Slideshow image

You may hear some less familiar parts of the Eucharist this spring, as we are using elements of the Eucharistic Liturgy for the Islands and Inlets (2018), one of the authorized liturgies for use in public worship in our diocese.

The full text of the liturgy is HERE

From the introduction:

This liturgy has been created to echo the faithfulness of the people and places in this diverse Diocese of Islands and Inlets. Please feel free to use all or pieces of this liturgy in your weekly worship.

In 2010, Bishop James Cowan commissioned a group of laity and clergy to create an Island Liturgy that would give voice to the prayers that arise out of our experience living on the islands and inlets of British Columbia. This tradition of creating a local liturgy is one that is grounded in our Anglican faith tradition. Expressions of this tradition include the well-loved New Zealand Prayer Book.

In embarking on their work, the original commission consulted widely, and sought guidance from the International Anglican Liturgical Review as well as the documents associated with the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada.

The group then broke into working groups and produced the first draft of the Eucharistic Liturgy for the Islands which was authorized on February 17, 2015 for trial use within the diocese. In 2016, Bishop Logan McMenamie asked the Liturgy Commission to review the Liturgy for the Islands and reintroduce it in a format that reflected helpful feedback collected from the trial use period.

For Advent 2017, the Commission distributed the Island Liturgy with a seasonal focus and then edited this document, based on feedback from the parishes using the resource. Reconciliation prayers and themes were added to highlight the year of Reconciliation. This theme continued in the Lenten resources created by the commission which worked to integrate the Island Liturgies with seasonal resources that strive to echo the tone and timbre of the original work.

Liturgy is the work of the people [Greek: λειτουργία, leitourgia, literally "work for the people", from "litos ergos", "public service"]. May you be richly blessed as you worship God in this time and place.

Photo by James Bruce on Unsplash