Explanation

The drafters of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer assumed that there were sufficient priests available to preside at the Eucharist in each worshipping community of The Episcopal Church on any given Sunday. This assumption, however, did not fully appreciate the realities of underserved and resource stretched dioceses in the United States and in overseas jurisdictions. Today worshipping communities in many dioceses, and not just those which have been historically underserved and under resourced, are increasingly unable to afford regular clergy presence. In addition, there is a serious undersupply of clergy who are willing and available to preside at the Sunday Eucharist in small or hard to reach parishes. While the intention of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer to have the Holy Eucharist as the principal act of Christian worship on Sunday is theologically and liturgically to be commended and maintained as a goal, the missional realities of the world and the church today commend greater flexibility. Substituting the word “preferred” for the word “principal” in the opening sentence to the introduction of the Book of Common Prayer would allow dioceses, bishops, parishes and worshipping communities to try on new ways to support the liturgical life of worshipping communities in the new missional context for the Church today.