Bishop’s Note – 2019 BCP – Morning Prayer

Bishop Eric Menees

The General Thanksgiving

As we continue our examination of the 2019 BCP and specifically the office of Morning Prayer, we approach the close of the service with the option of praying the General Thanksgiving, the Prayer of St. Chrysostom, or as I generally do, both!

This morning I would like to examine the General Thanksgiving. The General Thanksgiving was not in the original 1549 prayer book but was added to the 1662 BCP at the behest of the Bishop of Norwich, Edward Reynolds. Bishop Reynolds represented the Puritan, more Protestant wing of the church. He felt that the office of Morning Prayer, then the primary form of worship on the Lord’s Day, did not have a sufficiently robust prayer of thanksgiving for our creation, salvation, and daily mercies. Bishop Reynolds is said to have penned this prayer and argued vociferously for its inclusion in the “new” Book of Common Prayer. Obviously, he was successful and lived to not only see its inclusion but to see its great reception.

Before I close, today is All Hallows’ Eve, and I pray you all a very blessed celebration of All Hallows or All Saints Day tomorrow.

Bishop Menees

Before the close of the Office one or both of the following prayers may be used.

THE GENERAL THANKSGIVING

Officiant and People

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,

we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness

to us and to all whom you have made.

We bless you for our creation, preservation,

and all the blessings of this life;

but above all for your immeasurable love

in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,

that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives,

by giving up ourselves to your service,

and by walking before you

in holiness and righteousness all our days;

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,

to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,

be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Bishop’s Note – 2019 BCP – Morning Prayer Personal Intercessions and Thanksgivings

Bishop Eric Menees

We continue our examination of the 2019 BCP Service of Morning Prayer. Last week we looked at the prayers for mission. Now, as the service of Morning Prayer draws to a close, we pause to offer our personal prayers and thanksgivings to the Lord. The rubric simply says:

The Officiant may invite the People to offer intercessions and thanksgivings.

I cannot stress enough the importance of this action – especially in offering our thanksgivings! It is so easy to focus on what we need, or at least perceive we need, rather than stopping to give thanks to God for all that he has given us!

I’ll never forget a former parishioner, Mac McLane. Mac was a man’s man, an Iwo Jima Marine who was shot, bayoneted, and thought to be dead until one last man checked him and found him breathing. Mac awoke on a hospital transport ship and spent the next several years healing from his physical and psychological wounds. Within a few short weeks of my arrival at the parish, his wife Stevie passed away. Yet every Sunday during the prayers of the people, Mac would never make a petition that wasn’t one of thanksgiving. “Thank you, Lord, for my 50 years of marriage to my bride Stevie.” “Thank you, Lord for the freedom we enjoy in this country to worship you!” “Thank you, Lord for this beautiful day.”

This is not to say that our petitions to God for help, healing, and forgiveness are not important, they are. This message was demonstrated last Sunday in the parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge. Jesus taught his disciples that we, like the widow, should continue to come back before the Lord to make our requests. Jesus’ point was that our great and good judge will be much more prone to answer the prayers of his adopted children than an unjust judge.

God hears and does answer every one of our prayers, but how much more does it warm his heart to hear our own heartfelt gratitude for all that he has done, does, and will do for us, simply out of his love for us.

Perhaps Saint Paul said it most succinctly in his letter to the Colossians: “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2)

May the Lord grant each and every one of you that steadfastness in prayer and thanksgiving!

Bishop’s Note – 2019 BCP – Prayers for Mission

Bishop Eric Menees

Dear Friends, as we continue our examination of the 2019 BCP service of Morning Prayer we come to the Prayer for Mission immediately following the Collects.

Having offered our collects, and assuming that the Great Litany or Holy Eucharist doesn’t follow, we pray a prayer for mission. This prayer reminds us of the saving love and power of Jesus Christ and the need to share that love with any and all who are or will be open to the good news of Jesus Christ.

The first prayer is for the clergy of the church, those deacons, priests, and bishops who have been set aside for ministry. In it, we ask God’s grace to rest upon them as He uses them for His good purpose.

The second prayer is for all the peoples of the earth that they may come to the saving embrace of Jesus Christ.

The third prayer reminds us of the loving sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and asks us, by God’s Spirit, to have the strength and grace to reach out to all those who do not know Jesus Christ!

I pray that as you pray these prayers the Holy Spirit may inspire you to share the good news of Jesus Christ with all whom you meet.