From the Associate for Music and Liturgy...

Do you have a Book of Common Prayer at home? If you are wondering how to pray, or what to pray during the Coronavirus outbreak and at home with your families, it is a great resource.

My heart has been strengthened by hearing how so many in our community are connecting with one another to check in. But even more than that, my spirit feels stronger from hearing that we are being the church by praying.  

The great thing about the Book of Common Prayer that we use in the Episcopal Church (it's the red book that you see in the chairs on Sunday) is that it has prayers to use both in worship together, but also at home. You can buy small versions at web retails for about $11. Also, it's not copyright-protected, so you can download or read a PDF version of it here. You can also find it a lot of places online, although I find the PDF version the easiest to navigate.

Here are some ways to use it.

• Individual prayers for the sick: p. 260, 458-461, 831, and 841
• Praying Prayers of the People together as a family: choose a "Form" starting on p. 383. Forms I & IV are good if you have children, as they all can memorize "Lord, have mercy" as a response so they can pray, too.
• Have about five minutes or so? Try the "Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families" on p. 137 or Noonday Prayer on p. 103
• Would you like a longer service of prayer at home? You can pray Morning Prayer (p.75) or Evening Prayer (p.115) - or do a simpler "Order for Worship in the Evening" and light some candles! (p. 109)
• A version of the prayers we did in procession on the First Sunday of Lent at the 10 a.m. service - The Great Litany - has traditionally been used during times of national anxiety or disaster. Many are praying it now during the outbreak. You can find it on p. 148

Also, on the last pages of our downloadable Sunday bulletins each week, we have a version of the Daily Devotions put together by James Wyatt - those are another great way to pray together. And, we've also put in Coronavirus prayer litanies for you to use as well. 

As you pray, please especially remember the clergy at St. Columba's and everywhere. They have a lot on their shoulders now, working with others to create whole new ways to worship, worry about how to take care of everyone, and keep the business of the church running. Bishops are having to make very difficult - and sometimes very unpopular - decisions to keep everyone safe. They are working harder than ever. God be with them.

Martin