Most Episcopalians have never experienced anything like it. We clear the church, put up tables, and eat a complete meal together.
It was 7 o'clock. Time to start. All the tables were filled, but the people kept coming. We added an extra chair to every table, but the people kept coming. When everyone was settled, we began with the ancient blessing over the first cup of wine, broke bread and passed it around. During the meal we tell the story of Jesus washing the feet of his friends. I then tell a story of a time when someone unexpectedly served me and how that simple experience changed my life, if only for a moment. Then I ask everyone to share that same kind of story around their table.
The sharing is amazing. People were really getting into it. If we had done that for two hours it wouldn't have been enough time, so wonderul was the sharing. Those simple stories are our witness to the living presence of a living God. The vulnerability it takes to share those stories changes the energy in the room. The breath of God was palpable. I hated to interrupt but we had more work to do.
Then comes the footwashing. We have a large immersion font so we get in the font to wash feet. Yep, that's right-- in the font. It's wonderful and messy and chaotic. There were so many people there we did it in pairs and still it took over 45 minutes to get everyone washed. The Feast is filled with music, all sung to the beat of drums and other rhythm instruments. Our voices literally fill the room--some might say we shook the walls, too. I looked up to see people waiting for the font lined up and snaking their way around the room. Singing, chatting, moving to the music.
This footwashing thing is profound. You can't do it and leave unchanged. At our place, folks tend to hang out around the font as others get washed. Eventually everyone ends up crowded around.
That's when I saw it. A blur of palm fronds and arms and bare feet went by. Some of the women were holding hands, armed raised like in a Greek folk dance, waving the palms they were holding, and dancing! Spontaneous dancing! Unexplained dancing! Unfettered spirits! A blend of how much we love each other, how much we love God, and our gratitude for both. A distinctive blur of the holy and the human at its finest.
The dance line began to grow. Eventually it became a full circle. Then another formed behind that first one. It was so beautiful it took my breath away and my eyes filled with tears. As the tears rolled down my cheeks the Spirit that was in the room came full into me. There has been no finer moment in my ministry than this one.
Today, one of the newer members of our community emailed me. He told me that he had never experienced anything like that night in his entire life.
Me, too.
Click here for another person's experience of this same night-- with pictures!
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