About Us
epray Daily is a creation of Broughton Publishing, a not-for-profit publisher established and wholly owned by the Anglican Church of Australia to provide resources for 'a church embedded in worship and prayer'.
epray® is a registered trademark of Broughton Publishing Pty Ltd
epray Daily uses content from 'A Prayer Book for Australia' and 'An Australian Lectionary' © 2017 Anglican Church of Australia Trust Corporation
The following content is provided under license from the owners or licensors:
The Holy Bible, New International Version® (Anglicised), NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by Permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The "NIV" and "New International Version" are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The photograph used in the background of the main screen is a view of Adelaide, South Australia from Mount Osmond. It is used with the generous permission of its creator, Alex Gatley (instagram.com/alexgatley)
Services from the Book of Common Prayer 1662 (BCP)
Under the Constitution of the Anglican Church of Australia, the BCP remains its standard of the principles of Worship and Doctrine. The Prayer Book Society of Australia (PBS) was formed to promote awareness and use of the BCP. PBS acknowledges the generous co-operation of Broughton Publishing in adding services from the BCP to their epray Daily app. The administrators of Crown Copyright have encouraged PBS in their efforts to promote the awareness and knowledge of the BCP.
You can contact the PBS by email:
martin.robinson60@gmail.com
History of the BCP
The first authorised Prayer Books in English were published in 1549 and 1552, under the hand of Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury. Abolished by Queen Mary (1553-8), the 1552 Book was authorised by Elizabeth I (1558-1603) and maintained by James I (1603-25) and Charles I (1625-49) but abolished again by the Parliament (1649-1660). At the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 under Charles II, the BCP 1552 became again the authorised form of services, reissued, with minor amendments and a new Preface, in 1662.
Notes for use of the BCP services
Ministers were obliged to follow the services strictly. In addition, many worshippers were unable to read, and even if they could, may have been unable to afford to purchase their own copy. The services give evidence of this in the use of capital letters in the Confession, the Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer, indicating the beginning of the phrase spoken by the Minister, to then be repeated by those present. This ‘minister-led’ character is not so easy for personal use, but it may help to be aware of it.
Morning and Evening Prayer (‘to be said daily throughout the year’) were designed by Cranmer as a vehicle for hearing the whole Bible read systematically. In a year the OT was read once, the NT twice, and the Psalms every month. The rest of the services educates the participants in preparing to hear the scriptures, in responding to them, and in translating their message into action through prayer. The seven or more daily services of the mediaeval church were combined into two, and these became the main service of the church replacing the Mass. Reformed as ‘the Lord’s Supper, or Holy Communion’ this became the first of the occasional services, rather than the main one.
The BCP includes the following instructions for the use of the Orders for Morning and Evening Prayer: The Order for Morning and Evening Prayer Daily to be said and used throughout the year.
THE Morning and Evening Prayer shall be used in the accustomed Place of the Church, Chapel, or Chancel; except it shall be otherwise determined by the Ordinary of the Place. And the Chancels shall remain as they have done in times past.
And here is to be noted, that such Ornaments of the Church, and of the Ministers thereof at all times of their Ministration, shall be retained, and be in use, as were in this Church of England by the Authority of Parliament, in the Second Year of the Reign of King Edward the Sixth.
Readers and such other lay persons as may be authorised by the Bishop of the diocese may, at the invitation of the Minister of the parish, or, where the Cure is vacant, or the Minister is incapacitated, at the invitation of the Churchwardens, say or sing Morning or Evening Prayer (save for the Absolution); and in case of need, where no clerk in Holy Orders or Reader or lay person authorised as aforesaid is available, the Minister or (failing him) the Churchwardens shall arrange for some suitable lay person to say or sing Morning or Evening Prayer (save for the Absolution).
The Litany is originally from the time of Henry VIII, compiled and issued in 1544 at his direction at a time of urgent national crisis. It remains a fine service of penitence and reflection on all the things the scriptures urge us to pray for.