Sunday services: Exchanging the Peace

One difference between their service and ours especially struck me: they do not “exchange the peace” during the liturgy. But they have a wonderful variant, which several of us thought we would love to see introduced in the U.S.

When they recess out of the church after the service, the first person out [I think it was the Bishop] seeks the nearest shade and stops. Then the second person shakes his hand in greeting and stops just beyond him. Then the third person greets the first and second, and stops just beyond them. And so on and on. So the result is that every person present greets and shakes the hand of every other person. It’s a very warm, celebratory part of the experience.



Oh! and by the time most of the group has moved outside, the drummers and singers are also outside, so the music goes on and on.

After the service, “the girls” had photo-ops with Bishop Bullen.

The first is Lisa with the Bishop.




Then Sandy & the Bishop.