[2] The Ministry of The Word

The next major section in the Anglican Holy Communion service is titled, The Ministry of the Word. For evangelicals in particular, this section is the highlight of the service because the Church in this section hears the Word of God read.

On a personal note, in the first Anglican service I attended it was this section of the service that amazed and delighted me. Before that service, I had honestly believed that Anglicans could not be classed as biblical Christians at all but as Romanists (Roman Catholics) who rarely if ever opened their bibles. However, I was confronted with four Scripture readings done with such reverence and solemnity that I hadn't heard delivered in such a way before. And this was in a high Anglican service with crossing and genuflecting!

Of course, I had heard the Scriptures read in former churches but usually just one passage and often that would be truncated. (Nevertheless, I now know that my background furnished me with a knowledge and appreciation for the Scriptures for which I am very grateful. Unfortunately, many Anglicans don't know their Scripture very well but that also applies to non-Conformist worshippers too.)

In services that adhere closely to the Prayer Books, the four readings are set out in a Lectionary which is a booklet produced each year detailing readings laid down for every day of the respective year.

Mark the Evangelist

Anglicans along with Roman Catholics and others, use a 3-year cycle of readings based on allocating a year to one of the synoptic gospels: so that year A is Matthew, year B is Mark, year C is Luke. The present year (2012) is year B so the gospel readings primarily come from Mark. Using the lectionary it is possible to become thoroughly immersed in the scripture as week after week, month after month and year after year the readings are given.

After three years, the whole process starts again with slight variations.

And John? John's account is so highly esteemed in the episcopal traditions that it is included every year.

The Ministry of the Word section has 7 subsections:

§12. Old Testament Reading
         A reader from the congregation will go to the front and read a passage from the Old Testament as it is set down for the day. The particular church's newsletter or 'pew sheet' will usually give the readings. Bibles are usually provided for parishioners to follow the reading should they wish.

In reading from the Old Testament the Christian Church is confessing its dependence upon the Scriptures that Jesus used and said 'testified of me'. We often quote 2 Tim 3.16 but forget perhaps that the Scripture mentioned in that verse is primarily the Old Testament Scriptures.
      
The foundations for the New Testament Scriptures are found in the Old Testament.

After each reading of scripture excluding psalm and gospel, the reader says:

Hear the Word of the Lord or (This is the Word of the Lord)*

Thanks be to God

§13. A Psalm (may also be sung; or a hymn or anthem may be sung)
         The psalms have always been described as the hymn book of the Church.
In one of the churches I attended the congregation would sing the Psalm using standard tunes that have been handed down over centuries. It's quite tricky learning how to sing them because the psalms in English are not written in a way that they can be sung easily. However, the psalms are all found in the Prayer Book of 1978 (AAPB) with markings to allow them to be sung. This style of singing, I understand, is unique to Anglicanism.

However, in many churches today, the psalm is usually said responsively with the leader or with two sides of the congregation. Hebrew poetry which is what the psalms are, lend themselves to this treatment.

§14. A New Testament Reading (other than the gospels)
       Often called the 'Epistle' because excluding the gospel account, the Acts and Revelation, only letters (epistles) remain.

§15. A Hymn is sung
        The lay reader will often say, 'We will sing hymn number ### to welcome the gospel'. This expression of 'welcome' marks the fact that gospel is the centre of Anglican worship.
      
Much emphasis is placed on the reading of the gospel account in Anglican services. For example, for the other readings, the congregation sits but for the gospel reading, unless the church is very 'low', the congregation stands. The standing up is to mark the fact that the gospel is important because it tells us directly about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus our Lord.
      
Moreover, the gospel is often 'processed' meaning that the reading is not done in the pulpit or at the reading lectern but down in the body of the congregation. The procession will involve the crucifer (one carrying the cross), acolytes (two parishioners holding candles), lay reader and priest. However, other combinations are also used.

§16. The Gospel is read

To begin the reader says, The Lord be with you
[people respond] And also with you.

The reader says, The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to . . . [ch . . verse.] 
Glory to you Lord Jesus Christ

          Gospel passage is then read carefully with due reverence.

Reader finishes with, This is the Gospel of the Lord,

[people respond] praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

§17. The Sermon is preached

         Sermon is often based directly on the gospel reading just given. But it may also be on the Old Testament or epistle reading as well. Some preachers try to draw together elements from the other readings. Some will preach on something unrelated to the readings. Sermons vary in length with the evangelical preachers tending to go longer (20-25 mins) than others. This practice is in line with their beliefs. They believe the preaching of the Word converts the soul and is needed in the church as much as outside of it.

After the sermon, silence may follow. At one time, Anglican services were known for their silences. Once one came into the church proper, one learned to treat the space as a place for silence. Unfortunately, not so much today I fear. Silence after the ministry of the Word allows us to catch our breath and meditate even if only for a few minutes on what the Lord might be saying to us.

Click here to read one of the reputedly greatest sermons ever preached. You'll be surprised how long again it was preached and how short it is (and the preacher wasn't even an Anglican!).

§18. Nicene Creed (or Apostles' Creed)

Lay Reader says: Let us together affirm the faith of the Church

and then follows the congregational saying of one of the creeds, usually the Nicene but on other occasions the Apostles' Creed.

Note: You may be considering that this layout up to now would make for a long service but I timed the service to this point this morning and found it was just 35 minutes. However, this time would vary depending on the length of the sermon.

*Choices among different 'calls' to the congregation at this point can probably be related to churchmanship. Liberals would be happier with the more ambiguous 'hear the Word of the Lord' than with the forthright 'This is the Word of the Lord' which would suit evangelicals and conservatives more especially.