Advent Rite I Service Change

During Advent and Lent, St. Paul’s takes on a more penitential rhythm. In recent years, that has meant praying Rite I together, beginning with the 1978 Prayer Book’s Penitential Rite. For six penitential seasons under Fr. Sam’s presidency, we have celebrated Mass from the Anglican Service Book, using its “thee/thy/thou” language to give the parish a shared sense of change and focus.

This year, we’ll try something new with the same purpose. For all Advent services, we’ll pray an illustrated and annotated Eucharistic Prayer from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, prepared by the Sisters of the Community of the Holy Spirit in 1956. For some, it will be familiar; for others, entirely new. For all of us, it’s a chance to deepen our common life of worship as we prepare for the Incarnation of our Lord.

If it proves meaningful, we may use it again in future penitential seasons. If not, we’ll return to the Anglican Service Book. What matters most is that we wait for the Lord together—not which form we use to do it.