Colloquium on Common Prayer

The first of two colloquia to be held by the Society this year took place in Dallas in January under the theme: Stirred up to Godliness the Daily Office in Anglicanism.

This was held in partnership with the Church of the Holy Cross on January 20th, where we were kindly hosted by the congregation and the Rector the Revd Fr George Willcox Brown. It featured presentations and discussions exploring several dimensions from the historical to the practical and concluded with Choral Evensong at 4.30 pm.

The Bishop of Dallas,The Rt. Revd. Dr George Sumner joined the proceedings for the luncheon along with Bishop Anthony Burton of the nearby Incarnation Parish and the Bishop Emeritus, James Stanton.

The Prayer Book Society President, the Revd. Fr. Gavin Dunbar explored the Daily Office from an historical perspective through the history of Anglicanism up to Prayer Books of the 20th Century in North America (including that of 1928 in the USA and 1962 in Canada).

The Revd Fr Matthew Olver, Teaching Fellow in Liturgics at Nashotah House Theological Seminary looked at the future of the Daily Office in the light of the proposed revision process being launched within The Episcopal Church.

Additional speakers included Dr Roberta Bayer, Editor of The Anglican Way, Dean William McKeachie of St Andrew’s Fort Worth and Fr. Jeremy Bergstrom Director of Vocations in Dallas as well as the PBS USA Board member Mr. WIlliam Murchison. Questions explored included: What is the future of liturgical worship as Anglicans know it ? How do we sustain and enhance the tradition ? How do we reach out and give it a “missional focus” ? What can be done to reach out to young professionals? What help can be given in forming seminarians in the Anglican liturgical tradition?

Recent developments in the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of North America were also explored and there was a presentation on Music and Daily Prayer by Mr Graham Schultz the Assistant Director of Music at the Parish of the Incarnation.

The Revd. Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff, the Society’s International Advisor and sometime Dean of All Saint’s Cairo, Egypt. preached during the closing Evensong.

A second colloquium on a similar theme is being planned for the Fall in Philadelphia and further details about this will be made available short but any enquiries can be directed in the meantime to Canon Macdonald-Radliff: amacrad@hotmail.com.