The Prayers of the Church & The Peace

3 ? The Prayers of the Church

• Prayer is the most important part of the Church's work yet this part of the Eucharist (3) along with The Peace occupies the smallest fraction of one page in our outline order of service. Why?
• There is a formal "set" pattern of prayers which if printed could take us into a three page service - we don?t print the Eucharistic Prayer. There is also now the option (DV!) of offering extempore prayer, which is becoming more and more the case in Anglican churches.
• What is important is that in prayer we can "wait upon God" - it is not just a shopping list of our needs to be presented to the Almighty. Periods of silence or not only important but vital. It might even be a good idea to periodically do without the sermon and extend the period of prayer.
• In set patterns of prayer (always addressed to the Father) at the Eucharist it usually follows this pattern: The Universal Church - The Ministers of the Church, especially the local Bishop ? The Local Church - The Nation and the World - The Sick - The Departed -Thanksgiving for the Communion of Saints and our membership of the Church Living and Departed (the quick and the dead!)
• I don?t think it wicked/sinful if, for example,  I suggest that our particular object of prayer for the week is the Nation of Haiti and that should take precedence over Bishop Dominic. I?d be very surprised if he objected!
• What I do think important is that having taken the notices home you do remember our special object in your prayers as well as the sick/departed/bereaved. I make the assumption that most Christians devote time for prayer every day.
• It is really good that people ask me to put names down on the list of sick and departed and I assure you they are remembered every day. Also if I happen to know that any of you are facing difficulties you will be prayed for day by day. It almost goes without saying that I could not manage without your love and prayers.
• All our prayers are, of course, offered in the name and for the sake of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

4 - The Peace

• Even in the fuller version of the Eucharist Book 2004 The Peace occupies at best a Bible Sentence and a Verse and Response - again a kind of dialogue/greeting between Priest and People.
• If a Bible sentence is used it can be apposite the season of the Church?s year
• See: "Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen" - 1 Peter 5:14  -1611 Bible
• Offering a sign of Peace goes back into Christian antiquity and is mentioned first by Justin Martyr in the C2nd. It is a direct link between the Ministry of the Word (Bible Readings) and Prayers and the Ministry of the Sacrament-Eucharistic Prayer (Anaphora).
• At 8.30am and 11am in St Mellons this small piece of text is given a whole pile of wonderful meaning when the priest asks the people that he/she has greeted "Let us offer one another a sign of peace". Those present exchange a sign of peace with a kiss ("kiss of charity" - 1 Pet 5:14) or a handshake and we physically express what the Christian community is all about.
• There was once someone who took a temporary but serious dislike to me and something he/she took to be wrong. I knew that in a few days we would be sharing in a Eucharist together and asked, "How will you feel when we have to shake hands and exchange peace at the Eucharist?"
• Perhaps you may remember the Book of Common Prayer 1662 which instructed the faithful before confession and Holy Communion that they should be "in love and charity with your neighbours"?
• Well it?s not a perfect world but it?s certainly what should mark out the Christian community and a handshake/kiss is infinitely better than a slap ? whether physical, metaphorical or verbal. Its certainly brought me up short a few times when bearing a grudge has been an easier option than confronting my faith.