News

THE former Foreign Secretary and elder statesman Lord [Douglas] Hurd presented over thirty young people with their prizes and certificates at this year's Cranmer Awards finals held in the chapel of Sutton's Hospital at Charterhouse in the City of London last week.

The winner of the junior section (for 11-14 year-olds), Isabelle Tett, was among the youngest taking part in the entire contest. The City of London School for Girls’ pupil, who’s just 12,didn’t have far to travel from her central London home to recite the Collect, Epistle and Gospel appointed for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity.

Runner-up in the juniors was Kate Chard, 11, from Blackburn, who was encouraged to take part having seen her brother win the junior final last year. She recited Psalms 113 and 115. The judges placed Domenico Galante, 12, from Douglas on the Isle of Man, third after his recitation of the lessons appointed for the feast of St Michael and All Angels. He had seen his sister make it to the national finals last year where the Island triumphed by providing the senior winner, Sarah Qualtrough.

Winner of the senior age group (for 15 to 18 year-olds), was Harriet Sharp from Wincanton in Somerset. The 17 year-old selected the Collect, Epistle and Gospel appointed for Quinquagesima Sunday.

The senior runner-up was no newcomer to the competition. Lucia Prinsloo, 16, from Shoeburyness in Essex, was a junior finalist last year. She recited the lessons appointed for the Second Sunday in Lent and Psalm 46. Letita Omaboe, from Lightwater in Surrey, was placed third. The 17 year-old boards selected the readings from the Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity.

The annual contest, arranged by the Prayer Book Society, sees youngsters reciting, by heart, passages from Cranmer's great work, the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Now in their 21st year, the awards were the brain-child of veteran journalist Charles Moore, then editor of The Spectator magazine who went on to edit The Daily Telegraph.

The nail-biting contest had the eminent judges, which included former winners, deliberating long and hard, and they congratulated all the young contestants on the very high standards achieved.

Presenting the prizes, Lord Hurd remarked on the very high standard from all those taken part and reflected on the importance of the Book of Common Prayer in his lifetime and how vital it was to keep its tradition at the heart of worship.

Details about the Awards and how to become involved next year, from www.pbs.org.uk --end—

NEARLY 350 years after it was first published, the Book of Common Prayer is to be studied in a day-long conference in Cambridge this spring.

Organised by the Ely Branch of the Prayer Book Society, the event aims to re-appreciating the beauty, faith and piety of the 1662 Prayer Book in a post-modern world.

Staged in the beautiful surroundings of St John's College, Cambridge (by kind permission of the Dean), the one day conference on Tuesday 11th May 2010 is open to all.

“Non-members are most welcome,” according to organiser Philip White. “The Conference gets underway at 12.30 with a buffet lunch and, after a break for tea, is due to end at 6pm in time for Choral Evensong which will be sung by the Chapel’s world-famous choir.” The day’s speakers will include : The Rev’s Angela Tilby, heard on BBC Radio Four; The Rev’s Duncan Dormor, Dean of St John’s College; The Rev’d William Horbury, Professor of Early Christian Studies; and The Rev’d Paul Thomas who is Deputy Chairman of the Prayer Book Society

Everyone is welcome at this event, so early registration is advised. The cost is £15.00 or £5.00 without the lunch option.

For ticket and more information please contact Philip White on 01223 324176. --end

THE Prayer Book Society is sad to report the death of Sir James Watt, who passed away peacefully on Dec 28th 2009.

The founder of the Naval Christian Fellowship, he had a deep affection for the Book of Common Prayer and had been a member of the Winchester and Portsmouth Branch of the Prayer Book Society for a number of years.

Sir James remarked recently how gratifying it was to note that the Branch's activities were, as he put it, "in the safe hands of the Navy" in the shape of Lt Cdr. Benn H Goulding RN (Retd).

We pray for Sir James's family and friends at this time. --end

A CHARITY was determined that its special church service in Lancashire would go ahead despite the lack of a parish priest.

The local branch of the Prayer Book Society decided it could provide all the elements needed to stage Evensong in Pendleton.

So it arrived at the little church, nestling below Pendle Hill, complete with vicar and a congregation - despite the parish being in an interregnum [without a vicar].

Importing a complete traditional service like this is thought to be a first.

The Prayer Book Society works to promote the 1662 Book of Common Prayer in our churches and cathedrals. www.pbs.org.uk --end

CANDIDATES for the 2010 Cranmer Awards Finals, to be held on Thursday 25th February, are training hard for the contest.

The event is being hosted at Sutton’s Hospital in Charterhouse, London, and is proving more popular than ever.

"There has been a wonderful response to the regional events which have been staged in many diocese," according to a spokesman. "And we are looking forward to a well fought final."

The presentation of prizes will be by the former Foreign Secretary, Lord Hurd of Westwell who is a Lay Patron of the Prayer Book Society."

The Brothers (as the residents of Sutton’s Hospital are known) have invited participants to join them for their celebration of Holy Communion (1662) beforehand. --end

A NEW compact disc recording of what was once our most popular church service has been released. (Follow the 'Shop Online' link from the home page to buy the CD)

Matins, according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, has been produced by the Prayer Book Society which promotes the use of traditional liturgy. While the service is still used daily in many of our cathedrals, more widespread use in parish churches has been gradually replaced by the Sunday morning Eucharist.

“The recording will meet the needs of those deprived of this unjustly neglected service which is on the CD in its full and proper Prayer Book glory”, says producer Peter Bolton. “Trimmed of nothing, it follows the 1662 service without the irritating deviations so often experienced by congregations today.”

The service is fully choral and beautifully sung by ensemble 1685, the Coventry-based choir conducted by Richard Jeffcoat.

“Churches and choirs who no longer say or sing this beautiful service can get a taste of how it might be done”, adds Mr Bolton. “And the specially selected musical settings have been chosen to show how approachable they can be, for even a small choir of modest musical ability.”

The CD’s attractive cover shows the John Betjeman Memorial window at Farnborough Church, Oxfordshire. It is a parish church where the Prayer Book tradition is followed closely.

Full booklet notes outline each part of the service and explain the music – be it the chanting of psalms and canticles, singing of hymns and anthems or the organ voluntary.

The CD has been produced by Dinmore records and costs £9.95. It is available online from the Prayer Book Society’s trading arm – www.pbstrading.co.uk or by calling 0118 - 984 2582

It was recorded at the church of St Peter ad Vincula, Hampton Lucy, near Warwick. During the sessions one of the producers visited the nearby airfield and managed to get flights diverted away from the church.

While the choral portions in this CD are within the reach of many church choirs: the more ambitious wanting to restore Matins to their church might consider the mighty settings of the canticles, particularly the Te Deum, by Stanford, Vaughan Williams and Howells, hopes the Prayer Book Society. Nevertheless, the Society maintains that Morning Prayer is just as powerful when it is said by the priest and congregation.

Morning Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer is a wonderful tool of faithful observance, and it is hoped that this recording may encourage its wider use – boosted by the release of this fine CD. --end--

As people begin preparing for Christmas, the Prayer Book Society is calling on the public to remember the old tradition of making Christmas puddings on the Sunday before advent, which has its roots in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

Christmas puddings are traditionally prepared on Stir Up Sunday, which this year falls on November 22. The pudding is made in advance of Christmas so the flavours can develop.

The society said the name Stir-Up Sunday was taken from the Collect (or prayer for the day) for the Sunday before Advent according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, which is the founding prayer book of the Church of England.

The prayer states: "Stir-up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Prudence Dailey, Prayer Book Society chair, said: "We want to draw attention to fact that this tradition, which is becoming popular again,has its origins in the words of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

"The prayer talks about fruit and being plenteously rewarded, which makes you think of Christmas pudding.

"We want to remind people that the origin of this tradition is in the Book of Common Prayer and how the book, which is still in regular use in some churches, is embedded in our tradition.

"Continuing traditions is important as it links us with our past, and this is a living tradition, not just something people read about in history books.

"The use of the prayer book has helped to continue tradition. In the past you'd hear that prayer on the Sunday morning and go home and make the pudding that day, and some people will be doing exactly that this Sunday.

"The 1662 prayer book is actually unchanged from about 100 years before that, so it's more than 450 years old.

"It's nice to think that we will be doing the same on Sunday as people from hundreds of years ago, and that despite our lives being very different now, some things have stayed the same." --end--

A NATIONAL charity has appointed a new Trustee to co-ordinate its activities across the South-West Region.

The Revd John Masding is the Prayer Book Society’s new Regional Trustee with a remit to cover the diocese of Bath & Wells; Exeter; Portsmouth; Salisbury; Truro; and Winchester.

“This is a pivotal role”, according to Prayer Book Society Chairman, Prudence Dailey. “With hundreds of members in each of our South-West Branches, and the potential to recruit hundreds more who support traditional worship, John’s appointment is key to the future success of our work and I am delighted that he has accepted the position.”

John Masding was born in Newark-on-Trent and educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, and Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He was Vicar of Hamstead (in the Diocese of Birmingham) for 26 years until his retirement in 1997. He now lives in the West Country, where he has permission to officiate [take services] in the Church of England dioceses of Bath & Wells and Bristol, and also serves as honorary Secretary of his local Deanery Synod.

“I recall a dozen good years of impeccable Prayer Book Services, with wonderful choirs, during my early days in ordained ministry”, John recalls. “And that appreciation of the church’s founding liturgy never diminishes – it is simply irreplaceable.”

With a core belief in an established Church of England which can accommodate everyone, loyalty to Cranmer’s 1662 book is fundamental for John. “This masterpiece should be used with integrity of practice and faithfulness to its teaching”, he maintains. “The recent General Synod report Transforming Worship is encouraging in its promotion of the notion of centres of excellence for traditional worship, and I hope to see the Prayer Book more closely restored to the centre of church life.”

It is John’s belief that the BCP, rather than its modern substitutes, should be presented to clergy during their licensing or institution/collation and induction service at the start of their ministry in a new parish. --end--

Crown copyright in two leading religious books was under threat as the Government considered abolishing the remaining Royal Prerogative powers - but a Justice Ministry review has now recommended no change to the current arrangements.

The Whitehall investigation, ordered as part of the Prime Minister’s Governance of Britain programme, looked at removing the sole right of printing the Authorised Version of the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer.

If Crown Copyright were removed then these books would effectively have no copyright at all. The fear was that this could lead to deliberate or negligent alterations to the ancient texts which lie at the very heart of the state church.

One group is delighted with the decision not to change the status quo. The Prayer Book Society campaigns to promote the continued use of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Its Chairman, Prudence Dailey, says “The perpetual copyright is a mark of the special status of the Prayer Book in the established church as the Book of Common Prayer”.

The Book of Common Prayer was the very basis on which the Church of England was founded, and remains its official standard of worship and doctrine ,containing its faith and creeds.

“We very much welcome the recommendation that the Crown Copyright be retained”, says Miss Dailey, “not least because the copyright holders (Cambridge University Press) uphold an important role in ensuring that texts of the Book of Common Prayer published in this country, whether online or in print, are accurate. The removal of the Crown Copyright would have meant that this guarantee of accuracy would also have been removed.”

The review carried out the first survey of the use of crown prerogative powers across Whitehall and provided a consolidated list for the first time. “Our constitution has developed organically over many centuries and change should not be proposed for change’s sake”, the review concludes. “Without ruling out further changes aimed at increasing parliamentary oversight of the prerogative powers exercised by ministers, the government believes that any further reforms in this area should be considered on a case-by-case basis, in the light of changing circumstances.” --end--

Prayer Book Society Trustee Nicholas Hurst has visited a church in the West Indies which had been devastated by hurricanes to make a special presentation on behalf of the Society.

It was the third time he had been to St George’s parish church in Grenada and witnessed the re-building programme since the terrible devastation. “On each visit I had enjoyed BCP worship in the Anglican church”, explains Nicholas. “It was virtually destroyed by the hurricanes with only the tower and lady chapel left standing but the sheer energy and determination of the local people to see it re-built made me want to do something special.”

No sooner than the islanders had come to terms with the 120mph winds of the category four hurricane Ivan in September 2004 than category one hurricane Emily stuck the island ten months later. This left over half the churches were either demolished or severely damaged and most of the schools unusable.

Nicholas gained PBS Board approval to present a very special, leather-bound altar edition of the Book of Common Prayer to the church. This substantial gift was beautifully inscribed and most warmly received by the priest and congregation.

The Prayer Book was presented during a simple ceremony and is now in regular use for Mattins and Holy Communion. --end--

THE Prayer Book Society's 2009 Annual Conference has been hearalded a great success.

Members gathered at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester for a thought-provoking weekend looking at the theology of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

“The Conference was deliberately different this year”, explains PBS Chairman Prudence Dailey. “We decided it was time to have some serious discussion of Prayer Book theology, following requests from several of our members.”

Speakers included the internationally known theologian and author, the Rev’d Dr Roger Bechwith; and the Rev’d Canon Dr Robin Ward who is Principal of St Stephen’s House theological college in Oxford. He was formerly Canon Theologian of the Diocese of Rochester.

This year’s guest speaker was Stanley Johnson, a staunch member of the PBS. Best known as the father of London Mayor, Boris, Mr Johnson senior outlined his own career as an environmentalist, journalist, and former MEP.

With references to his recent autobiography, 'Stanley I Presume', Mr Johnson took time to say how much he supported the Society’s work, having been brought up on the Prayer Book during his time at Sherbourne and while at University. He said it would be an uphill battle, but something which simply had to be done to ensure the BCP’s survival in an increasingly hostile environment.

His pledge of unstinting support brought rapturous applause from the assembled audience. --end--

A LEADING religious charity has asked its members to boycott a range of diaries because the traditional names of Sundays during the year have been dropped.

The furore is over publisher Letts’ decision to opt for the contemporary naming of Sundays in its 2010 editions which have just gone on sale.

The move sees the end of long-established titles such as Septuagesima, Sexagesima, Quinquagesima and Quadragesima, to be replaced simply by the appropriate number of ‘Sundays before Lent’. There is a fear that a church having has two conflicting calendars is on the way to becoming two churches.

The decision has angered the Prayer Book Society, which has as its Patron HRH Prince Charles. It is now urging its thousands of members around the country to boycott the diaries until the 'proper' terms are restored.

“In one fell swoop, centuries of church tradition have been lost”, claims the Society Chairman Prudence Dailey. “Most confusingly”, she adds, “the new numbering of Sundays as being ‘of’ Easter is different from the traditional numbering of Sundays which were always referred to ‘after’ Easter. For example the ‘Second Sunday after Easter’ (according to 1662 BCP) now becomes the ‘Third Sunday of Easter’ in the new nomenclature.”

Other losses include ‘Passion Sunday’ which is replaced with ‘Fifth Sunday in Lent’, and making the ‘Sunday after Ascension Day’ into the ‘Seventh Sunday of Easter’ - wiping away a slice of the church’s heritage which has its roots in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

Letts says that for 2010 diaries it moved from the Sundays following the Book of Common Prayer to those of the book of Common Worship published by the church in 2000, as it is more 'contemporary'. The publisher says it would have been impractical to show both in one diary. --end--

A SCHEME has been launched to match the most appropriate clergy with parishes upholding traditional forms of worship and ministry.

The move, by the Prayer Book Society, follows the Church of England Liturgical Commission’s 2007 report, “Transforming Worship”, which backed the idea of developing “centres of excellence” for the Book of Common Prayer.

"From time to time the Prayer Book Society is asked if it knows of a member of the clergy who might be interested in this or that parish vacancy; until now, it hasn't had a systematic way of helping them", explains PBS Chairman Prudence Dailey. "And then the Society also comes across Prayer Book-minded clergy who might really appreciate the opportunity to exercise their ministry in a parish where the BCP was the predominant form of service used. Now there is an answer."

The Prayer Book Society, which works to promote the continued use of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, now thinks that one of the best ways of promoting this is to help parishes and clergy sympathetic to the BCP to find one another when a vacancy arises.

The Society promises to keep confidential the names of clergy who respond to the scheme. When the Society hears of a Prayer Book parish looking for a sympathetic new incumbent it will contact the clergy on its list with the appropriate details.

The PBS has started to run adverts in the church press to promote the scheme which is being co-ordinated by PBS Trustee the Canon Eric Woods, email: eric.woods@pbs.org.uk, who would be pleased to hear from parishes and patrons about current or future vacancies. --end--

HUNDREDS of copies of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer have been shipped across the globe to meet a growing demand for traditional church services in Africa.

The Prayer Book Society, which campaigns for the continued use of Cranmer’s liturgy, stepped in to help when a cathedral in Uganda made an appeal for help. The majority of Anglican services in Uganda are from the traditional book, and the Church is growing so rapidly that it cannot easily keep up with the demand for Prayer Books.

The shipment of 700 copies of the BCP is now in use at St John’s in Fort Portal after something of a tortuous journey. “They have been en route for several months”, explains Peter Bolton from the Prayer Book Society. “In fact, so long was the journey that Bishop Patrick Kyaligonza, who collected them from the docks, was merely the dean when the books left England.”

Surviving unscheduled trans-shipment, getting past the pirates, suffering a long delay in the port at Mombasa, the container of prayer books was monitored by Pat Morris who is in charge of the Friends of Teso which organised the shipment. Once they had landed safely in Soroti, the books were quickly retrieved by The Rev'd Boniface Esomu for the last leg of their journey.

The prayer books have been most warmly welcomed. “We are so appreciative of this gift and are looking forward to using the prayer books to enhance the ability of the congregation to participate actively in worship”, says Rt. Rev. Patrick Kyaligonza the Bishop of Ruwenzori. “Thank you so much for this contribution to our times of worship in the English services in our diocese.”

Generous members of the Prayer Book Society donated thousands of pounds to enable the books to be bought and sent to Uganda. “And it is refreshing to know that there are far more copies of the Book of Common Prayer in daily and weekly use now than there were in the first hundred years of the book’s life”, says Prayer Book Society Chairman Prudence Dailey.

The Society is aware of a big demand for prayer books from Anglicans around the world who cannot so easily afford to buy copies. It has therefore established a special fund to meet future requests. --end--

SUGGESTION that traditional funerals have been outlawed by more modern replacements is quashed in new advice from a leading religious charity.

The Prayer Book Society works to promote the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. In a new leaflet published on its website (pbs.org.uk) it explains how both the 1662 and later 1928 Prayer Book funeral services are still legal. In fact, there are useful hints on how to adapt the services to make them suitable for use in crematoria and when hymns and other readings are required.

The booklet has been produced by the Revd Neil Patterson, the young vicar of a benefice in the Hereford Diocese and member of the board of Trustees of the Prayer Book Society.

He gives reassurance to those who wish to have a traditional funeral, with its famous phrases but are worried that the Prayer Book will fail to be used despite affection for it. He gives this advice, “tell your family your wishes, especially if you fear they may not appreciate or understand them, and give them a copy of the new leaflet.”

There are also hints on what bereaved relatives can do to ensure their loved ones receive the funeral they wanted by mentioning it to the undertaken at the earliest opportunity so that the priest may be readily informed.

“When asking for a traditional funeral, don’t be fobbed off with ‘it’s not allowed any more’, or ‘that’s been replaced”, says Neil. “This simply is not true.”

Not only is the 1662 service, like the entire Prayer Book, permanently legalised by Act of Parliament, the 1928 additions and variations (which are helpful for modern circumstances, include provision for children, and are in sympathetic language) remain authorised as well.

The new leaflet aims to cover every eventuality and has sections for the clergy, funeral directors, relatives and those planning their own funerals. --end--

EVERY Church of England parish should offer some form of traditional worship according to a veteran politician.

The former Foreign Secretary, Lord Hurd of Westwell, is a Lay Patron of the Prayer Book Society – the charity which promotes the continued use of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

“Every parish, or group of parishes, should give people a choice which includes the Book of Common Prayer – not just for those of us who were brought up with it and for whom it is beautiful and precious, but for a more long-lasting reason”, says the veteran politician who spent over a decade in government.

Lord Hurd continues, “The words of Cranmer come from a time in the English language which was particularly beautiful and well organised. They are very clear to understand. They don’t need explanation. There is no mystery there and they make an impact precisely because they are not the language of the pub, or the language of everyday speak.”

Speaking in a pod-cast, just published on the Society’s website at www.pbs.org.uk, Lord Hurd recalls his first use of Cranmer’s prayer book in the school chapel at Eton. “Using it day after, day”, he says, “one got the words by heart.” He says the language used in 1662 book is “beautiful, precious and so meaningful.”

A special place, says Lord Hurd, deserves a special language. “You go to church and it’s a special building – and it’s perfectly reasonable to have a special language, distinguished by being beautiful, holy.”

He likens the 1960s’ liturgical reformers to a ‘big elephant’ who wanted to squash the established Prayer Book and its supporters. “But we have got past that stage now”, he maintains.

Lord Hurd, who still lives in Oxfordshire and enjoys Cranmer’s great office service of Mattins, says it is very important for young priests coming into Ministry to be familiar with the Prayer Book. “It should be used in theological colleges so they are not embarrassed or upset when people want it in a church they are working in,” he says. “The Book of Common Prayer must keep a permanent place in our worship.” -end—

A POLITICIAN has spoken out in support of church tradition and the key role Cranmer’s Book of Common Prayer has in our society, to this day.

“The Prayer Book is a vital part of the DNA of the English language and to lose it would be to lose a whole tranche of Englishness”, according to the veteran Labour MP, Frank Field.

He is a Vice-President of the Prayer Book Society which campaigns for the continued use of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, the standard of worship and doctrine in the Church of England.

“This great book was produced at the time of the King James Bible and when Shakespeare was writing”, says Frank Field. “Together these three went out and captured the world. English is one of the premier languages today because of these great texts were taken by people from this country as they travelled the Empire.”

Frank Field feels that to lose this would be to begin to cut the roots of what it means to be English in this country, as well as what English is elsewhere.

The MP admits that times are pretty hard for the Prayer Book to survive because of waves of “reforms and reformers”. “Today’s wider culture is of emphasising noise and action which leaves no room for quietness, reflection and contemplation”, he says. “Who knows when the Prayer Book will be back into fashion again, when people want to go to church to be quiet, rather than go to church to clap and dance around.”

“It’s the rhythm of the language which is so appealing”, he says in an online pod-cast to the Prayer Book Society’s website www.pbs.org.uk

“It’s the sentiments and the images which that language gives, it’s the extraordinary way that Cranmer had of translating from the Latin and crafting it to what he thought the Elizabethans should have.” --end--