cross on High Holy Days and when the Bishop is present the second/third verger proceeds the Bishop.

 

Tom Brewster

St. John's, Boulder, CO

 

 
 
 

[allen...@verizon.net]

Dave

I have to assume you mean liturgically uncomfortable – there is no theology involved in the procession.

That said I have always known the verger to follow the crucifer. The torches accompany the gospel – they are not attendants to the crucifer or the celebrant. The celebrant has the final word on all liturgical procedure at any celebration of worship. As far as I know the rubric says nothing about the order of procession although it is steeped in tradition

 

From: Dave Rubin

Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 11:59 AM

To: vl...@googlegroups.com

Subject: [V-List] Verger's location in the Procession

[Bill Rhines]

Dave.....

 

There is no theological basis for the role of verger - only historical, and practical.

 

In my case, I have never processed at all as a verger, mostly because our building is small enough that there is no need to escort anyone anywhere - people can pretty much find their way around on their own, so in keeping with the idea of not making the procession about us, and given the intent to keep an invisible profile, we simply don't invite the discussion.  In fact, the only time I wear my blacks is when I am not serving any other role in the service.  If I am working as an acolyte or eucharistic minister, I wear the vestments that go along with those roles in order to not stand out.  Regardless of any other roles I might have in the service, I am still always the verger, and I am not dependent on unique vestments or a place in the procession in order to have the authority of the office.

 

As others have said, the extent of your role is by agreement with your rector.   Keep in mind that your role is going to evolve (and probably expand) as you develop your relationship with your rector.  Personally, I derive immense satisfaction from knowing that I have done my job so well beforehand that I can simply turn everyone loose at the service and stand back and watch it happen.  Let everyone do what they have been trained to do, obviously being prepared to step in if something does not go according to plan.  Not only does this make you look better, it makes the other people more secure in their own ministries.  The reward is a seamless worship experience.  Whatever power (for lack of a better word) that we possess comes from being so good at what we do that people would notice if we weren't there, doing our behind-the-scenes thing, moreso than it does from our actual presence in the service.

 

Peace.

 

Bill Rhines

St David's Episcopal

Kennebunk, ME

 

 

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Dave Rubin

To: vl...@googlegroups.com

Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 11:59 AM

Subject: [V-List] Verger's location in the Procession

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[sist...@dmv.com]

Well, ordinarily the thurifer (and boat boy/girl) would also precede the crucifer, and would also go first at the gospel procession . . . unfortunately (in my opinion) there are too few churches that ordinarily use incense, and increasingly few clergy who know even how to use incense, so this is not so often questioned.

 

From: Dave Rubin

Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 11:59 AM

To: vl...@googlegroups.com

Subject: [V-List] Verger's location in the Procession

 

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[Scott Crowell]

How true how true.  There is one priest at St. James int he City, Los Angeles that when she censes the altar looks like she is dipping a tea bag,

-----Original Message-----
From: sistermw <sist...@dmv.com>
To: vlist <vl...@googlegroups.com>

[mwpo...@yahoo.com]

At CCC Indianapolis, we lead the procession.  In years past, we had the crucifer lead with the verger with the clergy.  This led to varying speeds of the procession which drove the former choirmaster insane.  Now processions are more consistant.
Michael Porter
Verger and Chair of Worship Advisory Committee

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Droid

-----Original message-----

From: Dave Rubin <ocal...@gmail.com>
To: vl...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Fri, Nov 2, 2012 15:59:24 GMT+00:00
Subject: [V-List] Verger's location in the Procession

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[David Rubin]

I'm appreciative and humbled by all the responses. Since most of my experience with a Verger in the parish was at Trinity Cathedral in Miami, where Raleigh Rollason would lead the Procession, I received the impression that this was the way things should always be. I find that I was mistaken. Thanks to the group for educating me, particularly the advice from Bill Rhines.

[Tom Hurwitz, verger]

It is your rector's prerogative to assign the verger to any position in the procession... That does not make it liturgically correct, though you may not be able to argue the point. Let me remind us that the "three legged stool" of Anglicanism is scripture, reason and tradition  (you don't notice 'liturgical whim of the rector' in there). Tradition is what governs processions, not for its own sake but because tradition is central to liturgy. (See "The Elements of Rite," by Aidan Kavanagh p7ff) Tradition, the liturgical practice of the church through the ages, is what brings order to what we do, makes what we do universal. Uniqueness and eccentricity are virtues for the arts. We do the liturgy so that the people, in a balance of repetition and innovation, follow it with their hearts, are brought into the worship.

I'm sure your rector feels that since the Cross is the Cross, nothing should precede it. This is an example of the misapplication of theology to ritual. If the verger is dressed in a proper plain verger's gown, and not in parade regalia, the height of the Cross still makes it the lead of the procession and the center of attention. Remember, the people should not be looking at the crucifer, but the tall processional cross. The verger is there to protect the procession in tradition, but also to really direct it. If there is a change in the order of procession, it is the verger's responsibility to guide it, not the acolyte with the Cross. Guiding from behind the cross necessitates whispering, which is audible to the congregation or drowned out by the organ, or gesturing, which even more obvious.

The procession is part of the worship. If your rector needs "valid theology," here it is. The liturgical purpose of the procession to gather the minds, hearts and attention of the people and bring them forward to the Altar, away from their daily concerns and to their worship. 1) It has certain elements of order, it is organized hierarchically with the Celebrant last, 2) It is led by Cross and torches. The Cross with its two torches or candles should be held so that it is the center of attention. All the personalities are secondary. The verger in front is directing and protecting the procession, not leading it. And here is why. Let us say that the less experienced acolyte crucifer makes a mistake, or did not get the news of a change and turns the wrong way. Aren't the people going to be distracted from their worship, and worry about the poor kid with the Cross, or wonder how the priest is going to wind up where he/she belongs? We make things run smoothly and allow the people to focus on their worship. This is how liturgy, "the work of the people," works. It's not about trying to be first in line.  Processions need vergers.

Tom Hurwitz
Verger
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
New York

[sist...@dmv.com]

AMEN.

 

Sister Mary Winifred

Ascension Hermitage & Sanctuary

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[Hawkins Dallas g mail]

At Saint John's Cathedral in Spokane WA we used to have the Thurifer lead the parade for special services such as Easter and Lessons and Christmas. Someone saw this on you tube and made a remark and since then we have had the Verger Lead the Procession with the Thurifer behind followed by the Cross and Torches and Book. The point is that it is all good, and each church can decide how best to organize the procession. 

Dallas Hawkins

dallas.o...@gmail.com

(509) 499-4256 (Cell)

(509) 242-1898 (Home)

_________________________

Ut luceat lux Dei et det vobis pacem sempiternam

[jmoreh...@gmail.com]

Thank you Dallas.  

James Morehouse

Head Verger Saint Clement's 

Sent from my iPhone