In Choral Evensong on Radio 3 on 31
December, the officiant said the General Thanksgiving from the
Prayer Book. This was probably the first time I had heard that
prayer for more than 40 years, after joining in with it
regularly at evensong, to summarise the intercessions, or as a
procession re-entered the quire, between 1957 and 1972. Is it
still used regularly anywhere?
I was present in St Gabriel's, Pimlico, at the broadcast
service, and similarly appreciated the inclusion of the General
Thanksgiving by the Vicar.
The General Thanksgiving is often included by the lay precentor
at the BCP choral evensong that is offered every Sunday at St
Barnabas's, Woodford Green, Essex. All present are invited to join
in reciting it, sometimes after a few minutes' corporate silent
prayer, after the intercessions that follow the anthem.
It is sometimes replaced by corporate recitation of the prayer
"for all Conditions of men" .
Richard Vincent
Like the questioner, I was surprised and delighted to hear the
General Thanksgiving in that broadcast.
At St Andrew's, Twyford, South Derbyshire, the Book of Common
Prayer is used at all services. I, as deputy warden, am responsible
for matins once a month, and usually I open the intercessions with
the General Thanksgiving, sometimes saying it alone, and sometimes
inviting the congregation to join with me.
It seems to me that it creates a sense of balance before we
embark on contemplation of all that is wrong in the world. Also, of
course, like most of the BCP, it lifts the spirit with the beauty
and splendour of its words.
Sylvia Fox, Twyford, Derbyshire
The General Thanksgiving is regularly used at the chapel of
Selwyn College, where evensong is offered three times a week.
Stephen Edmonds (Gosden Scholar), Selwyn
College, Cambridge
When I take my turn to lead evening prayer in our parish church,
I almost invariably use this lovely prayer; others use it from time
to time. I was brought up on morning and evening prayer in the
1940s and 1950s, though I seem to remember that it was used only
occasionally even then. I was taught it by a great-aunt, who used
it in her own devotions, as I do myself. The prayer is still to be
found in Common Worship, but with the widespread demise of
morning and evening prayer seems destined to remain unfamiliar - a
great pity.
Incidentally, I thought it sad that "the officiant said" the
prayer. It is surely a prayer that the whole congregation can say
together.
Robin Brown, Bedale
On coming to Suffolk nearly 60 years ago, I was appointed to the
Office of Reader. We have several lay ministers in our parish, and
each of us leads the prayers from time to time. We are all
different in our approach. I divide the prayers into two sections:
thanksgiving and intercessory. Having prepared beforehand, I have a
short list of subjects that concern us all.
This is followed by a period of silence, so that we can reflect
on the words we have heard, and mentally incorporate subjects
peculiar to each of us. After the period of silence, we all say the
General Thanksgiving.
Jim Lumsden, Beccles, Suffolk
Canon Terry Palmer, of Magor, Monmouthshire, also affirms that
it is still used and valued, but we have not heard from other
clergy. We note that it would tend to be used only at services that
do not include a Eucharistic Prayer. Editor
Why do many clergy wear a purple stole at funerals? Such
a service is not a sacrament. I was always taught to wear a black
preaching scarf.
P. W.
It is the custom in most C of E cathedrals and some
larger parishes for the lay crucifer to wear a dalmatic. As the
dalmatic is normally a vestment of an ordained deacon, where did
this tradition originate, and is it appropriate?
G. S.
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