The Book of Common Prayer

We encourage you to pick up either the Book of Common Prayer 2019 or the International Book of Common Prayer 1662 (if you worship in an Anglican Church, ask your Rector; I'm sure he'd be delighted to gift you one!). Both versions are excellent and worthy of use. Morning and Evening Prayer help you read God’s word and pray with the universal church every day. But when you try them for the first time, they may be confusing. This guide will show you how to get started with Evening Prayer with the International version; both versions are essentially the same so when you get the hang of one, the other will be easy too. Once you learn how to "do it," it’s easy to add Morning Prayer and other Offices. Evening Prayer lasts about half an hour. But if you can’t read it all, don’t worry. It’s fine to just say part of Evening Prayer. For example, you could start out with just the psalms or lessons, the creed, and the Lord’s Prayer.

If you don't have a Book of Common Prayer of your own (and why don't you?), then you can begin praying the Daily Office online. What's the Daily Office? We get the name "office" from the the Latin officium divinum which means “divine duty.” By praying the Daily Office, we are stepping into the rhythms of worship--there are offices for Morning Prayer, Midday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline. Plus, lots of other shorter prayers and liturgies to be used in different settings. Some of the most beautiful prayers ever written are found within these pages. When we pray the Daily Office we are shaped by Scripture's truth and beauty.