How to Pray “Morning Prayer” in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer (American Anglican/Episcopal Use)

A step by step guide on how to use the 1928 Book of Common Prayer to pray the Daily Office of Morning Prayer.
Buy a 1928 BCP: amzn.to/3jp06lb
Printable PDF of the Morning Prayer and Lectionary available: stevemacias.com...
I mentioned using the Collect for the "21st Sunday After Trinity" (pg. 218) in the place of the Declaration of Absolution: "GRANT, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faithful people pardon and peace: that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN"
Contact Me:
The Rev. Fr. Steve Macias, steve[at]stevemacias[dot]com
Twitter: @SteveMacias

[@St.AlbanEpiscopal.AlbanyOR]

Thank you so much. This was incredibly helpful. I have suddenly found myself as a senior warden without clergy. Thank you again.

[@FrSteveMacias]

Fantastic

[@bwilliamleo7872]

I think all Anglican churches around the world should set their Sacramental Sunday as, beginning at Matins followed by the Litany, and then proceeding the order of Holy Communion. This is what traditional BCP ordered, since the year of 1549, also as the ancient church liturgy did, but neglected by many these days.

[@sameash3153]

I wish churches here did the daily office. I only ever get eucharist (can't complain about that), and we get evensong once a year (can complain about that). But never morning prayer. And compline, don't think I've met any Episcopalian who's gone to compline - though this is the 1928 book.

[@FrSteveMacias]

Evensong is likely the most neglected in my parish, too. Maybe 12 times a year. Hard enough to get moderns into the church on Sunday morning !

[@sameash3153]

@@FrSteveMacias I thankfully have joined a new church which does morning prayer and evensong once a week. Thanks be to God.

[@CalicoJack1803]

Thank you. This was very helpful.

[@vulcanhammerinfo]

It's easier to keep up with the liturgical calendar of the 1928 BCP using this, with a link to an active example: www.vulcanhammer.org/whats-important-in-christianity/anglican-calendar-script/

[@rachel0130]

Thank you brother, very helpful video.

[@FrSteveMacias]

I’m glad you liked it! Hopefully it’s become a new habit or at least a more frequent hobby!

[@MartinLuther105]

Will you please do a video on the correct way to do Evening Prayer?

[@FrSteveMacias]

Certainly. I had intended to do that originally. Some how time escaped me on that - now is a perfect time to do this!

[@josephsoltero7326]

Thank you so much for this thorough instructional video! Would you be able to provide a link to that final book you show? I’m interested in learning more about it.

[@FrSteveMacias]

Here's a link: amzn.to/2SsqUAV

[@FrSteveMacias]

We’re you able to find the Lancelot Andrewes BCP?

[@Home2Tennessee]

Thank you. Your instruction was helpful.

[@matthewweber3904]

The asterisk is actually an indication of a pause (and in chant, the location of the mediation). Traditionally, psalms are sung antiphonally by verse, not half-verse. Also, how come you skipped over the Benedicite?

[@FrSteveMacias]

Thanks for the notes Matthew Weber, On the Psalms and that Asterisk - I've noticed in the notes from the Lancelot Andrewes prayerbook it says that the intonation of the psalm is verse-by-verse only, as you have said. I'm not sure why the parishes I've been part of have taught the asterisk as a point of response, but it is a fairly common practice in my experience. What is interesting is that in William L. Holladay's book on the Psalms, he claims that the practice of the half-verse read (not sung) responses was an Anglican distinctive. That Anglicans read the half-verses as opposed to Presbyterians that did it by the whole verse. This commentary is on pg. 258 of his book "The Psalms Through Three Thousand Years." I didn't mean to skip over the Benedicite, but I was trying not to introduce too many seasonal variables for someone who was new to the prayerbook. If I remember correctly, the Benedicite was to be used during Advent/Lent. Although I cannot remember which prayerbook that particular rubric was in - it doesn't appear to be in the 1928.

[@matthewweber3904]

Thanks for the response, Dcn Macias! The rubric you're thinking of is in the 1549 BCP, I think. The St Dunstan's Psalter also directs the Psalms to be recited antiphonally by verse. Anglican practice is a bit all over the place, but by verse is the general mode in pre-Reformation Christianity, and in the absence of rubrics to the contrary in the Prayer Book one would generally assume the continuation of prior practice. Minor points, though, for what is really a very good tutorial.

[@FrSteveMacias]

Thanks Matthew! I got a request to do a similar video for evening office, so I'll be sure to mention your notes on the asterisk in that one.

[@beverlyfletcher4458]

@@matthewweber3904 Here in the UK we would speak antiphonally by verse not part-verse. Very interesting as I hadn't heard of known of another practice before! not just a common language that 'divides' us! (only joking). Happy NY.

[@raymondkingsley1355]

At 4:20 you use the collect for the 21st Sunday after Trinity as an alternative for the Declaration of Absolution. I don’t see that there is any instructions regarding this. How does one know to do this?

[@FrSteveMacias]

It is not written in the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer. The English Book of Common Prayer commonly called the 1662 includes this instruction as a rubric in the text. The Modern American Prayerbooks (e..g 1979) direct one to simply use different pronouns like we, us, our, etc. It reads: "If no priest be present the person saying the Service shall read the Collect for the Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity, that person and the people still kneeling." You can find the rubric here: www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/book-common-prayer/order-morning-prayer#:~:text=The%20people%20shall%20answer%20here,and%20the%20people%20still%20kneeling.

[@beverlyfletcher4458]

Very interesting. I am a communicant in the Church in Wales here in the UK and we rarely use MP now: all our services are Holy Communion. don't get me started on what the loss of that means for us adults and all those children who will not know that and the beauty of Evening Prayer. I wonder what the situation is like in your Episcopal Church. A very happy and blessed New Year to our brothers and sisters in the USA.

[@sameash3153]

Very much the same situation here. Even the churches that have two services on Sunday will simply repeat the eucharist an hour or two later rather than having morning prayer and eucharist as separate services

[@twotetah]

Good explanation. Question: should Gloria Patri be said after Apostles' Creed or Nicene Creed?

[@FrSteveMacias]

It should not. Gloria Patri is always sung or said at the conclusion of the entire portion of the Psalter and may be used after a canticle.

[@twotetah]

@@FrSteveMacias Thank you much.

[@jeremiahc1356]

When are the epistle and gospel readings read that follow the collect for the week?

[@FrSteveMacias]

There's a table of the lectionary at the front of the prayerbook. Online here: justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/1928/Lectionary_1945.pdf

[@jeremiahc1356]

Fr. Macias, thank you for your reply. My question relates to the collects, epistles, and gospel readings which begin on page 90. The readings do not appear to correlate with the Lectionary in the beginning of the book. I apologize if my question is ignorant, I am new to the Prayer Book but have been captivated by its beauty, history and discipline. Thank you.

[@fr.richardbugyi-sutter130]

Jeremiah C Those Epistles and Gospels are appointed for Sunday Mass. The lectionary table is what is followed for daily Morning and Evening Prayer. Different types of service = different readings.

[@revmatthewbyers]

Thank you Pastor. Can you please give me the link to purchase this exact prayer book? Thank you

[@FrSteveMacias]

amzn.to/3ZT58s5

[@revmatthewbyers]

@@FrSteveMacias Thank you!!