Celebrating the Book of Common Prayer since 1986
Announcing the availability of a new book containing hundreds of prayers, thematically arranged, drawn mostly from the Prayer Book. This project was sponsored in part by the PBSC. It would make a great Christmas gift!
The Revd. Benjamin von Bredow describes this new project to compile a set of optional Old Testament readings for Communion services, and explains the reasons for embarking upon it.
In this 60th anniversary year of our 1962 Canadian Book of Common Prayer, the Revd. Gordon Maitland, the national chairman of the PBSC, describes some unique and historically significant Prayer Books that are in his private collection.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the introduction of the 1962 Canadian BCP. The Revd. Dr. Gordon Maitland reflects on this milestone, and highlights three significant dates: March 21, September 3 and November 27.
The Very Revd. Chris Dow, now Dean of the Arctic, writes about his experiences since moving to Iqaluit, and updates us on continuing work towards making the Common Prayer Canada app available in the Eastern Arctic Inuktitut language.
Liturgical Suggestions for 2022 Celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of the Canadian Book of Common Prayer
Bursaries Available: The annual PBSC bursaries programme is now open. The Society offers bursaries of up to $1,000 to theological students who support the use of the BCP. The deadline for applications is November 4th, 2022.
The new Rector of St. Jude’s Cathedral in Iqaluit and Dean of the Diocese of the Arctic is the Rev’d Chris Dow, a member of the PBSC National Council and one of the main architects of the BCP app.
The “Common Prayer Canada” app, developed by the PBSC and released in Advent 2020, has been a great success, having been downloaded by nearly 1,000 users as of February and receiving unanimous 5-star reviews. A major update is planned for this year.
“My aim is threefold: first, to demonstrate that this prayer is in keeping with the form and tradition of the Prayer Book; secondly, to argue that it is necessary in its penitential post-supersessionist attitude toward the Jewish people; and thirdly, to show that it is biblically rooted.” – Rev. Chris Dow
The Revd. Jonathan R. Turtle writes about the motivation that led to the parish that he serves switching from the Revised Common Lectionary to the Prayer Book lectionary for services of the Eucharist, despite its not being a strictly “Prayer Book parish”.
PBSC national chairman the Revd. Dr. Gordon Maitland writes about the new version of the Book of Common Prayer recently produced by the Anglican Church in North America, praising the overall approach taken and the liturgical principles that were followed.
The Revd. Dr. J.I. Packer was a staunch supporter of the BCP, and served as a vice-chairman of the PBSC for many years. He was one of the giants of the Evangelical and Anglican world, like the California Redwoods…
The Society hopes that this mobile app will encourage Christians throughout Canada to take up the discipline of regularly praying the Offices during this “Covidtide”, as well as throughout the next liturgical year and beyond.
“…The Prayer Book is still the core of my devotional life, and the reason why I am an Anglican.” – Diana Verseghy in conversation with Bishop Stephen Andrews and Rev. Gordon Maitland
A notice from the Michaelmas 2014 issue of the PBSC Newsletter, describing the PBSC’s formal response to the proposal to change the marriage canon, in which the Society upheld the classical theology of Christian marriage as laid out in the BCP.
Writing in 2011, Desmond Scotchmer, a past National Chairman of the PBSC, gives an overview of the concerns that led to the founding of the Society in 1986,the challenges that it faced in its early years, and its key accomplishments.