Churchgoers and templegoers: How does your religious leader enter the sanctuary?
Asked by
Jeruba (
56106
)
October 17th, 2017
Ceremonial procession up the aisle from the rear? side door to platform? secret velvet-hung door behind the altar? cloud of colored smoke?
And will this leader deliver a sermon from a special designated spot?
For context, and if you’re willing, please indicate what sort of religious environment or setting this takes place in.
Tags as I wrote them: priests, preachers, ministers, rabbis, spiritual leaders, places of worship, religious ceremony.
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8 Answers
Not a formal entrance. Music ministry gives way to the pastor taking the stage. He is sitting with his family, singing along with the rest of the congregation while the music ministry is playing/singing. This has become a typical entrance from what I have seen. I am currently in just a Christian church…not a Methodist or Catholic or Baptist or Presbyterian. However I have also seen this done in a Baptist church as well. And typically, the pastor isn’t standing at a lectern…he (she in some cases) is roaming the stage as they see fit. Our church is very informal, though. We don’t go in for the typical church things. We don’t pass a collection plate, for instance. There are two boxes you can leave donations if you feel like it or you can go online and give if you want. If you don’t want to, you don’t. We have routines, but not rituals. And our pastor will be the first to point out that he is flawed, as are we all.
Synagogue: from a door on the side of the bimah (bimah is the front of the sanctuary, where services are held). He doesn’t walk down the center aisle; just enters the bimah quietly.
In Judaism, the rabbi is not the conduit for the voice of god; quite the opposite. The rabbi is the prayer leader, but is one of many in the congregation.
Depends on the service, the degree of celebration.
For most Sunday Masses, a procession down the center aisle to the front of the altar. The congregation sings an opening hymn during the procession. Otherwise, the priest will enter through a door from the sacristy.
Some celebrants deliver a homily from the lectern where the readings are given. Others will give the sermon from wherever they feel comfortable in the front, including walking to the front of the congregation.
This is in a Roman Catholic parish in California.
Unitarian. She’s usually standing in the lobby before the service, walks up to the platform (altar?) informally before the service starts and is sitting while a lay person makes the welcome announcements..
Jew, Usually they just sort of hang out in audience for awhile talking to people. and then wander up on stage. No real ceremony of entering.
Usually by foot, but occasionally he uses a razor. ;)
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