From the Revd Martin
Culverwell
Sir, - I have great sympathy
with the Revd Robin Vickery (Comment, 12
April). I, too, have been plodding this pilgrimage - not for
the same reasons as Fr Vickery, but because my wife and I like to
travel in our camper van, and do not wish to carry volumes of books
with us.
The only success I have had
is with the pocket edition (I know he does not like pocket
editions, but it is useful to put in your pocket without
discomfort) of A Prayer Book for Australia, based on the
ASB. The Episcopal Church in the United States does small editions
of its Prayer Book, but I do think that a slimline version of
Common Worship is really called for now.
MARTIN CULVERWELL
8 Sandisplatt, Fareham, Hants
From the Revd Tracy
Swindells
Sir, - As a self-supporting
minister who works full-time, I can sympathise somewhat with the
Revd Robin Vickery about his frustration at not having everything
in one place in Common Worship: Daily Prayer.
Nevertheless, may I make a
simple suggestion, which I have found has revitalised my prayer
life? I use the app for Common Worship on my smartphone
and iPad, which places all of the material in a ready-formatted
order of service at the touch of a button. It doesn't get much
easier than that.
TRACY SWINDELLS
Cock Robin Cottage
164 Longmeanygate
Midge Hall, Leyland
Lancashire PR26 6TD
From Mr Andrew
Rycraft
Sir, - I would like to
applaud the Revd Robin Vickery's article requesting a more
user-friendly daily Office book. One could argue that some of his
concerns are solved by using the online version of the daily
Office, which precludes the need to refer to a lectionary for the
daily readings, for instance. But I find that sitting at a
computer, with its obvious distractions, is not conducive to a
prayerful reading of the Office.
I, therefore, hope that
someone out there will take up this challenge on the daily Office
book. When they have done that, perhaps they might look also at
producing a single-volume Common Worship, on the model of
the BCP, which, of course, includes not only forms of service for
regular worship, but also the occasional offices from baptism to
ordination and the consecration of bishops, and even finds room for
the Thirty-Nine Articles: in fact, in excess of what a working
priest needs to carry around with him or her - and, I hesitate to
say, in "pocket-size" form.
Surely a Common
Worship equivalent cannot be beyond the wit of clerical
man/woman?
ANDREW RYCRAFT
St Mary's House
Charlton-on-Otmoor
Oxfordshire OX5 2UQ
From Mr Andy
Rooney
Sir, - If the Revd Robin
Vickery would care to embrace 21st-century technology, I can offer
a suggestion that addresses many of the issues he raises: http://daily.commonworship.com/daily.cgi?today_mp=1
for Morning Prayer; substitute "ep=1" at the end to get Evening
Prayer. The full NRSV readings and psalmody are there, as are the
appropriate canticles and collects.
It is very readable on a
smartphone or tablet, and I use it most weekdays to say the office
on the Tube. An internet connection is required to load the day's
service, but, once loaded, it is usable offline (including deep
underground).
Much credit, by the way, to
Simon Kershaw for maintaining this valuable resource.
ANDY ROONEY
123 Duke Road, London W4 2BX
From the Revd Philip J.
Swindells
Sir, - If Robin Vickery
needs a more portable and convenient aid to reciting the Divine
Office, he could do worse than download the Liturgy of the Hours
from the Universalis website on to a Kindle reader.
A month at a time can be
downloaded, and everything needed for each day is written out in
full, and in the right order; so there is no turning back and
forth. One can download just what one wants: the whole Office, or,
for example, Morning and Evening Prayer only.
PHILIP J. SWINDELLS
21 Wertheim Way
Huntingdon, Cambs PE29 6UH