If you look at the schedule of services for the Lord’s Day in most Episcopal or Anglican parishes, they follow no spiritual logic but rather appear to be for arranged for convenience or comfort – of clergy or people or both!
The built-in logic of the provision for the Lord’s Day of the classic Book of Common Prayer (1662 England; 1962 Canada & 1928 USA) is that the Day begins with Morning Prayer, is followed by the Litany and then by the Order for Holy Communion. The provision of only the Epistle and Gospel in the BCP Communion Service presupposes that the Old Testament has been read in Morning Prayer. The Daily Office is a daily offering to God and thus not only is there Morning Prayer but also Evening Prayer (Evensong as well) on the Lord’s Day; and the Litany is to be prayed at least on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. [Of course the offering of this series of Services by the local parish does not automatically presuppose that everyone will be present at all four related Services.]
Very few parishes keep to this original order and spiritual logic, but at least in some anglo-catholic parishes the clergy and some laity meet for Morning Prayer before they celebrate the Eucharist, and they do not have the Litany and the Eucharist before Morning Prayer.
More often, even in small parishes, both where the classic BCP or the new ECUSA Prayer Book of 1979 are used, there is provided a couple of Services, both the Order for Holy Communion. The first “said only” or with “minimal music” is around 8.a.m., and the second is with hymns and may be partially sung and is usually around 10.00.a.m. Unless those attending the Eucharist read Morning Prayer at home before setting off, or arrive early and read it in their pews, the Daily Office (required daily) is not offered to the Lord – and further, Evening Prayer is, in this scheme, rarely offered also. [Sometimes there is the oddity of an early Service of Communion and a later sung Service of Morning Prayer with sermon!]
Why are there two Services of Holy Communion at the One Altar when the Lord’s Day is all about being together as the Lord’s people in the Lord’s house to hear the Lord’s word and to offer worship unto him at his Table and from his Word? Truly, should not the only for two be if everyone cannot fit into one and two are genuinely required for reasons of space?
However, there are two Services in many parishes for various reasons – whether any of them are acceptable to the court of heaven I do not know. Here are several of the reasons provided:
- Two Rites are used – Rite One (traditional language) at the early service [for the oldies] and Rite Two (contemporary language) for people of all ages.
- Some people prefer a quiet service and others a more celebratory service.
- Some people prefer to attend early so that their duty to God is completed and they can plan to use the day for other good purposes [not golfing or sailing or gardening or home improvements!]. Further, families with children prefer a later time in the morning to give them time to get everyone ready.
- Sunday School can be fitted between two Services and so can be available to people who attend the early or the late service.
If we analyze the reasons offered for two services (or in cathedrals more than two) they are essentially to take into account human preferences, conveniences and expressed needs. Very rarely, it appears, does a church begin (in planning services) from the basic foundation that in each congregation of the faithful there is to be One Eucharist for the one people of God on the Lord’s Day in the Lord’s House in order to please Him, and that this is to be prefaced – in church or at home – by the Daily Office.
Perhaps it will be said that modern life is so complicated, that the church is so divided (e.g. into Rite One and Rite Two mindsets), that people today require choice and convenience, and that churches should appear to be accommodating and relevant, that Services must be provided when it seems most people – for whatever reasons – are most likely to come. But are these sound reasons before the Judge of heaven and earth?
There is the further question to face and it is this: Ought a priest (presbyter) to stand as Celebrant at the Holy Table more than once on the Lord’s Day – indeed on any day? Is it right and good in terms of divine order to require a priest to celebrate twice or thrice and further is it good for his own soul? In general the saints have said it is not right or good.
The ancient discipline of the Church, maintained in the Orthodox Churches still, is One Eucharist on the One Lord’s Day for the One people of God in the One holy place.
Is there not something odd about multiple Eucharists at the one Holy Table on the one Lord’s Day for the one parish of the one people of God in the Lord’s House? And is it not a serious deficit of the churches of the Anglican Way that Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer are not public services at least on the Lord’s Day in the Lord’s House?
October 23, 2005
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