Days of fasting and prayer in the midst of a feast season seem counterintuitive. However, Rogation Days remind us that our lives and seasons are in God’s hands. What does “Rogation” mean? “Rogation” comes from the Latin noun rogatio, meaning “asking" (the verb is rogare, "to ask"). When are the Rogation Days? The Sixth Sunday of Easter (the fifth Sunday [...]
So you’re thinking about ordained ministry in this or that Anglican community. (If you need guidance on the question, check out this article.) Maybe you’re already ordained in some other denomination. Maybe you’ve been serving in ministry for years but as a layperson (that was my experience). What are some of the general guidelines and things to take into account [...]
What is Epiphany? Epiphany is a Christian feast day celebrated on January 6 every year. It's also known as "Three Kings' Day." As mentioned in our Rookie Anglican Guide to Advent, the Christian year begins with the season of Advent, which leads up to Christmas on December 25. Then come the 12 Days of Christmas (Dec. 25–Jan. 5), which lead [...]
The Anglican tradition has inherited many ancient pieces of liturgy, so it may be a bit surprising to learn that the Festival/Service of Nine Lessons and Carols (traditionally held on or near Christmas Eve) is a fairly recent invention, celebrating its one-hundredth birthday only last year in 2018. It was constructed out of the grief and horror of the First [...]
Sure, you've heard the song, but did you know that the "12 days of Christmas" actually start on Christmas Day (Dec. 25) and go until the day before Epiphany (Jan. 5)? So, December 25 is the first day of Christmas. December 26 is the second day. And so on, until the twelfth day of Christmas on January 5, followed by [...]
Flickering candles, hot coffee, and saffron buns. This Scandinavian Advent tradition has its roots in the story of a 3rd-century martyr who brought light and aid to Christian saints in hiding. Celebrated on December 13 (one week after St Nicholas day), the feast day of St. Lucy is one of warmth, light, abundance, and generosity—pointing towards the coming of the [...]
In our family's first year as Anglicans, we accidentally celebrated All Saints' Day (November 1) with the traditions more commonly associated with the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day, November 2)! This year, I'm looking forward to observing each day in its proper time and fashion! (To learn more about All Saints' Day, read our Rookie Anglican Guide.) [...]
While the close of October is typically known for Halloween, its liturgical forerunner is All Hallows' Eve (Oct. 31) followed by All Saints' Day on November 1st. Even though many saints of the church are remembered throughout the calendar year, All Saints' provides a dedicated day to call to memory those saints who have led the way before us. We [...]
Michael-what? Michaelmas is a shortened form of "Michael's Mass" (just like Christmas is a shortened form of Christ's Mass). It is also known as the feast day of Holy (or "St.") Michael and All Angels. Celebrated similarly to Thanksgiving, Michaelmas conjures images of cool fall days, abundant harvests, and feasting. Festivities focus on the defeat of sin and Satan, often [...]
The American Anglican Council has put together a series of videos on the Anglican Church in North America's Book of Common Prayer 2019. Here's the video playlist http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFJW0FSYB0U&list=PLsIBCBOGKRhsGguNLw8VTtr62bSijUnLR The videos cover: Introduction The Basics Daily Office Great Litany & Decalogue Holy Eucharist Baptism & Confirmation Pastoral Rites The Psalter Episcopal Services Special Liturgies for Lent & Holy Week Collects [...]
Where do I start? Whether you're a Rookie Anglican or just "Angli-curious," perhaps you’ve heard of this new Book of Common Prayer 2019 (BCP 2019) and are asking yourself, “What is this thing?” or "How do I use it?" We've put together a "Rookie Anglican Guide" to the BCP 2019 for more information. However, if you'd like to dive right [...]
Why do Anglicans celebrate “feast days” for various “saints”? After all, aren’t all Christians saints? If you’re asking these questions, you’ve come to the right place! Biblical Beginnings Commemoration of saints has its roots in the Bible. In 1 Cor. 11:1, St. Paul writes: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” From this we learn one of the [...]
The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) has recently released its 2019 Book of Common Prayer (BCP). In the interest of making the new ACNA Book of Common Prayer 2019 accessible, we've put together a Rookie Anglican Guide to the ACNA Prayer Book! FYI: You can order a physical copy here: http://anglicanliturgypress.com/the-shop/. You can access the 2019 BCP digitally (PDF [...]
(NOTE: Read our Rookie Anglican Guide to the ACNA's 2019 BCP here.) The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) has released its 2019 Book of Common Prayer! I asked Fr. Ben Jefferies (who worked on the Liturgy Task Force as has written about the 2019 BCP's typography and Daily Office Lectionary) what features of the new Prayer Book were especially [...]
The Church year revolves around two cycles: the Christmas cycle (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany) the Easter cycle (Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost) But what about the rest of the year? Well, there are two periods of the liturgical year that are called “ordinary time” that stitch together the Christmas and Easter cycles. One is the Season after Epiphany, and the other [...]
I don’t know about you, but when I first heard about “Ember Days,” I thought of a dying fire! However, when I began my ordination process, I quickly found out that Ember Days are about ordination and Holy Orders, not about fireplaces. What are Ember Days? As the 2019 ACNA BCP notes, “Ember Days are set aside for prayers for [...]
Easter Sunday is only the beginning! A great fifty-day feast (known as "Eastertide," "Easter Season," or "Easter Time," as well as "Paschaltide," "Paschal Season," or "Paschal Time") kicks off on Easter Day. In the Church Year, this is quite literally fifty days of feasting. Easter is the high point of the Church Year. So it makes sense that we would [...]
Starting on Palm Sunday, we embark on what's known as "Holy Week." As I put it in my overview of the Church calendar and the Christian liturgical year, The last week of Lent, Holy Week, remembers the last week of Christ’s earthly life, beginning with Palm Sunday’s commemoration of Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matt 21:1-11). So, put simply, Holy [...]
What is Lent? Beginning on Ash Wednesday and lasting for 40 days, Lent is a season of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter. The Church year revolves around two “cycles,” one for Christmas and one for Easter. The Christmas cycle begins with a season of preparation: Advent. The Easter cycle begins with a season of preparation: Lent. Because Lent [...]
You can’t be curious about Anglicanism for very long without running into the Book of Common Prayer—commonly abbreviated as the “BCP” or referred to as the “Prayer Book.” (Looking for specific information about the Anglican Church in North America's 2019 Book of Common Prayer? Read our Rookie Anglican Guide to the ACNA's 2019 BCP here.) Common Prayer? More like complicated [...]
(Note: Anglican Compass has a book about Advent! Check out A Thrill of Hope: Celebrating Advent at Home, by Ashley Wallace!) What is Advent? Advent is the first season of the Church year. It lasts for four weeks leading up to Christmas Day on December 25: (To learn more about what the Church year is and how it’s different than [...]
Have you ever wondered what’s going on during a liturgical service of Holy Communion (AKA Eucharist, AKA Lord's Supper, AKA, Lord's Table)? So many moving parts! And what’s the deal with shaking hands in the middle? You’re not alone. Thankfully, a relatively simple overall structure unifies the many moving parts. The Overall Structure: Most services of Holy Communion – including [...]
If you’ve been exposed to the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer, whether through our Daily Office Booklets or otherwise, you’ve probably noticed that there are different readings of Scripture each time - usually one from the Psalms, one from the Old Testament, and one from the New Testament. I don’t know about you, but the first time(s) I [...]
What time is it? At first glance, it might not seem like it, but this is one of the most important questions a human being can ask! Thankfully, there's an Anglican answer! Or better, there is a Christian answer, which the Anglican tradition helps proclaim! Keeping Sacred Time: The Liturgical Year Whereas many world religions seek salvation as an escape [...]
