Today is the Feast of St James the Greater, Apostle
Collect: Grant, O merciful God, that as thine holy Apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him; so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
St James, the Greater, Apostle
Wishing St. James Anglican Church, Herring Cove, Parish of Falkland, a great St James’s Day.
St. James Anglican Church, Herring Cove, Nova Scotia
Unfortunately, the Cathedral Church of All Saints Halifax made no mention of the Feast of St James.
Holy Communion at the Cathedral Church of All Saints, Halifax, for Pentecost 9
Over the years, I’ve amassed a collection of Anglican prayer books. I use them for reference, comparative purposes, and draw inspiration or prayers from different prayer books as appropriate (i.e. the Canadian BCP doesn’t have a prayer for times of plague and pestilence, but the 1662 BCP does (the revisers of the Canadian BCP must have thought that plagues were a thing of the past by the mid-20th century).
It is my intention that should I visit different churches of the Anglican Communion, I will acquire the local prayer book for my collection.
I may have multiple copies or different formats (i.e. large print version) of a particular prayer book, which I will not elaborate in the list below.
Church of England
Book of Common Prayer (CoE, 1662)
Book of Common Prayer (CoE, Proposed 1928)
Common Worship (CW) (2000)
Common Worship, Daily Prayer (2005)
The Book of Common Prayer, the Texts of 1549, 1559, and 1662
Anglican Church of Canada
Book of Common Prayer (Canada, 1962)
Book of Alternative Services (BAS) (1985)
The Canadian Book of Occasional Offices (1964)
Book of Common Prayer (Canada, 1918)
US Episcopal Church
Book of Common Prayer (TEC, 1979)
Book of Common Prayer (TEC, 1928)
St. Augustine’s Prayer Book, Revised Edition (2014)
Today is the minor feast of Saint Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, c. 862 AD
As the proverb goes: St. Swithun’s day if thou dost rain For forty days it will remain St. Swithun’s day if thou be fair For forty days ’twill rain nae mare
☔️ Today it rained in Halifax. 🌧
Collect: Almighty God, by whose grace we celebrate again the feast of your servant Swithun: grant that, as he governed with gentleness the people committed to his care, so we, rejoicing in our Christian inheritance, may always seek to build up your Church in unity and love; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Order of Morning Prayer as found in the Book of Common Prayer Canada, 1962
As most Canadians have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine, with churches having reopened in Nova Scotia, and with COVID restrictions are being lifted in the province and across the country, my project of sharing Sunday Morning Prayer At Home will come to a close.
For seventy weeks, over a year, we all lived under the shadow of COVID. What started as an informal project became more formalized as the weeks progressed and there was no end in sight for COVIDtide and when restrictions would be lifted. There were relaxations, then another wave of COVID cases necessitated another round of restrictions and shutdowns. There is now a light, and end in sight.
I will continue to pray the Office and post as appropriate, especially on significant feast or important occasions. Thank you for being with me on my journey of faith. We each have our own faith and spiritual needs and being in prayer with Christ gave me strength and hope during some of the darkest times of COVIDtide. My faith journey continues, and I hope yours will too.
May the peace of the Lord be always with you. / Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.
The cathedral did a BAS Communion Service, but I will list the BCP propers.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. -St Matthew 7. 21.
Introit: Psalms 28. 7-10
Epistle: Romans 6. 3.
Gradual: Psalm 90. 14-18
Gospel: Luke 6. 27
BAS Collect: Oh mighty God, you made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you. May we find peace in your service, and in the world to come, see you face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
BCP Collect: O God, who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man’s understanding: Pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Trinity: God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4. 16.
Psalms: 28, 29
1st Lesson: Joshua 24. 1-5, 13-25
2nd Lesson: Mark 6. 7-32
Collect of the Day: Grant O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
🕯 Almighty God we continue to pray for all our loved ones who are sick in mind, body, or soul; we pray especially for Barry and Donnie and their families. We pray for all those still affected by the Coronavirus plague and hope that through medical science and prudent government actions, the restrictions across the land may continue to be eased. May you give the sick and their loved ones strength in these difficult times and may you guide the healers entrusted to their care, to comfort them and restore them in health of body and mind; through the love and protection of our saviour, healer and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
O God Most High, who didst endue with wonderful virtue and grace the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord: Grant that we, who now call her blessed, may be made very members of the heavenly family of him who was pleased to be called the first-born among many brethren; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
Said or sung at Evening Prayer is the Magnificat (or the Song or Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary), where it is spoken by Mary at the Visitation to Elizabeth, her cousin pregnant with John the Baptist. (St. Luke 1. 46):
My soul doth magnify the Lord, / and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded / the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth / all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me; / and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him / throughout all generations. He hath showed strength with his arm; / he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, / and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things; / and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy / hath holpen his servant Israel; As he promised to our forefathers, / Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, / and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, / world without end. Amen.
High Anglican Haligonian 