Every Knee Shall Bow (at Christmas)

[FrGareth]

As Christmas planning picks up pace, I wonder...

does anyone have a parish which has cracked the logistics of getting everyone to genuflect in unison during the creed at the Christmas Masses, pause, and resume in reasonable synchronousness?

We're getting there in my parish, where last year's fairly effective strategy was to print the whole creed in the service sheet (since it is very awkward picking up even a very familiar prayer from memory, in the middle!) and ringing the sanctus bell when it's time to kneel and time to resume.

Any other ideas?

FrGareth

[John Ainslie]

We also print the whole creed in the service sheet - along with all the carols. AND the priest announces, before starting the creed, the need to STOP at 'by the power of the Holy Spirit...', then kneel and then continue. There are always some who carry on regardless, but this is fairly effective.

[keitha]

We don't put the creed in the booklet, but we do put an instruction in. We generally don't have a problem. The choir (located beside the sanctuary) and servers etc are well prompted and it is announced at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Word. When the moment comes, the celebrant stops and he and the book-holder step off the raised platform on which the presider's chair stands, turn towards the altar and kneel and everyone follows suit.

[Southern Comfort]

There's a piece on the Magnificat Music website which seems to respond to this need.