Redubbing means changing prayers, not writing entirely new texts. I always begin with the Church of England's Common Worship texts, and so to redub is 'to refit', 'to repair' and 'to make reparation' to the existing prayers in relation to the following concerns:
- Gender neutral and inclusive language;
- Simplified sentence structure and vocabulary;
- A desire to retain metaphors that are accessible;
- Earthing the text: i.e. making sure creation gets a look in;
- Making them prayers for as many as possible, not just those in the 'church';
- Keeping children and empowerment in mind at all times.
The
prayers will appear on this blog, at least a few days before the
following Sunday so that people who feel compelled* to bring a bit of
equality theology into their worship can.
I am redubbing 3 prayers for every week of the Church year (plus major festivals). Redub will begin, first, with Collects and Post Communions, but I hope to extend. My redubs sit next to my Reboots for Children of existing Collects and Post Communions. I'm choosing Collects and Post Communions because they sum up the church's theology each week for lay and ordained--especially the Collect. Unequal thinking in these prayers is something I want to challenge.
I'm not aiming to improve on poetry or style, but I am wanting to get to a theology that works for me and can be more palatable for those praying it.
Sometimes the unfamiliarity of a new text means, however simple, it may still be much harder to read. I'm grateful for feedback, especially from any who try using them. I'm keen to keep re-writing as well, as work in progress.
Sometimes the unfamiliarity of a new text means, however simple, it may still be much harder to read. I'm grateful for feedback, especially from any who try using them. I'm keen to keep re-writing as well, as work in progress.
If you want to use* the prayers, an acknowledgement of myself as author and if there's space the url to my blog would be much appreciated.
* CofE clergy who have taken a vow of canonical obedience
may recall that using non-authorized Collects at a CofE Eucharist as
'The Collect' is not authorized (in a typical, church, non-ecumenical or
non-LEP setting). CofE clergy may also recall that it's optional as to what
Post Communion prayer is used at a eucharist. [CofE clergy may not be
aware that an authorized Post Communion can be used instead of a Collect
since it is an authorized prayer.]
4 comments:
Really like this idea, and shall follow in case I can use. Home church not good at using collects at the best of times, so unlikely to notice. Might need to be more careful at Cuddesdon though!
Thanks ramtopsrac, appreciate your interest and hope to maybe use some, let me know if they work / don't work in your setting/s.
I found your blog after reading the Geoff Bayliss article in Church Times and then found you. I am an LLM in training in a Parish where the collects are used regularly and I have got very frustrated that clergy (and long-standing Anglicans in congregation) often don't see how inaccessible the language and structure of collects are. So hooray for you and Geoff. I have taken over producing a weekly notice sheet (print & email) which includes a prayer for Sunday (it used to be The Prayer for.. Sunday i.e. official collect when vicar produced it) but as its now my choice I find "a prayer". I often use Roots on the Web, sometimes the alternative more user friendly c of e collect. Will now regularly check your blog as well. Where id the the collect for teh Third Sunday before Lent! I was looking forward to trying your version. Thanks for wht you're doing, most encouraging.
Hi Rosemary, thanks for your feedback. I appreciate your desire to sometimes make use of the Collects and Post Communions I've published here. For the 5th/4th/3rd Sundays before Lent, they're not written yet. They are on my 'forthcoming' list. Normal service is now resumed!!
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