The great liturgical tradition is to pray to God, the First Person of the Trinity, through Christ, in the Spirit. We see this in the history of the Eucharistic Prayers, in the great collect tradition, in the prayers for ordination, over the water at baptism, and so on. This tradition goes right back into the
This year we celebrate 350 years of the Book of Common Prayer 1662. I am no strong advocate of its use. I think that some of its changes from previous books of common prayer were unwise. Nonetheless, many of its principles and rationales are deeply sound. There is much we can learn from it, embodying
Surprisingly and sadly, nothing whatsoever is said in the Christchurch diocesan Architectural Design Guidelines (PDF) about the size and shape of the altar. Nor about whether it be movable or normally left in a central position. These Design Guidelines are to design new church buildings after the extensive damage through the Canterbury earthquakes. The Guidelines
This video is a rockin trip through the Ten Commandments. The video honours the feast of Shavuot (Pentecost), the holiday when the Jewish people commemorate receiving the Torah (Law) at Mount Sinai. People very quickly talk about the “Ten Commandments” as if we all agree on what that refers to. There are two versions in
Pentecost Vigil Pentecost (Whitsunday) reflection on the collect for the Day of Pentecost The Day of Pentecost ends the Easter Season – it is the culmination of the Great Fifty Days of the Easter season. Monday May 28 in fact is Monday in the 8th Ordinary Week. The 7th Ordinary Week began February 19. Then
The gospel No strings attached No bait-and-switch There’s plenty of other YouTube free hugs videos. I particularly like this one with the Leonard Cohen Hallelujah lyrics: … Baby I have been here before I know this room, I’ve walked this floor I used to live alone before I knew you. I’ve seen your flag on
All may; some should; none must – looking again at confirmation All may; some should; none must. It’s a well-known Anglican aphorism for the sacramental action of private confession (Reconciliation of a Penitent). I think, in our changing environment, it is also a helpful adage for confirmation. I am firmly committed to the way our
I promised recently that I would explain one way for helping people at worship with the responses, and prayers prayed aloud together. This is the way I used when I was parish priest of a multi-centre parish. New Zealand Prayer Books were readily available. I produced very simple, clearly-laid-out service outlines on 4xA5. An A4
