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THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER
How many of you who are new to the Episcopal Church have been curious enough to open one of the red books that have been placed in the pew racks? If such an act has yet to entice you, give it a try. This ‘red book’ includes, among many other things, all of our worship instruction for every service we do as a denomination. In a broader sense the Book of Common Prayer, as it is formally called, is our theology – it is how we do church! The Prayer Book includes all authorized liturgies, the complete Psalmody, prayers and thanksgivings, the catechism, lectionaries and our historical documents.
This extraordinary publication did not just magically appear. It has a rich and significant history that we will explore during the Prayer Book segment of the series on ‘What it is to be an Episcopalian’. Further we will go step by step through the book pointing out the various offerings and what they mean for each of us. I think this session also provides a good opportunity for review and perhaps new insights for some of us ‘old timers’.
The Rev Canon Anne B Chisham