Resources For All

The hope is that as many parishes as possible will take part in some way, at some time during 2012. However large or small their event, it will mark the landmark celebration of the Church's founding liturgy.Many cathedrals and churches have already made plans to mark the occasion in cities, towns and tiny villages - both in this country and around the globe. There are many ways in which you can mark the 1662 Book of Common Prayer's 350th anniversary in your parish. Gain the support of your clergy, the Church Wardens and members of the PCC. Among the ideas you can suggest, are:

Flower Show - based on themes of the BCP, maybe the canticles, the services, or the Collects. If your church does not usually use the Prayer Book, try to arrange for the clergy to use it for their devotional morning and evening prayer for at least part, if not all, the anniversary year. They can invite parishioners to join them. See whether the Church Wardens will agree to one BCP service a month during 2012, and encourage people to try it. Also, don't forget to spread the word so that those who left the Church because of a lack of traditional services can be welcomed back. Your local newspaper will probably help by publishing a short story. Why not find out if your church will hold a special Prayer Book service in the year - perhaps a Communion or Evensong for the Patronal Festival. Other dates to keep in mind are the anniversary of the Accession on 6th February. This is an ideal opportunity to use the Prayer Book's ready-made Accession Service, in conjunction with Matins, as directed. Don't forget that 19th May was when royal assent was granted in 1662, and provides a ready-made opportunity to mark the anniversary. And St Bartholomew's Day, 24 August, is when the Prayer Book came into general use in 1962 and, again, is an ideal time to celebrate.

Please let us know what you are planning so we can share the ideas with others.

If your church has a choir:

Use anthems/verse anthems with texts based on the BCP during services for the year and make it known where that text originates. Arrange a concert of choral works which includes those from the Prayer Book - there are some lovely setting of the canticles. Organise a choral Eucharist using the BCP service of Holy Communion (John Marbeck's glorous setting) or Arrange a spectacular choral evensong, in cathedral style, with processional intro, psalms, canticles and anthem.

Why not stage a Prayer Book-reading marathon, or just a selected portion (the Psalms; or the Epistles, Gospels and Collects)? This could be sponsored to raise funds for a church project, and is bound to attract the interest of the local media.

Twinkling of an eye

- The Book of Common Prayer