Membership

Commission Meeting Dates

The SCLM engaged the Anti-Racism mandate of General Convention Resolution 2003-A010 with an all-day exercise at its meeting in Atlanta on June 7.

Summary of Work

The Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) considers policies and strategies concerning the common worship of the church. At the direction of the General Convention it collects, collates, and develops textual and musical resources for the liturgical life of the Church. The following committee reports, proposed legislation and liturgies describe the work of the Commission during the triennium:

Committee Reports

Report of the Calendar Committee

Members: Neil Alexander, Barry Howe, Greg Howe, Jeffery Rowthorn, Wayne Smith, Mildred Springer

The 74^th General Convention in Resolution 2003–A100 directed the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to undertake a revision of Lesser Feasts and Fasts that would reflect the cultural diversity of The Episcopal Church, of the wider Anglican Communion, of our ecumenical partners, and of our lively experience of sainthood in local communities. We immediately recognized that it would not be possible to accomplish so major a revision in one triennium because of its scope and depth. A timeline has been established for the completion of the revision over two triennia with a presentation of a full revision of the calendar of commemorations, with accompanying materials for adoption by the 76^th General Convention in 2009.

At the beginning of our work, we studied the process of calendar development in the church catholic and, more specifically, in The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. We wanted to have a clear idea of the principles that have guided such decisions in the past and their attendant theologies. On this basis, we created new principles of revision as agreed norms within which the proposed revision would be developed. These principles, approved by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music in October 2004, are as follows:

PRINCIPLES OF REVISION

for use in preparation of the next edition of the Sanctoral Calendar

as requested by the 74^th General Convention.

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“There the Lord will permit us, so far as possible,

to gather together in joy and gladness

to celebrate the day of his martyrdom as a birthday,

in memory of those athletes who have gone before,

and to train and make ready those who are to come hereafter.”

(Martyrdom of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, A.D.156)

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Resolved, the House of _____ concurring, That the Principles of Revision accepted by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music be approved by the 75^th General Convention and substituted for the Guidelines approved by the 1994 General Convention (2003 edition of Lesser Feasts and Fasts, p. 477-479).

Next Phase of Work

After establishing the principles of revision, the Commission evaluated the present state of our calendar, and compared it to the available calendars of more than twenty provinces of the Anglican Communion, the calendars of our ecumenical partners, and similar resources. We consulted with our church’s missiologists and historians, and received valuable help from such groups as the Episcopal Women’s History Project and the Union of Black Episcopalians, among others. In August 2005 a consultation held in Atlanta was attended by all four Ethnic Missioners of The Episcopal Church—African-American, Asian, Latino/Hispanic and Native American and representatives of the Chinese and Filipino communities. These contacts have been immensely helpful and continue to be strong and are effective resources for the Commission’s work. We are committed to the broadest possible enrichment of our sanctoral calendar and the Commission is grateful to the hard work of its consultants and the strong interest shown in this project by persons across the church.

It is the sincere hope of the Commission that, when completed and adopted by the church, this revision of the calendar will be more than simply a liturgical resource for daily use. We anticipate that its appearance will give birth to a wide-range of catechetical and evangelical resources that will engage and inspire persons of all ages.

Resolved, the House of _____concurring, That the 75^th General Convention affirm the work of revision begun in the past triennium, in anticipation of the submission of the completed revision of Lesser Feasts and Fasts, with accompanying materials, for consideration by the 76^th General Convention in 2009; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $5,000 for the implementation of this resolution.

Resolved, the House of _____concurring, That the commemorations of Florence Li Tim-Oi, Janani Luwum, Philander Chase, William Temple and Clive Staples Lewis, proposed by the 74^th General Convention (2003 Journal, p. 446, 447ff and 488) and approved for trial use, be now finally approved and entered in the Calendar of the Church Year (BCP, p. 15-30) and in future revisions of Lesser Feasts and Fasts.

Resolved, the House of _____concurring, That consideration of the commemoration of The Rev. Dr. John Roberts, missionary to the Wind River Indian Reservation and founder of the Shoshone Episcopal Mission, be referred to the appropriate subcommittee of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music for further research, consultation, and recommendation.

EXPLANATION

The 74^th General Convention directed the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music in Resolution 2003–C013 to add Dr. John Roberts to the Calendar of The Episcopal Church. As the above resolution indicates, further study is needed before the decision of the 74^th General Convention can be implemented.

Resolved, the House of _____concurring, That a change in the date of the commemoration of Harriet Ross Tubman be duly considered by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music during the preparation of the new revision of Lesser Feasts and Fasts.

EXPLANATION

The 74^th General Convention referred Resolution 2003–D035 to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music seeking a change in the date of this commemoration. As the above resolution indicates, this matter will be best addressed in the context of the revision of the Sanctoral Calendar currently underway.

Resolved, the House of _____concurring, That the 75^th General Convention authorize, for trial use until the 76^th General Convention, a Common for Space Exploration, as follows:

• Creator of the universe, whose dominion extends through the immensity of space: guide and guard those who seek to fathom its mysteries [especially N.N]. Save us from arrogance lest we forget that our achievements are grounded in thee, and, by the grace of thy Holy Spirit, protect our travels beyond the reaches of earth, that we may glory ever more in the wonder of thy creation: through Jesus Christ, thy Word, by whom all things came to be, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
• Creator of the universe, your dominion extends through the immensity of space: guide and guard those who seek to fathom its mysteries [especially N.N.]. Save us from arrogance lest we forget that our achievements are grounded in you, and, by the grace of your Holy Spirit, protect our travels beyond the reaches of earth, that we may glory ever more in the wonder of your creation: through Jesus Christ, your Word, by whom all things came to be, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

EXPLANATION

This resolution is the Commission’s response to Resolution 2003–D049 adopted by the 74^th General Convention. While recognizing that Dr. Aldrin’s act of communicating himself with pre-consecrated elements was a unique and memorable moment, the Commission believes that this Common for Space Exploration also allows for the commemoration of those who have died in the course of space exploration—among them a significant number of Episcopalians. In addition, it provides a way of praying for future space explorers and for the thousands of people whose work makes the space program possible.

Resolved, the House of _____ concurring, That the 75^th General Convention propose additional commemorations in the Calendar of the Church Year and authorize trial use thereof for the triennium 2007–2009, as follows:

Resolved, the House of _____concurring, That the 75^th General Convention authorize, for trial use until the 76^th General Convention, the commemorations proposed by this Convention, as follows:

• January 8
• Harriet Bedell
• Deaconess and Missionary, 1969
  • I.  Holy God, thou didst choose thy faithful servant Harriet Bedell to exercise the ministry of deaconess and to be a missionary among indigenous peoples: Fill us with compassion and respect for all people, empowering us for the work of ministry throughout the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
  • II.  Holy God, you chose your faithful servant Harriett Bedell to exercise the ministry of deaconess and to be a missionary among indigenous peoples: Fill us with compassion and respect for all people, empowering us for the work of ministry throughout the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

• February 28
• Anna Julia Heyward Cooper
• Educator, 1964
  I.  Almighty God, who didst inspire thy servant Anna Julia Heyward Cooper with the love of learning and the skill of teaching: Enlighten us more and more through the discipline of learning, and deepen our commitment to the education of all thy children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.II.  Almighty God, you inspired your servant Anna Julia Heyward Cooper with the love of learning and the skill of teaching: Enlighten us more and more through the discipline of learning, and deepen our commitment to the education of all your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

• March 13 (or November 8)
• James Theodore Holly
• Bishop of Haiti, 1911
  I.  Most gracious God, by the calling of thy servant James Theodore Holly thou gavest us our first bishop of African-American heritage. In his quest for life and freedom, he led thy people from bondage into a new land and established the Church in Haiti. Grant that, inspired by his testimony, we may overcome our prejudice and honor those whom thou callest from every family, language, people, and nation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.II.  Most gracious God, by the calling of your servant James Theodore Holly, you gave us our first bishop of African-American heritage. In his quest for life and freedom, he led your people from bondage into a new land and established the Church in Haiti. Grant that, inspired by his testimony, we may overcome our prejudice and honor those whom you call from every family, language, people, and nation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

• April 7
• Tikhon
• Patriarch of Russia, Confessor and Ecumenist, 1925
  I.  Holy God, holy and mighty, who hast called us together into one communion and fellowship: Grant us, we pray thee, after the example of thy servant Tikhon, to open our eyes to see the faithfulness of others as we strive to be steadfast in the faith delivered unto us, that the world may see and know Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Spirit, be glory and praise unto ages of ages. Amen.II.  Holy God, holy and mighty, you call us together into one communion and fellowship: Grant us, we pray, after the example of your servant Tikhon, to open our eyes to see the faithfulness of others as we strive to be steadfast in the faith delivered to us, that the world may see and know you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be glory and praise unto ages of ages. Amen

• October 10
• Vida Dutton Scudder
• Educator and Witness for Peace, 1954
  • I.  Most gracious God, who didst send thy beloved Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Raise up in thy church witnesses who, after the example of thy servant Vida Dutton Scudder, stand firm in proclaiming the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
  • II.  Most gracious God, you sent your beloved Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Raise up in your church witnesses who, after the example of your servant Vida Dutton Scudder, stand firm in proclaiming the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

• December 30
• Frances Joseph-Gaudet
• Educator and Prison Reformer, 1934
  I.  Merciful God, the comfort of prisoners, who didst raise up thy servant Frances Joseph-Gaudet to work for reform: Grant that we, encouraged by her example, may work for those who are voiceless and have no freedom; through Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.II.  Merciful God, the comfort of prisoners, who raised up your servant Frances Joseph-Gaudet to work for reform: Grant that we, encouraged by her example, may work for those who are voiceless and have no freedom; through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Resolved, the House of _____ concurring, That the 75^th General Convention authorize changing the name for the commemoration of the “Martyrs of Lyons” to “Blandina and Her Companions, The Martyrs of Lyons,” as found in Lesser Feasts and Fasts.

EXPLANATION

The Historiographer of The Episcopal Church, The Rev. Dr. J. Robert Wright, has testified that Blandina was the key figure in the Roman persecution at Lyons in 177A.D. Eusebius, the first major Church historian, wrote of her as a woman whom early Christians regarded as an image of Christ: “Blandina was hung on a post and exposed as food for the wild beasts let loose in the arena. She looked as if she were hanging in the form of a cross, and through her ardent prayers she stimulated great enthusiasm in those undergoing their ordeal, who in their agony saw with their outward eyes in the person of their sister the One who was crucified for them, that he might convince those who believe in Him that anyone who has suffered for the glory of Christ has fellowship for ever with the living God.”

Report from the Committee on Multi-sensory Worship

Meeting Dates: Mt. View, California, May 23-25, 2005.

Participants: Cynthia Black, Convener of the Multi-sensory Committee; RC Laird; Clayton Morris.Consultants: Henry Faulkner, Grace Church Van Vorst, Jersey City, NJ; Isaac Everett, Church of the Epiphany, NY, NY; Eric Elnes, Scottsdale Congregational Church, Scottsdale, AZ; Karen Ward, Church of the Apostles, Seattle, WA; Lacey Brown, Church of the Apostles, Seattle, WA; Ryan Marsh, Church of the Apostles, Seattle, WA; Mel Ahlborn, Executive Council Committee on the Visual Arts; Susan Erdey, Church Publishing; Kevin Philips, Mt. View, CA.

The Multi-sensory Committee of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music organized a consultation of individuals who are currently exploring multi-sensory worship. While all worship is, ideally, multi-sensory, the use of this term implies that new technologies are being used in worship, including, but certainly not limited to: electronic/computer generated music, visual imagery projected on screens/monitors, and artistic expression in a variety of media. The committee considered:

• What practical and theological resources does the church need in order to use multi-sensory worship?
• Should there be guidelines for developing multi-sensory worship that would help to preserve both the quality of liturgy and our Anglican liturgical identity?
• What models of multi-sensory worship are currently available?
• How can multi-sensory worship be introduced to congregations who desire to explore this possibility but aren’t sure where to start, for example, classes, conferences, workshops?
• What lessons can be learned from the development of new technologies? For example, stained glass, the printing press, the photocopier, lighting, organs and other musical instruments used in liturgical settings were all need technology at one time.
• How do we avoid the assumption that a congregation is either technological or non-technological?
• How do we learn to communicate in the language of the culture?
• How can multi-sensory worship be used as an evangelism tool?
• What pitfalls have we encountered about which we could warn others?

The consultation was experiential and participants agreed in advance to offer a multi-sensory resource to the group. These included complete worship services, individual meditations, visual preludes, a computer generated music demonstration and a stewardship presentation. After each experience, participants were invited to reflect on what they liked and where they had concerns about the presentation.

Participants in the consultation spent significant time discussing what to call this emerging type of worship experience. While many suggestions were made (emergent worship, incarnational worship, multimedia worship, experiential worship, etc.), we agreed that no single term adequately describes the breadth of what this concept represents.

We developed a list of resources, including a directory of congregations and church communities engaged in multi-sensory worship, a directory of programs and people who offer training in aspects of multi-sensory worship, a directory of images, music clips and film clips, and resources for choosing hardware and software. While extremely preliminary in nature, it is available online at www.episcopalchurch.org/liturgymusic.htm. Other resources are available at www.theworshipwell.org and www.ecva.org.

Recommendations

While the committee’s charge from GC Resolution 2003-A092 was to prepare and collect creative worship resources for multi-sensory worship and to develop a network for sharing these resources, we believe that the charge could be expanded to include pedagogical and theological components. Many congregations have expressed a desire to use multi-sensory resources in worship, but there is currently no Episcopal resource for training and education. Resources and training events must be developed that will promote and preserve our unique Anglican liturgical identity. Some denominations and non-denominational churches already offer this type of training as well as multi-sensory “products” from their particular liturgical perspective. We believe that the Episcopal Church needs to develop it own resources that articulate its theology while partnering with others who are developing resources.

The Multi-sensory Subcommittee has only begun to consider the large topic before us. We believe it is important for our 20/20 efforts to develop these resources as expeditiously as possible. In order to continue the work of the Subcommittee, we offer the following resolution:

Resolved, the House of _____ concurring, That the 75^th General Convention direct the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to

• Further develop and collect multi-sensory resources that reflect our Church’s liturgical, cultural, racial, generational, gender and ethnic diversity, and
• Further develop networks for sharing these resources, and
• Prepare theological statements for assisting the church in the introduction of these resources, and
• Develop ways to train congregations in the use of these resources; and be it further,

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $60,000 for the implantation of this resolution.

EXPLANATION

This resolution provides for work begun in the previous triennium to be continued, and that the previous charge under Resolution 2003–A092 be expanded to include both theological rationale for multi-sensory worship and training opportunities for those in the church who wish to introduce elements of multi-sensory worship in their liturgy.

Report of the Committee on Rites of Passage (2003–A092)

Meeting Dates: Los Angeles, California on September 14-17, 2004

Participants: Devon Anderson, Laurie Thompson, Julia Huttar Bailey, Ernesto Medina. Consultants: Susan Bock, Lydia Huttar Brown, Rosa Brown Watson, Butch Gamarra, Anthony Guillen, Eric Law, John Ruder, Karen Sutton, Ida Talalla, Robert Two Bulls, Lee Anne Watkins, Keith Yamamoto

Introduction

In September of 2004, a group of liturgists, musicians, and writers gathered at the Cathedral Center of Saint Paul in Los Angeles for the purpose of creating a collection of rites for the pastoral transitions in people's lives. We were to use, as a base, the culturally specific rites already existing in our church and find ways to express these liturgies for broad applications.

We acknowledge with gratitude the liturgical rhythms of our fellow Episcopalians in Red Lake, Minnesota—Night Prayer/Compline—and those along the Arctic Coast in Alaska—Singspiration. These liturgical forms provided the basis of our three-day gathering. We prayed a lot. We sang a lot. We studied scripture. We told our stories. Towards the end of the second day, we shared with each other what we had heard and what we believed God was calling us offer to the church. We broke into smaller groups and began drafting liturgical rites. The Holy Spirit was active working among us.

We left satisfied with the stewardship of our time. After some e-mail exchanges, some calling of trusted friends, some editing to make sure we were saying what we meant to say, we turned the work over to a consultant who would bring consistency to the language and bring additional song to the text. This collection of liturgical rites and prayers is offered with our love and prayers. We are thankful for the opportunity to serve God and this church. We pray that the work may be fruitful.

Liturgies for Rites of Passage

Contents

Rites of Passage:

Liturgies for Transitions in the Lives of God’s People

A Forward Note to Rites of Passage

by The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald

In its primal form, as described by the Evangelists, the Gospel was a proclamation unveiling the regal and redeeming presence of God in the everyday life of its hearers. In that Gospel encounter, Jesus became - in his life, death, resurrection, and second coming - the matrix for new life and a new world. This would lead, through a change of mind and heart, to a transformation so profound that it would provide a gateway to a new universe. Please note, it is such an expansive vision that informs and animates these Rites of Passage.

The immediate excitement these Rites will generate may obscure the larger significance of this work. There will be immediate and obvious interest in their potential for pastoral care and evangelism. GC Resolution 2003–A092 of the 74^th General Convention anticipates this, citing the visionary 20/20 initiative to underline their need and importance. For most of us, the scope and quality of this work, will be quickly grasped and applied, firstly in a renewed pastoral and evangelistic imagination, and secondly, in their use in real life situations (my wife, who snuck a peek at the copy sent for my review and comment, is already well into the imaginative building of community life with them!). But this is only a part of the achievement of the team that produced this work.

I once heard Boone Porter describe the vision of the primary architects of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. He said they had placed a number of “land mines” in what we might call the implicit ecclesiology and missiology of the Book. Only a few of these land mines have appeared, since most of us use the current prayer book as if it were a supplement to the 1928 Prayer Book. In the same way, many of us used our personal computers as fancy typewriters, without discovering that they are completely new instruments. With joy, we can say that, in these Rites of Passage, a visionary group of folks have begun to live into the promise and power of a number of the currents of renewal that have been beckoning the church forward over the past fifty years.

The remarkable breadth of these Rites, the increased missiological capacity they create, is product of many cultural currents running through the life of our Church. Like the New Zealand/Aotearoa Prayer Book, they exemplify interculturation (as opposed to inculturation, which refers to the process of the Word of God becoming living, real, and liberating in a single culture). Since Acts 15, this interculturation has been the lifeblood of the renewal of the Church. As the Word becomes flesh in a particular culture, a process of sharing with other cultures - an exchange of perspective, enrichment, and, sometimes, prophetic critique - allows the various ways of life that make up the Church Universal to transform us into what God intends us to be. In the various facets of Gospel life and light, refracted in the living experience of peoples renewed in Christ, we begin to see the first rays of a dawning for the new humanity intended for the Church. This is accomplished, when authentic, without losing either individual cultural integrity or our universal communion, both qualities being the essence of the catholicity promised us in Christ.

At a practical level, we are entering a theological perspective that may be new and challenging for many of us. Since the Enlightenment, the Churches of the West have tended to limit God’s activity and presence within the explicit realm of Church belief, teaching, and practice. This focus of institutional presentation and experience fundamentally shaped Western assumptions about the world and cultural competence within it. With the publication of these Rites we enter new cultural perspectives, as well as encountering a broader understanding of God’s Presence in Creation and in human life. For many of the cultures that now make up our common life in the Church, the Presence of God also rests in other locations of power and importance: family, home, school, work, and the environment. An amazingly diverse array of theological voices beckons the Churches of the West to a broader view of God’s Presence. These have included Eastern Orthodox theologians; theologians of the margins from many cultures and countries around the world - especially from the aboriginal peoples and Asia; feminist theologians; and, closer to home, voices like William Stringfellow, to name only a few.

We can expect that, at some level, the presentation of these Rites will raise controversy. Some of this will be related, quite simply, to their newness. Some of it will be a part of the useful and necessary process of critical reception that accompanies any new liturgical venture. We must, however, expect some controversy from the prophetic challenge the Rites raise for our common life and missiology. On this level, we will receive a call to more forward.

Orlando Costas (in his 1982 Christ Outside the Gate: Mission Beyond Christendom) prophetically noted that the only renewal possible for the North American Church would come through the re-evangelization of the churches by the poor, by ethnic minorities and by immigrants. The ease, power, and idolatry of “Christendom” would mean that any growth apart from such a re-evangelization would be mere “ecclesiastical obesity.” Though we may not have entered into that new world in these Rites of Passage, you can see it from here.

Theology and Rationale

The Holy Spirit is forever working to renew the whole creation, which “waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God.”¹

Change, then, is inevitable in the lives of God’s people. Divine love relentlessly invites us to transformation in the image of Christ. Often, though, we resist the changes our Father asks of us. Sometimes, we fall back on the safety of the familiar. Nor are all changes godly. Our gracious Creator allows us freedom of choice—while human sin tempts us to choose badly. Nonetheless, even amid brokenness, tragedy, and the consequences of our bad choices, unexpected grace may witness to the presence and power of the Holy One. Through faith and trust in Christ, we can embrace both the joy and the pain of change, and testify to God’s redeeming power.

These rites reflect confidence in God’s presence among us throughout the changes and chances of this life. Through prayer and ritual, the Holy Spirit can stretch our hearts in love, leading individuals and the worshiping community into ever greater faith and trust.

Transitions in the Gospel Stories

In the lives of Jesus and his followers, we note major life transitions that made prophets out of carpenters, disciples out of fishermen, evangelists out of broken women. In most cases, these events were witnessed by and celebrated in the company of seekers, revelers, clerics, and skeptics, many of whom were then drawn into an ever-widening community of companionship. Examples to ponder include:

• Mary’s presentation of Jesus in the Temple forty days after his birth, with the prophetic and pastoral support of Simeon and Anna—a time of transition for them, as well as for the new family.
• Jesus’ teaching in the Temple, when he and his parents became separated and they could not find him. This passage from childhood dependency to a new independence was witnessed and supported by a community on pilgrimage to and from Jerusalem.
• Jesus’ baptism into ministry at the River Jordan.
• Simon’s recognition and naming of Jesus as the Christ, and his own subsequent re-naming: “You are Peter, now; you are Rock.”
• Zacchaeus’ change of heart and vocation in his turning from sin, sealed by sitting down with Jesus to break bread.
• The healing of the man born blind, whose redeemed status was sorely tested by the religious authorities.
• Jesus’ calling the Samaritan woman to the ministry of evangelism.
• The restoration of the hemorrhaging woman to her worshipping community by Jesus’ very public display of healing, in which he redeemed her outcast status and renamed her “Daughter.”
• Mary’s encounter with Jesus at the empty tomb. In calling her by name, he commissions her to a new mission to go and tell others, “I have seen the Lord.”

God Loves our Humanity

Through the Incarnation in Jesus Christ, God unequivocally embraces the ordinariness of human life: the divine Word came to live inside our common humanity. The Holy Spirit dwells within us every moment of our lives—even when we feel most abandoned by God. This indwelling is our assurance that the holy and undivided Trinity delights in us and cherishes creation. In Eucharistic worship, we turn to God as manifest in glory, to Christ’s presence among us in bread and wine, and to the Holy Spirit alive within each of us and present in the fellowship of the gathered community. Here, the Holy One comforts and confronts us through rich tapestries of symbol and sacrament. In liturgies acknowledging and celebrating life’s transitions, we affirm that:

• We trust the divine Love to embrace us through all the joys and pains of transition.
• We are so interconnected by the Holy Spirit so that a transition in one member’s life affects the whole Christian community.
• God is continuously healing and transforming the world. When we join with our Creator in the process of our own transformations, we participate in the coming of Christ’s kingdom.

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Structure and Features

The following rites offer opportunities both to ask for God’s blessing and to offer that blessing to the Christian community collectively and on each of its members during moments of significant change in our lives.

Elements of the Rites

Through ritual acts, people of all cultures and religious traditions mark life’s course, giving it shared significance and sanctifying it. Rites of passage not only recognize changes that have already happened; they can also effect changes.

Passages from one stage to the next involve three elements:

Rites of separation name what is being left behind, preparing us for new birth.

Rites of transition celebrate the past while anticipating the future. They help us pause to begin the (sometimes lengthy) process of accepting and embracing change.

Rites of reintegration name, sanctify and celebrate one’s new status in the community.

While all rites of passage appear to involve this structure, the means and relative emphasis by which the ritual passage is shaped can vary widely.

Each of the following rites seeks to include these key elements or themes:

• Naming the transition: how it affects the person, his/her primary relationships, and the whole community.
• Declaring what went before: loss, growth, gift—then acknowledging grief, letting go, giving thanks.
• Petitioning God for what is needed and sought in the transition: healing, courage, imagination.
• Proclaiming hope for the future, with willingness to discern new ministries.

Structures of the Rites

Please note that these are templates for rites of passage. Lay and ordained leaders should adapt these rites to their particular cultural contexts.

In all of the following rites, we have sought to feature

• clarity of symbol
• simplicity of language
• the invitation to all to continue in the life and work of the worshipping community

Each rite is structured in the familiar pattern of most of our Prayer Book liturgies with these building blocks:

• Entrance Rite
• The Greeting, the “Dearly Beloved,” which reminds us why we are gathered
• The Collect(s)
• The Ministry of the Word: Scripture, Readings, Homilies
• The Presentation and/or Examination
• The Action: Blessing, Naming, Commissioning
• The Prayers or a Litany
• The Option of Holy Communion

The Rites as Related to Stages in Human Development

These rites seek to include the particular needs and focus of the age group for which they are written, using this model of four stages of life, and the special quality or focus of each stage:²

The rites and prayers that follow consider these special life tasks:

• In the Transitions of Childhood, there is growth from dependence to independence. Confidence and courage are sought for the maturing person, and the grace to let go is sought for the adults on whom the young person necessarily relies.
• In the Transitions of Rising Adulthood, the new adult needs to channel activity into God’s loving will for all creation by choosing activities which align with his or her own God-given gifts and calling.
• In the Transitions of Midlife, the adult searches for new gifts of leadership which need to be identified, strengthened, and called forth by the community. We are reminded that these gifts are meant to enhance the life of the entire Christian community and the world.
• In Transitions of Later Life, circumstances call for the elder³
  Footnote:  ³Many cultures revere their oldest members as keepers of lore and tradition—the people who tell the story of who we are as a people. Often they are raised up to special ministries, and their blessings are sought from younger generations as a sign that the customs by which we identify our particular tradition continue from generation to generation. Certain translations of the Bible refer to the “Elders” of the people in this way (while in certain churches, it becomes a clerical title). For these rites, “Elder” denotes those people whose long life, wisdom and experience enrich their community.
  to give back some of what has earlier been received as part of preparing to leave the world a better place for those who will follow.

Planning for a Rite of Passage

Along with complete rites, prayers and guidelines are provided to help create a rite especially suited to the transitioning person, his or her community, and the cultural context in which they live.

Who?

• For what person or group is this rite being prepared?
• Who needs to be included and invited, and how?

What?

• What is the purpose of this rite?
• What needs to happen in it and through it? Using the plainest, most everyday language will help the rite communicate simply, clearly and effectively.

How?

• How and where will the people gather?
• What should members of the community bring to the celebration?
• Will there be a meal following?
• After this rite, how will life be different for the person in transition and for the community?

The Gathering

• Will there be a procession, whom will it include, and what music (dancing, drumming) would be appropriate?

The Greeting

• Who is most appropriate to explain why we are gathered?
• Will the content of the greeting be selected from the rites below, written for the occasion, or offered informally by a leader of the community?

The Collect

• What Collects or prayers will introduce the Ministry of the Word? Will they be selected from those below or written for the occasion?

The Ministry of the Word

• Will this include scripture readings, extra-biblical readings, stories, memory sharing, or tributes? Who will offer them?
• Will there be a homily? Who should speak?
• If a Eucharist is part of the celebration, what Gospel reading will be chosen?

The Presentation and Examination

• Will there be a presentation of the person in transition?
• How to tell what led to and preceded this transition, and what is being sought through it (e.g. healing, commissioning, rededication, thanksgiving)?
• Should the person in transition declare in her own voice her intentions, hopes, and new commitments?

The Action

• How will the person be blessed, named, commissioned?
• Who will do the blessing / commissioning?
• Will a formula from this set of rites be used, or will something be written for the occasion, and, if so, by whom?

The order of the Action and the Prayers may be reversed.

The Prayers

• Will one of the forms for the Prayers of the People included in these rites be used?
• Or will a form be chosen from the Book of Common Prayer?
• Or will prayers be written for the occasion? If so, by whom?

The Peace and, when desired, the celebration of Holy Eucharist

A Proper Preface

In most of the Rites of Transition, where a Eucharist is celebrated, this Proper Preface will be appropriate:

The liturgy continues with the Sanctus.

Prayers for the Transitions of Childhood

These prayers may be used alone or incorporated into a larger rite of passage.

Prayers and Rites for the Transitions of Youth and Young Adulthood

The Rites

• A Rite of Passage for Young People and their Parents (A Rite of Adolescence)
• A Rite of Passage for a Significant Birthday
• A Rite for Celebrating an Engagement (The Blessing of a Betrothal)

A Rite of Passage for Young People

and Their Parents

The journey through adolescence often challenges both young people and their parents. The parish community can affirm and uphold them through this journey.

This rite is appropriate for an individual or for a group of young people. It may be used to mark graduation from elementary school, entrance into middle school, or turning 13.

Entrance Rite

In the opening procession, each young person is joined by family. They are seated together at the front of the assembly.

Suggestions for hymns and spiritual songs are listed below.

Opening Acclamation

Collect

Holy God, in you we live and move and have our being: Grant to all your people the courage to live gracefully through the changes and chances of life, giving thanks for your guiding Spirit and your never-failing love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

The Ministry of the Word

Suggested readings are listed below.

A homily may follow.

The Presentation and Examination

Dear People of God: Throughout life’s journey we encounter moments of change that call us to grow. In the relationship between parent and child there are many such moments of challenge and grace. Though each of these has unique burdens and joys, adolescence especially requires greater patience, forgiveness, courage, and hope. Parent and child must learn to risk and to let go. These children and their parents come to this faithful community to offer thanks for all that has been, and to seek God’s blessing for all their futures. We join them in acknowledging and celebrating the transition as they stand on the threshold.

Who is ready to begin this new phase of life?

Parents and children present each other, one family group at a time. Godparents and other significant adults may also stand with the parents and children.

Young person and parent(s) together

We stand before God and before our faithful community to acknowledge that we are in the midst of a change that calls us to fresh ways of understanding one another. Help us be thankful for all that has been and for all that is to come. We trust God’s constant love and pray a blessing for this time of transition.

The Presider addresses the young people and adults, saying

N., N., [and N.], you are made in the image of God who has held you in love every day of your life, and always will. Remember your divine Maker who formed you in joy and remolds you for the changes that lie before you. The Creator who knows you delights in the work that prepares you for your roles in Christ’s healing of the world.

The Presider addresses the young people, saying

N., [N., and N.], will you continue to honor your parents, respecting their life experience, and remembering their love for you?

Presider, to the parents

N., [N., and N.], in the sacred responsibility of giving and sustaining life, you reflect the image of God. These children are God’s gifts to you, as truly as you are God’s gifts to them. Remember that God has never forsaken you, and will always be near, in this and in every good work to which you are called for which you respond in faith. Know that you are ministers of God’s love to these young people.

Will you respect the dignity of your sons and daughters, listening to all that they tell you, even allowing them to make their own mistakes when you may responsibly do so?

The Prayers

The use of the Prayers for the Candidate at baptism are suggested (on page 305 in The Book of Common Prayer) using this introduction and Collect in place of those provided there.

Let us now pray for this young person who seeks God’s blessing and ours as she journeys into adulthood.

At the conclusion

Grant, O Lord, that this young person, who was baptized into the death of Jesus Christ your Son, may continue her earthly pilgrimage in the power of his resurrection, and may wait in hope for his coming again in glory, who lives and reigns now and for ever. Amen.

In place of these prayers, others may be written for the occasion.

The Blessing

The people may gather round and lay hands on the young people and their parents, as the Presider offers this blessing.

All-holy God, source of every blessing: We thank you for the mystery of growing up, the transformation of body, mind, and spirit that brings children to adulthood. We marvel in this and all your works. Give these parents and young people grace and courage, patience and good humor, respect and compassion, and unfailing hope, as they travel together through life, sisters and brothers united in Christ and his household, the Church. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The service continues with the Peace and, if desired, the celebration of the Eucharist.

This Preface may be used at the Eucharist:

From day to day, from age to age, throughout our lives in this world and the next, you show yourself to be eternal Love, giver and sustainer of all goodness and joy; and so, with all the saints of every generation who are ancient in faith and young in hope, we join to sing your praise:

Suggested Readings

Suggested Hymns and Spiritual Songs

[more suggestions on pp. xx-xx]

From other sources:

I was there to hear your borning cry (Fortress Press)

Sanctuary (Full Armor Music and Whole Armor Music)

Bless now, O God, the journey (Voices Found)

Make me a channel of your peace (OCP)

We Are Called, Come, Live in the Light (GIA)

You are Mine (GIA)

Bind us Together (Kingsway’s Thank You Music)

We are not our own (New Century Hymnal)

A Rite of Passage for a Significant Birthday

This rite is intended for young men and women celebrating a significant birthday in their journey to adulthood. The age will vary, depending on the community. Many cultures have long celebrated Quinceañera (a girl’s 15^th birthday), Fiesta Clavel (a boy’s 15^th birthday), Sweet Sixteen, Debut or Coming of Age.

This rite affirms God’s presence, continued blessing, guidance for the future. Mindful of this day’s personal significance, the young person, along with parents and godparents should meet with clergy to review the intent of the rite, to select passages of Scripture, and plan the service.

Hymns and Readings for this service may be chosen from the list in the Rite of Passage for Young People and their Parents, or from the list on page xx.

A homily may be preached, or, alternatively, parents godparent, and friends of the young person may speak of their memories, knowledge, and love of her.

The Gathering and Greeting

As the rite begins, the young person enters the church with her/his parents and godparents. Other persons may join the procession.

Opening Acclamation

A Hymn of Praise may be sung.

The Ministry of the Word

Suggested readings are listed below.

Parents and godparents may read the lessons.

The Homily.

The Presentation and/or Examination

The young person may be presented to the congregation by parents, godparents, or other sponsors with these or similar words:

I present N., who comes to give thanks to God for her life, to commit her life to Christ, and to ask for the Holy Spirit’s continued guidance in her life.

The following questions for parents and godparents may be used:

• Presider

  How has N. been faithful to her life in God?

• Parents & Godparents

  She has worshiped, prayed, and served in her community of faith.

• Presider

  How has N. been faithful to her life with others?

• Parents & Godparents

  She has been a true friend, a diligent student, and an active member of her family.

• Presider

  How has N. been faithful to herself?

• Parents & Godparents

  She is honest, forgiving, and kind. She is a delight to our hearts and we are proud of who she is and who she is becoming.

The Prayers

The Prayers for the Candidate at baptism (on page 305 in The Book of Common Prayer) may be used, substituting this introduction and Collect.

Let us now pray for this young person who seeks God’s blessing and ours as she journeys into adulthood.

and

Grant, O Lord, that this young person, who is baptized into the death of Jesus Christ your Son, may continue her earthly journey in the power of his resurrection, and may wait in hope for his coming again in glory, who lives and reigns now and for ever. Amen.

In place of these prayers, others may be written for the occasion.

The Commitment of the Young Person

The young person may offer a personal prayer of thanksgiving and dedication composed for this occasion, or may bring a gift or symbol of thanksgiving to the altar or another appropriate devotional place.

The Blessing of the Young Person

The Presider, Parents and Godparents may gather around and lay hands upon the young person as this prayer is offered:

Bless this child, O Lord, and sustain her in grace as she grows into maturity. As we prayed at her baptism, we continue to ask you to give her a questioning and discerning heart, a will that is brave and strong, a spirit knowing and loving the God who made her. May she delight in all your works as she continues to become the person you created her to be. Give her grace to speak forthrightly in truth. Let her greet new experiences with courage and hope. Help her discover true love. May she discern a calling that uses the gifts you have given her. Keep her safe and strong. Grant her health in old age. We pray especially that she may blossom in the knowledge that she is precious in your sight and in ours. Bless this child, O Lord, and sustain her in grace, in the name of her most faithful companion on the way, Jesus our Savior and Lord. Amen.

The Peace

The Eucharist

This Preface may be used at the Eucharist:

From day to day, from age to age, throughout our lives in this world and the next, you show yourself to be eternal Love, giver and sustainer of all goodness and joy; and so, with all the saints of every generation who are ancient in faith and young in hope, we join to sing your praise:

Suggested Readings:

Other suggestions for readings:

• The Proper for the Saint whose name the young person shares
• The Proper for the Saint whose feast falls on the young person’s birthday
• Readings selected according to the meaning of the young person’s name, e.g., Lucy/light, Angelica/angels.

Celebrating an Engagement

(The Blessing of a Betrothal)

The re-examination of possible betrothal rites provides several exciting opportunities for the Church. All too often, current practice leaves Church weddings a dependency of available bookings for the wedding reception. Nor, in such situations are many members of the regular congregation invited to be present. “Celebrating an Engagement” initiates interesting possibilities. A betrothal rite at a regularly scheduled Sunday Eucharist allows us to move from the traditional contractual model of matrimony to a more theologically sound form of forging a covenant It allows the prospective bride and groom to ease into their new status in a supportive, low stress environment. It also allows several powerful symbolic acts—such as a formal blessing of an engagement ring [perhaps the restoration of ‘banns’?].

In To Join Together, Kenneth W. Stephenson writes,⁴

From a modest beginning, as a special blessing during the Eucharistic assembly, the Constantinian Church gradually took on much of the content of the pagan nuptial rites of Imperial Rome. This brought with it the contractual foundation inherited from both Jewish and Roman sources. During the medieval period there were wide variations in regional practice: “…in England, [the priest] presides, and does no more,…In Spain, he ‘hands over’ the woman … at the end of the mass. …Germany is more neutral; here the priest ‘solemnizes’ the union made by consent. Finally, Normandy goes over the top, with the priest reciting the definitive formula, “I join you together.”

   Beneath these variations lies a common pattern: a betrothal ceremony followed by a separate and distinct marriage rite. In the late medieval period, the two rites moved closer and closer together, until, with the emergence of the Book of Common Prayer in 1549, the two rites merged into one. The whole medieval-renaissance progression was about making marriage a more public and ecclesial event, with the Church as guarantor of the marriage. Ironically, in our time, marriage has tended to become more and more a private act, detached from the real life of the Church. A rediscovery of betrothal rites might help us to better understand marriage as “… one of God’s greatest gifts, one of the closest symbols of [who God] is, and of the union between [God] and us.”

The community may gather in a circle, with the couple at its center.

The Gathering

Opening Acclamation

The Ministry of the Word

The Blessing by the People

The People may extend their hands toward the couple, or come forward to lay hands on them.

The people may add their own hopes, prayers, and counsel, beginning with such phrases as “N. and N., may you have…” or, “… be given…,” or “… remember…”.

The Presider gives the blessing with these or similar words:

N. and N., may God join together all the pieces of your lives into a fine and sturdy quilt to cover your days with grace. And may all who bless you be blessed!

Here may be sung “Peace before us” (substituting “Peace before you”) or “God, Grant Them Many Years”([from Wonder, Love, and Praise) or some other choice.

The Final Prayer

Prayed by the people and couple together

Blessed are you, Lord our God.

You give abundant joy to bridegroom and bride.

Bring us to the day of this wedding

in safety and peace.

Pour out your grace on us.

Help us each to know how beloved we are in you

and live inside the deep joy of that knowing.

Help us submit our hearts to the yoke of love

so that we come into its perfect freedom.

Grant to each of us our heart’s desire;

We pray in the name of the Christ

whose desire for us all, simply and wholly, is you.

Amen.

Prayers and Rites for the Transitions of Midlife

The Prayers

The Rite

A Rite for Receiving or Claiming a New Name