Both the initial notes and order of service and the additional notes and the appendices of A Service of Holy Communion for the North American Mission Field are now online.
By Robin G. Jordan
A Service of Holy Communion for the North American Mission Field differs from the two forms of Holy Communion in The Book of Common Prayer Book 2019 in a number of ways. Rather than do a point by point comparison of the rites, I am providing a description of a number of the features of the service. Some of these features may be found in the forms of Holy Communion in the proposed BCP 2019; others may not.
The Conduct of the Service. The directions to stand, sit, or kneel are suggestions only. Hymns and songs may be used at places in the service other than those indicated.
The Entrance Rite. The priest may greet the people in his own words or he may use the simple greeting “The Lord be with you” to which the people respond “And also with you.” From Easter to Pentecost the priest may add “Christ is risen” to which the people respond “He is risen indeed.” An alleluia may follow this versicle and response. The sentence of scripture is optional. It may be used before or after the greeting or before the Prayer of the Day. The opening prayer is optional. Three different opening prayers are provided from which worship planners may choose. One of the prayers is taken from the Anglican Church of Kenya’s Service of Holy Communion; another comes from the Anglican Diocese of Sydney’s Sunday Services.
The Two Great Commandments and the Ten Commandments are optional. They may be read at the beginning of the service or after the Prayers of the People. When they are used, they are read before the confession. The Ten Commandments may be read with a congregational response after each commandment or they may be read continuously as a whole with a congregational response after the tenth commandment. They may also read with a congregational response after the fourth and tenth commandments. The confession may be said at the beginning of the service or after the Prayers of the People. Three different introductions to the confession, three different confessions, and three different declarations of God’s forgiveness are provided from which worship planners may choose. The words of assurance are optional. The priest is not required to use all of them. In the absence of a priest a deacon or authorized person reads 1 John 2:1-2 instead of a declaration of God’s forgiveness after the confession.
The Gloria is optional. Some other hymn of praise may be sung instead of the Gloria. The Gloria may be sung elsewhere in the service where a hymn or sung may be sung. It may be sung as an opening song. It may be sung as a canticle between the first two readings or before the Gospel reading. It may also be sung after the post-communion thanksgiving.
The Ministry of the Word. The congregational response after the readings is optional. The congregation may sit for all three readings. One of the first two readings may be omitted. Standing for the Gospel reading and the Gloria Tibi are optional. The congregational response after the Gospel reading may be omitted. Silence may be kept after each reading. The sermon follows the Gospel reading. A time of children’s ministry may take place at any point during the Ministry of the Word. The Nicene Creed or the Apostles’ Creed may be said as the affirmation of faith after the sermon.
The Prayers of the People. One or more members of the congregation read the Prayers of the People, using one of several alternative forms. The people may be given an opportunity before the Prayers of the People to make prayer requests, to share prayer concerns, and to report answered prayer. The Prayers of the People may conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. When the confession follows the Prayers of the People, an optional prayer of preparation may be said before the Greeting of Peace. Three different prayers of preparation are provided from which worship planners may choose.
The Greeting of Peace. The priest may introduce the Greeting of Peace with the versicle and response provided in the service or other appropriate words. He then says “The peace of the Lord always be with you” to which the people respond, “And also with you.” All may greet each other with a handshake or some other gesture of reconciliation, saying “Peace be with you.”
After the Greeting of Peace the deacon or one or more members of the congregation may prepare the Lord’s Table. A hymn or song may be sung. The gifts of the people may be brought to the Lord’s Table. They may be presented in silence, or all may say 1 Chronicles 29: 11, 14.
The Great Thanksgiving. The bread and wine are placed on the table if it has not already been done. The priest stands behind the Lord’s Table, facing the congregation across the table. He says the eucharistic prayer provided in the service, or another authorized prayer. All stand for the whole of the prayer. During the institution narrative the priest takes the bread into his hands during the words concerning the bread and takes the chalice into his hand during the words concerning the cup.
The eucharistic prayer provided in the service is short and participatory. Like the 1662 prayer, it contains no oblation or language suggestive of eucharistic sacrifice and omits the invocation of the Holy Spirit. Unlike the 1662 prayer, it contains an anamnesis and the epiclesis follows the institution narrative as in the Scottish Non-Juror Canon of 1764. An optional Benedictus follows the Sanctus. An Eastern Church style memorial acclamation has been inserted between the institution narrative and the anamnesis. The people and the priest may sing or say the Sanctus-Benedictus, memorial acclamation, and Great Amen.
After Communion. one of three post-communion thanksgivings may be said. A hymn or song may be sung. The priest (or the bishop if present) may pronounce a suitable blessing. Three different blessings are provided from which worship planners may choose. One of these blessings is taken from the Anglican Church of Kenya's Service of Holy Communion. The deacon may say an optional dismissal.
The service makes no provision for a hymn or song after the blessing or dismissal as the service has concluded. If it is customary for the ministers to process out after the service, instrumental music may be played.
With the exception of the declaration of God’s forgiveness a deacon or authorized lay person (e.g. lay catechist, lay reader, etc.) may read the priest’ parts of the service through the Prayers of the People when there is no communion. The service may conclude with the Lord’s Prayer, the Grace, or some other suitable ending, and the Greeting of Peace. The deacon or authorized lay person may also introduce the Greeting of the Peace if it is used at the conclusion of the service.
In summary A Service of Holy Communion for the North American Mission Field provides a range of variable options with which worship planners can develop local patterns of worship, tailored to the needs and circumstances of the local church, without overwhelm them with too many variable options.
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