When culture and liturgics collide

As we remind our students, we have chapel services first for
worship, but second for training.  The
teams get feedback on how they lead the service, and since we’re using the “new” liturgy, the students occasionally fumble, but overall, are getting on
fabulously well.

Last night, the congregation’s response to the Dismissal was
less than stellar, and since it has been several times, I was quite
annoyed.  So I asked the Michael, the service
leader, to dismiss us again, and asked that the congregation be serious and
read the response that is provided in the prayer book that they all have.  The response is “Thanks be to God!”, and
since that is not terribly difficult, I get fairly exasperated when that’s not
done well.

So, Michael dismissed us again, the congregation replied in
a hearty “Thanks be to God!”, and all was well until Michael showed his
appreciation by saying, “Hallelujah!”  I
quickly said, “Ah-a! No hallelujah; it’s Lent!” which left the congregation
laughing.

And as much as it was funny (and I even thought so), the
collision of culture and liturgics often leave me puzzled, if not
exasperated.  Once again, we had no ashes
on Ash Wednesday, though the chaplain said we could do it next year.  I told her I’d hold her to it.  The opening worship on Ash Wednesday featured
songs full of alleluias and exhortations to dance for Jesus!  I turned to Samson, one of the assistant
chaplains, and pointed out that it’s Lent, and neither of those is appropriate
during this time on the church calendar. 
He pointed out that this is Africa, and this is what we do in
Africa.  I countered with the fact that
we’re Anglicans, and that should supersede culture.  Unfortunately, I think I will always lose
that one.