Within the Anglican Communion, and within the Christian world, there are many liturgies. This web site gives two of them as examples, the one given below, taken from a liturgy in the United States (1), and the other A Kenyan Liturgy. Together, these two liturgies can show how liturgies are similar, yet varied since all liturgies need to reflect how believers best worship within a particular culture and time. Good liturgies, however, reflect the original pattern of the liturgy as described in the lesson Formation of the Eucharist.
Within the sample liturgy given below there are instructions which are printed in red. These are not said or read in the service itself. As you read these instructions you will notice that some things are commanded, other are optional. For example, you may begin the service with a hymn, psalm, or anthem, but you do not have to. Actually, it is good to begin the service with songs of praise or hymns according to the musical habits of the people. Also, the words of the various persons who speak in the service are highlighted in red. For example, after the opening songs or hymns, the person leading the worship proclaims the words, “Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” and the entire congregation, standing, responds with joy, “And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.” Or, the offertory is introduced with words such as “Ascribe to the Lord the honor due his Name; bring offerings and come into his courts (Psalm 96:8). After that, it is the custom of the church to take up and offering and bring them forward to be offered to God. The words to introduce the offertory are varied, and they can be found in the Prefaces and Offertory Sentences. Or, at the beginning of the Great Thanksgiving, different prefaces are used depending upon which season of the liturgical is being celebrated. These prefaces can also be found in the “Prefaces and Offertory Sentences.”
In our study on the Consecration of Space and Time we learned that God sets aside various seasons to worship him in special ways. Therefore you will find instructions in red which show how these special times are to be celebrated. For example, as you can see, in the season of Easter, the celebrant begins with the words, “Alleluia. Christ is risen,” and the people respond, “The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.” In Lent the celebrant begins by saying, “Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins,” and the people respond, “His mercy endures for ever.” In this way, the congregation will learn the most important of God’s great acts of salvation.
Titles, given in bold, are also included in this sample Eucharist. These, of course, like the instructions in red, are not said are read and are only included to highlight the various parts of the Eucharist as described in our study, Formation of the Eucharist. The sections of the Eucharist described in the “Formation of the Eucharist” are centered, while the titles of subsections within those sections are placed to the left. The existence of these subsections will indicate how the different parts of the Eucharist were developed in various ways by the ancient church to heighten the sense of the glory and humility of God that we find in Jesus Christ the Lord, as well as to enable us to come before the Lord with thanksgiving, praise, and humility. For example, at the beginning of the worship service you will notice that the Ten Commandments or the Summary of the Law are said. This was placed in the service at the time of the Reformation, 16th century, to enable penitence so that we may recognize our need for God’s grace and mercy. During Lent, a time of penitence, it is good to say the entire Ten Commandments, in other seasons, the Summary of the Law is usually said. Decisions such as these, however, are best made by those who lead these worship services.
As the Eucharist is celebrated it needs to flow, and as mentioned above, the priest or pastor will need to educate the people so they will know how to worship. In many places of the world, churches use prayer books which have all the words that are necessary, or they will use projectors and a screen to place the songs and eucharistic words before the people. Once persons have worshipped for a while, however, they soon become accustomed to the words and flow of the service and can readily proclaim their part without any aids.
Finally, certain portions of this liturgy will need explanation, and that will be provided in lessons that describe each section of the Eucharistic liturgy. Here follows a sample Holy Eucharist.
The Holy Eucharist
The Word of God
A hymn, psalm, anthem, or songs of praise, may be sung.
The people stand.
Opening Greeting by the Officiant and Reply of the Congregation
together with
Prayers and Hymns of Praise
Celebrant: Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
In place of the above, from Easter Day through the Day of Pentecost
Celebrant: Alleluia. Christ is risen.
People: The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
In Lent and on other penitential occasions
Celebrant: Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins;
People: His mercy endures for ever.
Celebrant: Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify our holy Name; through Christ our Lord.
People: Amen.
Either the Ten Commandments or the Summary of the Law is now said but not both.
The Ten Commandments
Celebrant: God spoke these words, and said: I am the Lord Your God who brought thee out of the land of
Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have none other gods but me.
People: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Celebrant: You shall not make to Yourself any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down to them, nor worship them.
People: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Celebrant: You shall not take the Name of the Lord Your God in vain.
People: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Celebrant: Remember that You keep holy the Sabbath day.
People: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Celebrant: Honor your father and Your mother.
People: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
People: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Celebrant: You shall not commit adultery.
People: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Celebrant: You shall not steal.
People: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Celebrant: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
People: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Celebrant: You shall not covet.
People: Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these your laws in our hearts, we pray.
Summary of the Law
Celebrant: Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ says: You shall love the Lord Your God with all Your heart, and with all Your soul, and with all Your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: You shall love Your neighbor as Yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.
Here follows three ancient hymns, the Kyrie Eleison, the Trisagion, and the Gloria. One, or perhaps two, are sung or said by both celebrant and the people. By custom, if two of the three are used, one of them is always the Gloria.
Kyrie Eleison
Lord, have mercy upon us, (said or sung three times followed by)
Christ, have mercy upon us, (said or sung three times followed by)
Lord, have mercy upon us. (Said or sung three times).
Trisagion
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
All four lines are said or sung together three times
Gloria
Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men.
We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for Your great glory,
O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
You that takes away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.
You that sits at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For You only art holy; You only are the Lord; You only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit, are most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Now follows a prayer, called a “collect,” with a different prayer being used each Sunday depending upon the liturgical season.
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Celebrant: Let us pray.
The Celebrant says the Collect.
People: Amen.
The Lessons
The people sit. Normally, one or more readers have been chosen from the congregation to read the lessons from Scripture. By custom, a priest or deacon will read the gospel.
Reader: The Old Testament reading for today is taken from _____________ (giving chapter and verse from the Old Testament).
After the reading, the reader says: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Reader: The Psalm appointed for today is _________ (giving the Psalm and the verses to be read). The reader then announces whether the Psalm will be read in unison, or alternately with the reader reading a verse followed by the congregation reading the next verse, or alternately by half verses breaking at the asterisk, where asterisks are used in the text to indicate half verses.
Reader: The Epistle for today is taken from ___________ (giving chapter and verses to be read from the Epistle).
After the reading, the reader says: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks by to God.
The people stand for a hymn or song of praise and remain standing for the gospel.
After the song or hymn the priest or deacon says: The Holy Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ according to _______ (giving chapter and verses to be read from a gospel).
The people respond: Glory be to you, Lord Christ.
After the reading the priest or deacon says: The gospel of the Lord.
The people respond: Praise to you, Lord Christ
The people sit.
The Sermon
All stand and say together the Nicene Creed.
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father, through Whom all things came into existence, Who because of us men and because of our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man, and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures and ascended to heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father, and will come again with glory to judge living and dead, of Whose kingdom there will be no end;
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son is together worshipped and together glorified, who spoke through the prophets; in one holy Catholic and apostolic church. We confess one baptism to the remission of sins; we look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
The Confession
Celebrant: You who truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbors, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways: Draw near with faith, and make your humble confession to Almighty God, devoutly kneeling.
All kneel. Silence may be kept for a moment, allowing the congregation to remember their corporate and individual sins.
Celebrant and people: Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, maker of all things, judge of all men: We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we from time to time most grievously have committed, thought, word, and deed, against Your divine Majesty, provoking most justly Your wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto us, the burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; for Your Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newness of life, to the honor and glory of Your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The bishop when present, or the celebrant, stands and says: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The celebrant then reads one or more of the following:
Hear the Word of God to all who truly turn to him. Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Matthew 11:28
God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.1 Timothy 1:15
If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the perfect offering for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2
The Prayers of the People
One, but not both, of these two forms of prayers of the people may be used.
Form 1
The Deacon or other person appointed says: Let us pray for the whole state of Christ’s Church and the world.
The reader continues: Almighty and ever-living God, who in Your holy Word has taught us to make prayers, and supplications, and to give thanks for all men: Receive these our prayers which we offer unto your divine Majesty, beseeching you to inspire continually the Universal Church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord; and grant that all those who do confess your holy Name may agree in the truth of Your holy Word, and live in unity and godly love.
Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bishops and other ministers especially ________, (here the bishops and other ministers are named) that they may, both by their life and doctrine, set forth your true and lively Word, and rightly and duly administer your holy Sacraments.
And to all Your people give your heavenly grace, and especially to this congregation here present; that, with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear and receive your holy Word, truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life.
We beseech thee also so to rule the hearts of those who bear the authority of government in this and every land especially ________, (here those in authority are named) that they may be led to wise decisions and right actions for the welfare and peace of the world.
Open, O Lord, the eyes of all people to behold Your gracious hand in all Your works, that, rejoicing in Your whole creation, they may honor thee with their substance, and be faithful stewards of your bounty.
And we most humbly beseech thee, of your goodness, O Lord, to comfort and succor ________ (here the sick and troubled are named) and all those who, in this transitory life, are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity.
Additional petitions and thanksgivings may be included here by the congregation.
And we also bless your holy Name for all Your servants departed this life in Your faith and fear especially ________, (here those who have recently died are named) beseeching thee to grant them continual growth in Your love and service; and to grant us grace so to follow the good examples of ________ (here, if it is a saint’s day, the saint may be named) and of all your saints, that with them we may be partakers of Your heavenly kingdom.
Grant these our prayers, O Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our only Mediator and Advocate.
People: Amen.
Form 2
The Prayers of the People
The Deacon or other person appointed says: Let us pray for the whole state of Christ’s Church and the world.
The reader continues: In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.
People: Govern and direct your holy Church; fill it with love and truth; and grant it that unity which is your will.
Reader: Give us boldness to preach the gospel in all the world, and to make disciples of all the nations.
People: Enlighten our bishops and all your ministers with knowledge and understanding, that by their teaching and their lives they may proclaim your word.
Reader: Give your people grace to hear and receive your word, and to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit.
People: Bring into the way of truth all who have erred and are deceived.
Reader: We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the world.
People: That there may be justice and peace on the earth.
Reader: Strengthen those who stand, comfort and help the faint-hearted; raise up the fallen; and finally beat down Satan under our feet.
People: Help and comfort the lonely, the bereaved and the oppressed. Keep in safety those who travel, and all who are in danger.
Reader: Heal the sick in body and mind, and provide for the homeless, the hungry, and the destitute.
People: Show your pity on prisoners and refugees, and all who are in trouble. Forgive our enemies, persecutors and slanderers, and turn their hearts.
Reader: At this time the congregation is invited to add their petitions either silently or aloud.
The people add their petitions, either silently or aloud. Then the service continues.
Reader: Hear us as we remember those who have died in the peace of Christ, and grant us with them a share in your eternal kingdom.
People: Lord, have mercy. All this we ask through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Peace
All stand. The Celebrant says to the people: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Then the Ministers and People may greet one another in the name of the Lord.
The Holy Communion
The Offertory
The Celebrant may begin the Offertory with one of the sentences which can be found at Prefaces and Offertory Sentences.
During the Offertory, a hymn, psalm, or anthem may be sung.
Representatives of the congregation bring the people’s offerings of bread and wine, and money or other gifts, to the deacon or celebrant. The people stand while the offerings are presented and placed on the altar.
The Great Thanksgiving
The people remain standing.
The Celebrant, whether bishop or priest, faces them and sings or says: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up unto the Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
People: It is meet and right so to do.
Then, facing the Holy Table, the Celebrant proceeds: It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to you, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God.
Here a Proper Preface, is sung or said on all Sundays, and on other occasions as appointed. The proper preface can be found in the Prefaces and Offertory Sentences.
The celebrant continues: Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Your glorious Name; evermore praising thee, and saying,
Here the celebrant and people say or sing an ancient hymn, the Sanctus.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts:
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord Most High.
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The people kneel or stand.
Then the celebrant continues: All glory be to you, Almighty God, our heavenly Father, for you, of your tender mercy, gave your only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; who made there, by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memory of that his precious death and sacrifice, until his coming again.
At the following words concerning the bread, the Celebrant is to hold it, or lay a hand upon it; and at the words concerning the cup, to hold or place a hand upon the cup and any other vessel containing wine to be consecrated. The celebrant continues: For in the night in which he was betrayed, he took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat, this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Likewise, after supper, he took the cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink you all of this; for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins. Do this, as oft as you shall drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Wherefore, O Lord and heavenly Father, according to the institution of your dearly beloved Son our Savior Jesus Christ, we, your humble servants, do celebrate and make here before your divine Majesty, with these your holy gifts, which we now offer you, the memorial your Son hath commanded us to make; having in remembrance his blessed passion and precious death, his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension; rendering to you most hearty thanks for the innumerable benefits secured for us by the same.
And we most humbly beseech you, O merciful Father, to hear us; and, of your almighty goodness, to bless and sanctify, with your Word and Holy Spirit, these your gifts of bread and wine; that we, receiving them according to your Son our Savior Jesus Christ’s holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed body and blood.
And we earnestly desire your fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most humbly beseeching you to grant that, by the merits and death of your Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we, and all your whole Church, may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion.
And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, our selves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice to you; humbly beseeching you that we, and all others who shall be partakers of this Holy Communion, may worthily receive the most precious body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ, be filled with your grace and heavenly benediction, and made one body with him, that he may dwell in us, and we in him.
And although we are unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offenses, through Jesus Christ our Lord;
By whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world without end.
Celebrant and People: Amen.
The celebrant continues: And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
The people and the celebrant say the Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Fraction
The celebrant breaks the consecrated read.
A short period of silence is kept.
Then may be sung or said
Celebrant: Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People: Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
In Lent, Alleluia is omitted, and may be omitted at other times except during Easter Season.
The following, the Agnus Dei, or some other suitable anthem may be sung or said here by celebrant and people.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, grant us your peace.
Communion
Facing the people, the celebrant may say the following invitation: The Gifts of God for the People of God. The celebrant may then add: Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
Persons chosen to distribute the bread and wine eat a fragment of the bread and take a sip of the wine from the cup and then immediately deliver them to the people. These ministers come forward to receive the bread and wine.
It is the custom for those receiving to come forward before the altar to receive. Those who receive may eat the bread and drink from the cup or may take the bread and dip it into the cup of wine.
The bread is given first, then the wine. As these are given, one of three forms are used, each with words for the bread and words for the wine, spoken as the bread or wine is given to the one who receives.
Minister: The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve Your body and soul unto everlasting life. Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in Your heart by faith, with thanksgiving.
Minister: The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for you, preserve Your body and soul unto everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christ’s blood was shed for you, and be thankful.
Minister: The body of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in everlasting life.
The recipient: Amen.
Minister: The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in everlasting life.
The recipient: Amen.
Minister: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.
The recipient: Amen.
The blood of Christ, the cup of salvation.
The recipient: Amen.
During the giving of communion, hymns, psalms, or anthems may be sung.
After communion, the celebrant says: Let us pray.
Celebrant and people: Almighty and ever-living God, we heartily thank you for feeding us in these holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and thereby assure us of your favor and goodness towards us; and that we are very members incorporate in the mystical body of your Son, the blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs, through hope, of your everlasting kingdom. And we humbly beseech you, O heavenly Father, so to assist us with your grace, that we may continue in that holy fellowship, and do all such good works as you have prepared for us to walk in; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.
The bishop when present, or the priest, gives the blessing: The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.
A final hymn or song of praise may be sung here.
The Dismissal
One of the four following dismissals is said by deacon or the celebrant,
Celebrant or deacon, Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
People: Thanks be to God.
Celebrant or deacon: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Celebrant or deacon: Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
People: Thanks be to God.
Celebrant or deacon: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
From the Easter Vigil through the Day of Pentecost: “Alleluia, alleluia” may be added to any of the dismissals.
The People respond: Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
Endnote
1. This sample liturgy was taken from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, New York: Seabury Press, 1977. I chose this liturgy because, unlike certain other aspects of the 1970 Book, it preserves the theological content of the older Anglican liturgies as well as incorporating the basic elements of the of the church’s ancient liturgies as described in Formation of the Eucharist. The version given here differs somewhat from the original, the greatest change being the placing of the Confession before the Prayers of the People rather than afterwards. My thinking here is that the prayers are the prayers of the redeemed community, brought before the throne of God through the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, forgiveness is prior. Others doubtless see the matter differently, and it is good to pray, study, and seek wisdom on the matter.
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