New Every Morning Anglican Fellowship
Holy Communion — The Celebrating Priest
Job Aid 1 · For the Priest · After the 1928 BCP
The order below is the 1928 Book of Common Prayer as celebrated at New Every Morning: the printed order of the Book is followed without addition, and the Gloria in Excelsis is said in its ordinary place, after the Post-Communion prayer.
BEFORE THE SERVICE
• Prepare and vest: amice, alb, girdle, maniple, stole, chasuble [Ornaments Rubric, BCP p. 3]
• Prepare the altar: fair linen, corporal, purificator, chalice, paten, host, wine with water
• Observe fasting from midnight, or three hours before [traditional discipline]
• Private prayers of preparation before the altar
• Confirm the correct Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for the day
Traditional canonical discipline: Holy Communion SHALL be celebrated on Sundays as the principal service when a Priest is available.
THE ANTE-COMMUNION (BCP pp. 67–71)
1. Collect for Purity [said by priest; congregation standing]
2. Ten Commandments (or Summary of the Law) ["Lord, have mercy" response after each; people kneel]
3. Collect of the Day [priest only; signals theme of the Sunday]
4. Epistle [reader appointed; or deacon; or priest]
5. Gradual / Tract / Sequence hymn [as appointed]
6. Gospel [deacon if present; or priest; all stand and face the Gospel]
7. Nicene Creed [all say together standing; bow at "was incarnate"]
8. Notices [feasts, fasts, banns — BCP p. 71 rubric]
9. Sermon or Homily [or none — BCP does not mandate a sermon at every service]
THE OFFERTORY (BCP pp. 71–74)
10. Offertory Sentences [one or more; said by priest]
11. Collection of alms [deacon or layperson brings to altar]
12. Prepare the chalice [wine and water mingled [traditional]; deacon assists if present]
13. Place bread and wine on the altar
14. Prayer for the Church [BCP p. 74; the great intercession]
THE CANON (BCP pp. 76–83)
15. Exhortation [SHALL on Advent 1, Lent 1, and Trinity Sunday [BCP p. 5]; MAY on all other Sundays and Holy Days; at least some part must be said when obligatory]
16. Invitation, General Confession, Absolution [priest pronounces Absolution — SHALL; no substitute]
17. Comfortable Words [four sentences; BCP p. 76]
18. Sursum Corda ["Lift up your hearts" — people respond]
19. Preface and Proper Preface [consult seasonal Proper Preface as appointed]
20. Sanctus and Benedictus [sung or said; all kneel]
21. Prayer of Consecration [BCP p. 80; priest alone; take bread at "took bread"; take chalice at "took the cup"]
22. Manual Acts at Words of Institution ["Is to take" — mandatory [BCP p. 80]; elevate at the direction of tradition]
23. Lord's Prayer [BCP p. 82; all together]
⚠ The Priest alone may consecrate. The Priest alone pronounces the Absolution. Traditional discipline; BCP p. 80.
THE COMMUNION (BCP pp. 82–84)
24. Prayer for Peace [BCP p. 49; precedes the Humble Access]
25. Prayer of Humble Access [BCP p. 82; priest and people]
26. Priest communicates first [both kinds; host then chalice]
27. Administer host to communicants ["The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ…"]
28. Deacon (or priest) administers chalice ["The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ…"]
29. Ablutions [consume all remaining elements — SHALL [BCP p. 83]; rinse chalice and paten]
30. Prayer of Oblation or Thanksgiving [one of the two; BCP p. 83; priest and people]
31. Gloria in Excelsis [sung or said, after the Post-Communion prayer]
32. Blessing [priest only; SHALL [BCP p. 84]]
33. Dismissal [deacon: "Depart in peace"; or priest]
⚠ BCP p. 83: all remaining consecrated elements SHALL be consumed by the Priest and communicants he calls. Nothing may be discarded or left.
This is a binding obligation under the traditional discipline. Ceremonial beyond the BCP rubrics falls under the Ordinary's jus liturgicum according to customary practice, and violations of the rubrics are treated as serious matters of canonical discipline.
© 2026 · The Reverend P. A. Ternahan, M.A. Hum. · The Continuing Anglican Tradition of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer