New Every Morning Anglican Fellowship
Holy Communion — The Celebrating Priest
Job Aid 1 · For the Priest · After the 1928 BCP · Canon 10.01
The order below is the 1928 Book of Common Prayer as celebrated here, with the ceremonial of the Anglican Missal: the Gloria in excelsis is said after the Kyrie rather than after the Communion, the Introit, Gradual, Offertory and Communion propers are used, and the Agnus Dei is sung before the Prayer of Humble Access. Where this differs from the bare order of the printed Book, the difference is ceremonial use and not a departure from the text.
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
Canon 10.03: Holy Communion SHALL be celebrated on Sundays as the principal service when a Priest is available.
THE PROPERS OF THE DAY
Four propers are sung or said, from the Missal, at their places in the order below: the Introit at the entrance, before the Collect for Purity; the Gradual between the Epistle and the Gospel (step 5); the Offertory as the alms are gathered (step 10); and the Communion during or immediately after the administration (steps 28–30).
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. Prayer of Oblation or Thanksgiving [one of the two; BCP p. 83]
24. Lord's Prayer [BCP p. 82; all together]
⚠ The Priest alone may consecrate. The Priest alone pronounces the Absolution. Canon 13.01; BCP p. 80.
THE COMMUNION (BCP pp. 82–84)
25. Prayer for Peace [BCP p. 49; precedes the Humble Access]
26. Agnus Dei [if sung; missal use, placed before the Humble Access]
27. Prayer of Humble Access [BCP p. 82; priest and people]
28. Priest communicates first [both kinds; host then chalice]
29. Administer host to communicants ["The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ…"]
30. Deacon (or priest) administers chalice ["The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ…"]
31. Ablutions [consume all remaining elements — SHALL [BCP p. 83]; rinse chalice and paten]
32. Post-Communion prayer [BCP p. 83; priest and people]
33. Gloria in Excelsis [sung or said; or placed earlier at priest's direction]
34. Blessing [priest only; SHALL [BCP p. 84]]
35. 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.
Canon 10.01 (SHALL); Canon 10.04 (jus liturgicum governs ceremonial beyond BCP rubrics); Canon 27.01(3) (rubric violations are canonical offences).
© 2026 · The Reverend P. A. Ternahan, M.A. Hum. · The Continuing Anglican Tradition of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer