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A RELIGIOUS pressure group has produced a range of colourful new posters intended to promote its message and increase membership.

The Prayer Book Society campaigns to promote the continued use of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer in our churches. It has members across the country who work within branches based in each Church of England diocese.

The new posters were created its graphic designer who has incorporated stunning visual images with key campaign messages.

“We are delighted with the new posters”, says Prayer Book Society chairman Prudence Dailey. “They will be distributed to our members for use in churches up and down the country as a reminder that the Prayer Book remains at the heart of the Anglican church.”

One poster features the Archbishop of Canterbury conducting a confirmation service according to the 1662 rite. The message includes the words from the service ‘defend, O Lord, this thy child with thy heavenly grace'.

Another of the posters features the message ‘New growth … deep roots’ around the image of a tree in full blossom; while Cranmer’s deep reliance on the Authorised Version of the Bible (KJV) when compiling the Book of Common Prayer is encapsulated under the headline ‘based on the bestseller’.

The posters, which are being sent to Prayer Book Society members, are also available from society’s office and downloadable from the website at www.pbs.org.uk --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—

A CHARITY has turned to the latest technology in its quest to support ancient tradition.

The Prayer Book Society, which campaigns for the continued use of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, has added an exciting range of podcasts to its website.

“Just because we support and promote centuries’ old tradition doesn’t mean we’re out of touch with the modern world”, says the Prayer Book Society Chairman, Prudence Dailey. “We hope these new podcasts will be enjoyed by a wide audience.”

Downloadable from www.pbs.org.uk, the audio includes interviews with two politicians from different ends of the spectrum.

Labour’s Frank Field reads his favourite passage from the Prayer Book and explains how important Cranmer’s great work is to him in his daily life in politics and social reform. He says that if the prayer book tradition was ever allowed to die out we would lose a great tranche of Englishness.

Frank Field says, “it is the rhythm of Cranmer’s language which is appealing, the sentiments and the images which that language gives”.

The former Foreign Secretary, Lord Hurd of Westwell has been a long-time supporter of the Book of Common Prayer and is now a Lay Patron of the Prayer Book Society. In the new podcast he reads his favourite part of Cranmer’s Morning Prayer and explains how the 1662 book has been with him throughout his tumultuous political life.

Lord Hurd says of the Prayer Book, “how beautiful, how prescious and how meaningful its words are’. This becomes particularly apparent,” he adds, “when it is threatened and one is exposed to other versions of worship”.

“More podcasts will be added to the site as we have other well-known people in mind to talk about how the Prayer Book is important to them in their lives”, adds Prudence Dailey.

It's hoped that people will also find the podcasts a useful way to listen to events they are not able to attend. For example, two extracts are available to download and listen to from the most recent members’ conference.

The Bishop of Rochester’s enlightening address to last autumn’s Annual Conference was widely reported at the time. It is now available as a download along with part of the speech from the Rev’d Andrew Hawes, the Warden of Edenham Retreat House who also addressed the conference audience. --end—

THE best-selling author PD James presented thirty young people with their prizes and certificates at this year's Cranmer Awards finals. They were held amid the finery of the chapel of Sutton's Hospital, at Charterhouse in the City of London, on Wednesday 25 February.

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 20th 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 deliberating long and hard, and they congratulated all the young contestants on the very high standards achieved.

Winners The winner in the junior section (for 11-14 year olds) was Jonathan Chard from Thornton in Lancashire, representing the diocese of Blackburn. The 13 year-old, from Rossall School, read his chosen passage of Psalms 4 and 9 with what the judges described as ‘breathtaking composure and confidence, and with a natural and intelligent delivery worthy of the Scriptures’.

Runner-up in the junior section was Amelia Stewart from Streatley who represented Oxford diocese. The 12 year-old, from St Andrew’s School in Pangbourne, chose the Collect, Epistle and Gospel for the First Sunday in Advent. In third place was Lucia Prinsloo, 14, from Southend who is no newcomer to the contest having taken place last year. The St Hilda’s School student read the Collect for the First Sunday in Advent, Psalm 112, and the Epistle for Quinguagesima.

In the senior event, for 14-to-18 year olds, Sara Qualtrough who had made the journey to the London finals from her home in Castletown on the Isle of Man, was the winner. The 15 year-old was said by the judges to have delivered ‘a sincere, natural and highly impressive delivery’ of her chosen passage: the Collect, Epistle and Gospel for St Michael and All Angels.

Second in the seniors was 17 year-old Jonathan Wilde from Brooke in Norfolk who read the Collect, Epistle and Gospel for the Tuesday before Easter in what the judges called a ‘wonderful interpretation of the story’. In third place was Kieran Dowling, from Hall Green in Birmingham who read Psalms 95 and 96. The judges said the 16 year-olds ‘brought the passage to life with ‘great sincerity’.

Presenting the prizes, Baroness James of Holland Park remarked on the very high standard from all those taken part and on the incomparability of Thomas Cranmer’s great prayer book where he married the Latin with the vernacular. “No religion, anywhere, has ever had a prayer book to match”, she told the audience. “An incomparable book of prayer and praise.”

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

PRIESTS are coming under fire for omitting ‘vital’ parts of traditional church services.

The Prayer Book Society campaigns nationally for the continued use of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, but now it’s unhappy that some of the most important parts of the liturgy are being left out. It is worried that, while there have always been minor variations in the way the services are used, some clergy are now going too far in amending the services to suit their own preferences.

The row was sparked by news (Daily Mail 30 Jan) that Sandhurst military academy has dropped the Church of England Creed from services in its chapel.

“The Apostles’ Creed is a key part of Morning and Evening Prayer, two of Cranmer’s great Offices”, according to Prayer Book Society chairman, Prudence Dailey. “The services are not to be tinkered with at the whim of local priests.”

While, the Society points out, modern services are a rather pick-and-mix affair, with the minister permitted to include or drop portions at will, that is not the case when using the Book of Common Prayer which remains firmly at the heart of the Anglican church.

“The declaration of faith in Father, Son and Holy Ghost is something which unifies Christians and is the part of the service where the congregation states who they are and their principal beliefs”, adds Prudence Dailey. “To have a service without it is rather silly.”

Both Princes William and Harry trained at the prestigious Surrey military academy which sparked the row. Their father is the Prayer Book Society’s Patron.

Should anyone be attending a service finding they don’t believe in the words of the Creed they can just remain silent rather than the priest feeling it has to be omitted, wholesale. “There is no compulsion to say the words, although nearly every Christian will as it is a reaffirmation of their Baptismal vows and part of what is learned as preparation for Confirmation.”

The Society says that since the Creed is a key plank of the service, to give up on it is virtually to give up on God. --end

A new book has been labelled 'misleading' by one group which says the title only serves to confuse people.

Prayer Book for Lay People has just been published – in time for the Christmas rush – and is being heavily promoted in the Church media. But the nationwide Prayer Book Society has criticised the title.

"The suggestion is that people can have their own prayer book at home for the first time, and it is even more confusing that the advertising refers to it as The Prayer Book for Lay People", says the Prayer Book Society chairman Prudence Dailey. "Yet this new volume has little in common with the Prayer Book – the Book of Common Prayer – which remains the bedrock of the Church of England today".

Rather than being drawn from the beloved Prayer Book which the Society defends, the new £12.99 volume contains extracts from the contemporary Common Worship published in 2000.

"The Society thinks the new book's title is very misleading", adds Miss Dailey. "And, in fact, for centuries people have had their own Prayer Book at home - the much loved Book of Common Prayer from 1662." --end

'LISTEN OR LOSE IT’ – that’s the message from one charity over the BBC’s decision to re-introduce a popular radio broadcast.

The Prayer Book Society welcomes the return of Choral Evensong to its traditional Wednesday afternoon slot but says its continuation could be dependent on it gaining listeners.

The programme, which generally features the 1662 Book of Common Prayer service, had been shifted to Sunday afternoon. This is now used for a repeat.

“We are all too aware that the BBC is very conscious of what it terms viable audience ratings”, says the Prayer Book Society’s chairman Prudence Dailey. “There was worryingly little publicity about the U-turn to reinstate the midweek broadcast, so maintaining and improving listening figures could be crucial to ensure the programme’s future.”

The much-loved broadcast has a long and prestigious history. It is used by both those at home and those travelling to supplement their own spiritual discipline. With a potentially massive worldwide audience, it gives easy access to this traditional form of worship.

“Nine out of ten of these wonderful broadcasts are from the Prayer Book we work hard to promote”, adds Miss Dailey. “And it is the only way some people are now able to engage with Thomas Cranmer’s great cadences, as traditional services in some areas have been replaced by modern liturgy.”

The BBC received criticism for moving the programme to Sundays and has been seen to have caved-in to audience demand, but for how long? The message now is to tune in and enjoy the superb performances the BBC brings us on a Wednesday afternoon. --end--

AS COUPLES across England have more choice on where they can get married from today (1 Oct), one group says they should be offered the choice of a modern or highly traditional style of service, since both are authorised.

As the Church of England relaxes it rules from 1 October, there are fears that in some parishes the contemporary services may continue to be promoted over the traditional.

While couples can express a preference it is the vicar who can ultimately decide what form of service to use, even if that means going against the wishes of the couple and their families.

Now the relaxations brought about by the new Marriage Measure will result in more church weddings taking place, and the Prayer Book Society says that couples should be allowed to have the service they want. The new rules remove the need to live in a parish in order to be married in its church and are expected to open the floodgates to church weddings.

“If that means if couples want the traditional words made famous through film and television, we hope that clergy will agree to this”, says PBS Chairman Prudence Dailey. “It is an honourable and highly moving service compared to the alternative published in Common Worship of 2000 which, to be honest, some people find rather anodyne by comparison.”

Phrases used in the 1662 marriage service (or Solomization of Matrimony) from the Book of Common Prayer have become immortalised, and appear in dictionaries of quotations. Among them the words ‘To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse….’, and ‘with this ring I thee wed’. All these famous parts have been removed from the modern-day service.

“People associate a church wedding with these moving words,” according to Miss Dailey. “And they can be part of the very strong memories people have of their wedding day.”

The advice from the Prayer Book Society is, if you want the traditional 1662 service then you should ask for it and expect it.

A slightly amended version, proposed in 1928, is also authorised for use. It tends to appeal to those who are looking for a slight simplification of the original but wish to retain the grandiose without resorting to the contemporary version with its modern language. --end--

A SCHEME to encourage people back to church is being supported with a call for parishes to re-introduce traditional services at mainstream times.

Back to Church Sunday next month (Sept 28) aims to get thousands to return to the pews they once occupied. One organisation says it provides the ideal opportunity to re-engage with those who turned away when traditional services were replaced with contemporary alternatives.

The Prayer Book Society works to promote the Book of Common Prayer which dates from 1662 and is still the bedrock of our nation’s church. It says ever since modern services started to replace the traditional, through the Seventies and Eighties, congregations have been in decline. The national society warmly welcomes the Church’s drive to encourage people back and says it is much easier than many think to find a Prayer Book service.

“The 1662 Prayer Book is the traditional service book of the Church of England, and it contains the Church's historic beliefs”, says a spokesman. “The good news is that many parishes still use the Prayer Book, although in some it’s relegated to early morning Communion and Evensong, whereas we feel it still has a place in the main Sunday service.”

Now the national society, which operates in each of the Church of England dioceses, is urging parish priests to hold at least one Prayer Book service on Back to Church Sunday and promote the fact to parishioners. “Many churches introduced new-style services in the belief that they would increase attendance, but the statistics suggest that the opposite is true”, according to Prudence Dailey the Society’s chairman. “We are encouraging people to search out their nearest Prayer Book service – and it’s easier to find than many think.”

The Prayer Book Society has a directory of churches using traditional services which is available at www.pbs.org.uk or from local PBS branches. “We hear from many people who really miss the Prayer Book services they know and love”, adds Miss Dailey. “But in fact there are a lot of cathedrals and churches still using them, and our website is a good place to find out those in a particular area.” --end--

CHURCH of England bishops are being asked today (June 2) to consider tradition when ordaining new priests and deacons.

The call comes from the Prayer Book Society as Petertide approaches (end June), the traditional time for ordinations.

The national charity campaigns to promote and preserve the use of the Book of Common Prayer (1662). It is the traditional service book of the Church of England, and it contains the Church's historic beliefs.

“Bishops are given the choice to use the traditional or the modern alternative”, says PBS chairman Prudence Dailey. “And we strongly encourage them to look at what the Prayer Book has to offer.”

There is a reminder of the value of using the Book of Common Prayer on such occasions in the Church’s recent ‘Transforming Worship’ report. This recommends that bishops ‘give attention to the use of the BCP at episcopal services’, mentioning ordinations, consecrations and confirmations.

“The publication of the report, specifically mentioning the BCP is very encouraging”, according to Miss Dailey who is a member of the Church’s ruling General Synod. “Bishops have every reason to consider using the traditional rite for this most important service.”

The Revd Paul Thomas is deputy chairman of the Prayer Book Society and a member of the Liturgical Commission which produced the report. He hopes that those responsible for organising ordinations will consider the recommendations made by the Liturgical Commission.

“The encouragement given to bishops to use the BCP ordination rite reminds us that in the BCP the Church has a powerful treasury rich in prayer and praise which is more than capable of speaking afresh about the love of God in our generation”, says the Revd Paul Thomas. “We need to remember that without our history we risk forgetting ourselves.”

The Bishop of Wakefield, Chairman of the Liturgical Commission, recently ordained his son using the BCP ordination service.

The 1662 Ordinal has now been re-published by Church House Publishing which means it appears in an accessible modern edition, so there is every reason for it to be used more widely throughout the Church. --end—