The Book of Common Prayer

The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) is the name given to several related prayer books used by Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The first prayer book, published in 1549 in the reign of King Edward VI of England, was a product of the English Reformation following the break with Rome. The 1549 work was the first prayer book to include the complete forms of service for daily and Sunday worship in English. It contains Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Litany, Holy Communion, and occasional services in full: the orders for Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, "prayers to be said with the sick," and a funeral service.

It also fully sets out the "propers" (the parts of the service that vary weekly or daily throughout the Church's Year): the introits, collects, and epistle and gospel readings for the Sunday service of Holy Communion. and New Testament readings for daily prayer are specified in tabular format, as are the Psalms and canticles, mostly biblical, to be said or sung between the readings.

The Book of Common Prayer is not just a collection of devotional and teaching resources for individuals and congregations, but it is also a powerful symbol of our unity. It serves as a unifying force, bringing together many and diverse individuals in Christ through our worship, our common prayer.

The Book of Common Prayer, most recently revised in 1979, is a comprehensive repository of our liturgies, our prayers, our theological documents, and much, much more. It serves as a rich source of guidance and inspiration for our worship and our faith.