Morning Prayer
Four movements, no eucharist, and the service a great many parishes lead without a priest in the building.
Morning Prayer is the office — the daily pattern of psalms, scripture and prayer that predates the parish eucharist as the ordinary Sunday service and, in many benefices, has quietly returned to it. It may be led by a reader, a lay minister or any authorised person, which is usually why a parish is looking it up.
The four sections
1. Preparation
- Opening sentence, seasonal
- O Lord, open our lips — and our mouth shall proclaim your praise
- Prayers of penitence, or a seasonal act of praise
- The opening canticle — the Venite (Psalm 95), the Jubilate (Psalm 100), or the Easter Anthems in Eastertide
2. The Word of God
- The psalmody appointed for the day
- First reading, usually Old Testament
- A canticle — commonly the Benedictus, the Song of Zechariah, which is proper to the morning
- Second reading, usually New Testament
- A sermon or reflection, where there is one
3. Prayers
- Intercessions, in whatever form the parish uses
- The Collect of the day — see what a collect is
- The Lord’s Prayer
4. The Conclusion
- A concluding prayer or the Grace
- The dismissal
What varies, and what does not
The structure is the fixed part; a great deal inside it is not. Common Worship provides seasonal alternatives for almost every element, and a parish that says Morning Prayer weekly usually settles into one shape and varies only the canticles with the season.
| Element | Latitude |
|---|---|
| The four-part structure | Fixed |
| Opening sentence | Seasonal; a wide choice |
| Opening canticle | Venite, Jubilate, or Easter Anthems |
| Psalmody | The appointed psalms, or a selection |
| Gospel canticle | The Benedictus is proper to the morning |
| Creed | The Apostles’ Creed — see which creed |
| Intercessions | Any authorised or local form |
Morning Prayer against a eucharist
The obvious difference is the absence of the Liturgy of the Sacrament, but the practical one for whoever makes the booklet is that Morning Prayer is shorter and more canticle-heavy. A eucharist booklet runs to twelve or sixteen pages; Morning Prayer often fits in eight, and the canticles are the pages that grow it.
Questions
What is the order of service for Common Worship Morning Prayer?
Four sections: Preparation (opening sentence, the versicle 'O Lord, open our lips', penitence, opening canticle); the Word of God (psalmody, first reading, the Benedictus, second reading, sermon); Prayers (intercessions, the collect, the Lord's Prayer); and the Conclusion.
Can a layperson lead Morning Prayer?
Yes. Morning Prayer may be led by a reader, a lay minister or another authorised person — it does not require a priest, which is one reason it is widely used in multi-parish benefices.
Which canticle is used at Morning Prayer?
The Benedictus, the Song of Zechariah, is the gospel canticle proper to the morning. The opening canticle is usually the Venite (Psalm 95) or the Jubilate (Psalm 100), or the Easter Anthems in Eastertide.