Outline:
Click here for a more detailed outline
Click here for more about the history of the Eucharist
This Manuscript has links to the portions of the service in Rite I
- Alb
- Anyone serving can wear this
- Based on Roman garb
- Stole
- Marks the office of an ordained person
- Based on Roman wear for philosophers and learnéd people
- Chasuble
- Notes who the Celebrant is
- Meant to draw the eye in
- Based on Roman outer wear
Main General Liturgical Gestures:
- Turning to the Altar
- Sign that we are all praying together, in the same direction
- Altars against the wall traditional face East towards Jerusalem
- Sign we are praying with all in the Faith together
- Orans Position
- Standing with arms outstretched
- Ancient form
- Sign of openness with arms outstretched
- Sign of the Resurrection with standing
- Preferred form of prayer for all, not just Celebrant
- Introduction
- 1st of 2 parts
- 1st Eucharists were in the context of meals
- Read Scripture before meals
- Entrance
- Developed as service became more formalized
- Helps us enter into worship
- Includes:
- Opening Hymn (optional)
- Opening Acclamation
- Summary of Law (optional)
- Reformers included 10 Commandments at start
- Summary reminds us what Jesus said about the Law
- Collect of Purity (optional in Rite II)
- Started as what Presider said as preparation
- Cranmer made it as something all say
- Since this is a prayer, turn to the altar
- Kyrie (or other suitable hymn)
- Used early as part of entrance
- Sign of God approaching
- Sing together, turn to altar
- Collect of the Day
- collect prepares or "collects" our thoughts
- Lessons
- Covers all the main sections of Scripture
- Psalter is the first hymnal, best if sung
- Early church set aside people specifically for this ministry
- Gospel
- Principle Scripture for Christians
- about Jesus' ministry, death, and Resurrection
- Entrances for Gospel grew overtime
- Place on altar since earlier Christians did after procession into church
- Deacon reads, or Celebrant if no deacon
- Sermon
- Meant to instruct on what God is saying to us through what has just been read
- Creed
- Response to what has been heard
- Creeds used in the earliest Eucharistic services
- The plural of the Nicene Creed is preferred
- Better translation of original
- Singular came about from priests saying "private mass"
- Confined to Sundays and other Major Feasts by Rome when first used there
- We continue by only using on Sundays and Major Feasts
- Marks these days as having particular importance in our life of Faith
- Reminds us with unity with wider church as well
- Prayers of the People
- Another response with our offering to God our needs
- Early Church set aside people specifically for this ministry
- If have a Deacon, they can lead
- Confession
- Preparation for Communion
- see 1 Cor. 11:27-32
- BCP lets us omit it "on occasion"
- Tend to bow here
- Reminder of penitence
- Celebrant joins in in solidarity with the people
- At Absolution, Celebrant acts in the role as representing Christ Jesus to the People
- Appropriate to look up to receive
- Peace
- Jesus calls us to be at peace with our neighbor before going to the altar (Matthew 5:24)
- Announcements
- Purely about practical concerns of the congregation
- BCP allows these to occur at other points of the service
This is a very brief overview. See the links above for more details.
- Sursum Corda
- Call for people to stand or "Lift up your hearts"
- Latin meaning of the phrase
- Celebrant turns to people, speaking to them
- Proper Preface
- Marks the season/occasion
- Start of the prayer, Celebrant turns to the altar
- Sanctus
- The People, together, offer their praise
- Words come from Isaiah 6:1-3
- Appropriate for all to bow at these words
- Can just bow from the waist
- Benedictus (optional) comes from Matthew 21:9
- Eucharistic Prayer
- Celebrant is a go-between
- Represents the People to God
- Also represents God to the People
- Celebrant stays in Orans position for most of the prayer
- Anything distracts from what is occurring
- Institution Narrative
- When we recall Jesus' words at the last supper
- Celebrant touches or holds bread/wine when talking about bread/wine
- Epiclesis
- Calling the Holy Spirit to sanctify these gifts
- Sanctify means to make Holy
- Holy means to be set apart
- Set gifts aside to be Jesus' body and blood
- Oldest way of signifying is for the Celebrant to place hands on top of each other
- Hands hover over what the Celebrant is asking to be sanctified
- Self-oblation
- We offer gifts, and here we also offer ourselves
- Show this through crossing ourselves
- Something we all can do, not just the Celebrant
- Doxology
- End of the prayer
- Typically gifts are lifted here
- Not really necessary
- Gives a sense of finality
- Great Amen
- Everyone called to be loud here
- A solemn bow (at least at the waist) is appropriate
- Lord's Prayer
- The chief prayer our Lord taught us
- Breaking the Bread
- Practical action
- Silence is the only thing mandated here
- Often followed by a Fraction Anthem
- Agnus Dei can also follow
- For Rite I, Prayer of Humble Access can be said
- This is a prayer the people can join the Celebrant in
- "The Gifts of God..." may be said by Celebrant after
- Communion of the People
- Main note: best if people are at the altar once the Celebrant starts distributing
- Post-Communion Prayer
- Purpose is to conclude the service
- Blessing and Dismissal
- Meant to take what we have gained from the service and go forth changed to go God's work in the world
Q&A:
For Further Reading:
- The Book of Common Prayer. New York: Church Publishing, 1979.
- Hatchett, Marion. Commentary on the American Prayer Book. New York: Seabury Press, 1980.
- Malloy, Patrick. Celebrating the Eucharist: A Practical Ceremonial Guide for Clergy and Other Liturgical Ministers. New York: Church Publishing, 2007.
- Mitchell, Leonel. Praying Shapes Believing: A Theological Commentary on The Book of Common Prayer. Harrisburg: Moorehouse Publishing, 1985.