Swine flu

[Southern Comfort]

Westminster Cathedral not doing anything

No change there, then.

[SOP]

At Summer School we were told we could exchange handshakes at the Sign of Peace or give a bow (think Geisha girl style), our choice. Now I prefer to give the Sign of Peace just those immediately on my left and on my right, I don't like it becoming a general meet and greet, exchange of news, see you laters, etc. So I exchanged handshakes with my immediate neighbours and bowed to the others. But even trying to do that, there are some people who will cross aisles and go out of their way to shake as many hands as they possibly can. I sometimes think the Sign of Peace could start a war if you don't shake hands with everyone.

And don't get me going on bear hugs!

[pirate]

geisha girl

indeed. This 'Namaste' greeting with hands together and bow of the head - v.graceful; we used to use it quite a lot when I lived with international students and our chapel was choir-formation.

And I don't think a handshake would have been appropriate for the lass in my choir yesterday, still hurting from a truly appalling family funeral on Friday. This really was one for 'the peace of Christ' rather than just a handshake-while-looking-at-the-next-person-in-the-row...

[organist]

No misunderstandin at all - it's messy and not a good idea!

[Nick Baty]

Three of our local churches – not ours, I hasten to add – have now banned the sign of peace and emptied the holy water stoops. Any more changes anywhere else?

[Merseysider]

Big change in Liverpool archdiocese from today: Diktat from the Arch banning Sign of Peace, water stoops and Communion from the chalice. Alternatives to the Sign of Peace – nodding the head, for example – also banned for fear of confusion and inconsistency. Apparently it's still OK to pass round the collection plate, though! Quite amusing to watch people at Mass banned from shaking hands with their partners and children!

[NorthernTenor]

Try winking, Merseysider

[SOP]

That seems to be a bit over the top Merseysider - has there been a massive outbreak of swine flu in Liverpool?

So is the sign of peace just not mentioned at all? Straight from the Our Father to the Agnus Dei?

[Merseysider]

So is the sign of peace just not mentioned at all? Straight from the Our Father to the Agnus Dei?

No, the Pax is still there, as it used to be before the Sign of Peace was introduced, just no invitation to spread it around.

[pirate]

I was very unexpectedly attacked by a sneeze this morning as I was tidying up the hymnbooks; took the one most affected off to the sacristy to wipe it down - possibly the first time Liturgical Hymns Old and New has been suitable for something, as it has a plastic wipe-clean cover. But sharing hymnbooks may be almost as insanitary as Communion on the tongue... (I never realised just how insanitary until I became an EM of HC and found my fingers covered with other people's lick. (Sorry if you're having your tea...))

But having said that, in the part of the church where I am, Swine Flu has not so far been mentioned.

[HallamPhil]

Perhaps I am the first poster to have had this virus. I think I probably picked it up at Greenbelt Festival where I was a Wild Goose ... hopping mad I was! That was bank holiday weekend and various docs were unable to diagnose it. It was only when the fevers worsened that I returned to my home doc (having first contacted the national advice line to be informed that I did not have it but had enough complications to visit the surgery). There I was told that I shouldn't have visited the surgery (!) as I had probably had it and should refrain from work. Ever since I have developed a terrible chest infection which although treated with anti-biotics is not shifting.

Doctors are no longer testing for it, I am told, since the funding has run out under excessive demand. Doctors will therefore not diagnose swine flu per se but report 'flu-like illness'. Whatever it is, it is not pleasant and any sensible measures to guard against its spread are to be encouraged.

Less sensible, but somewhat amusing to behold, was the sign of peace at Greenbelt this year. I quote from the Sunday morning Order of service:

The peace of God be with you
And also with you
Let us share The Elbow Bump of Peace with each other

The Ancient Christian Roots of the Elbow Bump (acc Wikipedia)
'The earliest popularisation of the elbow bump may have been outside the Kalaupapa Leprosy settlement in 1969, when the quarantine policy was lifted. The residents of the Kalaupapa leper colony were mostly devout Chirstians. When the former residents began attending church services, the members of the congregation were apprehensive to make physical contact with them. Priests, too, were suspect of making physical contact with these people, but as a sign of good faith they would touch elbows. The elbow bump became popular among church goers in Hawaii in the early 1970s. Because leprosy is transmitted primarily through mucous, there is some evidence that the elbow bump constrained infections'.

Isn't tradition great?

[docmattc]

possibly the first time Liturgical Hymns Old and New has been suitable for something, as it has a plastic wipe-clean cover.

Cutting pirate, cutting

Let us share The Elbow Bump of Peace with each other

A humerus sight I imagine

[NorthernTenor]

The Ancient Christian Roots of the Elbow Bump (acc Wikipedia)

'The earliest popularisation of the elbow bump may have been outside the Kalaupapa Leprosy settlement in 1969, when the quarantine policy was lifted. The residents of the Kalaupapa leper colony were mostly devout Chirstians. When the former residents began attending church services, the members of the congregation were apprehensive to make physical contact with them. Priests, too, were suspect of making physical contact with these people, but as a sign of good faith they would touch elbows. The elbow bump became popular among church goers in Hawaii in the early 1970s. Because leprosy is transmitted primarily through mucous, there is some evidence that the elbow bump constrained infections'.

Isn't tradition great?

Wan't that a bit dangerous for the lepers, Phil?

[HallamPhil]

I suppose that depends on the extent of the limb deterioration, nazard. In any case it would, I suppose, have been difficult to wipe one's nose with one's elbow.

[HallamPhil]

Sorry nazard. I meant Northern Tenor.