New Every Morning Anglican Fellowship
Holy Communion — The Celebrating Priest
Job Aid 1 · For the Priest · After the 1928 BCP · Canon 10.01
BEFORE THE SERVICE
• Prepare and vest: amice, alb, girdle, maniple, stole, chasuble [Ornaments Rubric, BCP p. 3]
• Prepare the altar: fair linen, corporal, purificator, chalice, paten, host, wine with water
• Observe fasting from midnight, or three hours before [traditional discipline]
• Private prayers of preparation before the altar
• Confirm the correct Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for the day
Canon 10.03: Holy Communion SHALL be celebrated on Sundays as the principal service when a Priest is available.
THE ANTE-COMMUNION (BCP pp. 67–71)
1. Collect for Purity [said by priest; congregation standing]
2. Ten Commandments (or Summary of the Law) ["Lord, have mercy" response after each; people kneel]
3. Collect of the Day [priest only; signals theme of the Sunday]
4. Epistle [reader appointed; or deacon; or priest]
5. Gradual / Tract / Sequence hymn [as appointed]
6. Gospel [deacon if present; or priest; all stand and face the Gospel]
7. Nicene Creed [all say together standing; bow at "was incarnate"]
8. Notices [feasts, fasts, banns — BCP p. 71 rubric]
9. Sermon or Homily [or none — BCP does not mandate a sermon at every service]
THE OFFERTORY (BCP pp. 71–74)
10. Offertory Sentences [one or more; said by priest]
11. Collection of alms [deacon or layperson brings to altar]
12. Prepare the chalice [wine and water mingled [traditional]; deacon assists if present]
13. Place bread and wine on the altar
14. Prayer for the Church [BCP p. 74; the great intercession]
THE CANON (BCP pp. 76–83)
15. Exhortation [SHALL on Advent 1, Lent 1, and Trinity Sunday [BCP p. 5]; MAY on all other Sundays and Holy Days; at least some part must be said when obligatory]
16. Invitation, General Confession, Absolution [priest pronounces Absolution — SHALL; no substitute]
17. Comfortable Words [four sentences; BCP p. 76]
18. Sursum Corda ["Lift up your hearts" — people respond]
19. Preface and Proper Preface [consult seasonal Proper Preface as appointed]
20. Sanctus and Benedictus [sung or said; all kneel]
21. Prayer of Humble Access [BCP p. 82; priest and people]
22. Prayer of Consecration [priest alone; take bread at "took bread"; take chalice at "took the cup"]
23. Manual Acts at Words of Institution ["Is to take" — mandatory [BCP p. 80]; elevate at the direction of tradition]
24. Prayer of Oblation or Thanksgiving [one of the two; BCP p. 83]
25. Lord's Prayer [all together]
⚠ The Priest alone may consecrate. The Priest alone pronounces the Absolution. Canon 13.01; BCP p. 80.
THE COMMUNION (BCP pp. 82–84)
26. Peace [traditional form before Communion]
27. Agnus Dei [if sung; traditional]
28. Priest communicates first [both kinds; host then chalice]
29. Administer host to communicants ["The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ…"]
30. Deacon (or priest) administers chalice ["The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ…"]
31. Ablutions [consume all remaining elements — SHALL [BCP p. 83]; rinse chalice and paten]
32. Post-Communion prayer [BCP p. 83; priest and people]
33. Gloria in Excelsis [sung or said; or placed earlier at priest's direction]
34. Blessing [priest only; SHALL [BCP p. 84]]
35. Dismissal [deacon: "Depart in peace"; or priest]
⚠ BCP p. 83: all remaining consecrated elements SHALL be consumed by the Priest and communicants he calls. Nothing may be discarded or left.
Canon 10.01 (SHALL); Canon 10.04 (jus liturgicum governs ceremonial beyond BCP rubrics); Canon 27.01(3) (rubric violations are canonical offences).
© 2026 · The Reverend P. A. Ternahan, M.A. Hum. · The Continuing Anglican Tradition of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer