Jeremy M S Clines: eco-liturgy and earlier thoughts: Common Worship

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Wednesday, May 09, 2018

Index to Collects and Post Communions: Redub / Children's Reboot

This is the index of my Green Prayers which I introduce here. The prayers are either my redubs or my reboots of Church of England prayers that are called "Collects" or "Post Communions".

Below is a week by week list of all of my Collects and Post Communions published for each Sunday of the Church year and principal feast days. The prayers for August to November are still being written.

This alternative prayers project was begun at the start of December 2012 and is continuing.

Up and coming prayers (2nd Dec 2018 – 2 Feb 2019)
Advent
First Sunday of Advent (2–8 Dec '18)
Second Sunday of Advent (9–15 Dec '18)
Third Sunday of Advent (16–22 Dec '18)
Fourth Sunday of Advent (23 Dec '18)

Christmas
Christmas Eve (24 Dec '18)
Christmas Night (24 Dec '18)
Christmas Day (25 Dec '18)
First Sunday of Christmas (30 Dec '18)

Epiphany
The Epiphany, 6 January (06 Jan '19)
Baptism of Christ (1st Sunday of Epiphany) (06–12 Jan '19)
Second Sunday of Epiphany (13–19 Jan '19)
Third Sunday of Epiphany (20–26 Jan '19)
Fourth Sunday of Epiphany (27 Jan–02 Feb '19)
Candlemas: Presentation of Christ in the Temple (02 Feb '19)

Introduction: Redubbing and Rebooting Collects for a Year

Welcome to my redubbed and rebooted Collects and Post Communion prayers.

I am redubbing existing Collects and Post Communions.

I am rebooting by starting again for children.

I always start with Common Worship.

I build an index as I go along.

There are many existing prayers in the category "Collects and Post Communions" that are inaccessible or unintelligible to some or many for a variety of reasons (note my January 2017 letter to the Church Times on that topic).

I've been writing 5 prayers for each Sunday. I'm going to also write 4 or 5 prayers for Principal Feasts and Holy Days. I've done two-thirds of the Church year, with prayers left to be written for August to November. The project began in December 2012 and after I have written five prayers for all Sundays and Principal Feasts—that's about 70 sets of five prayers that run across the year—I also hope to write 2 prayers for some Lesser Festivals too.

I have a pre-occupation with liberation theologies. I'm particularly concerned about environment, women and children. I wrote a PhD on ecotheology and Common Worship: here.

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.

Collects and Post Communions (Redub)

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.

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.]

Index of Prayers

Collects and Post Communions (Children's Reboot)

When it comes to children and Common Worship, I believe there's a need for a reboot (switch off and start again) of Collects and Post Communions. My rebooted prayers sit next to my work Redubbing existing Collects and Post Communions.

The principles for rebooting are similar to those for redubbing:

Gender neutral and inclusive language;
Great simplicity;
Reduction in use of metaphor;
Earthing the text: i.e. making sure creation gets a look in;
Making them prayers for as many possible, not just those in church;
Keeping children and empowerment as the primary focus.

The prayers will appear on this blog, ideally, 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'm choosing Collects and Post Communions because they sum up the church's theology each week for lay and ordained, young and old—especially the Collect. Unequal thinking in these prayers is something I want to challenge. Thinking that children can understand is something I want to provide.

Having tested the original and my redubbed prayers against the Gunning Fog index for readability, I realize the original prayers have such high reading ages i.e. the number of years of formal education required to make sense of a text on a first reading. For example, 40+ years of formal education is needed to understand the Collect for the First Sunday of Advent at first glance! When I redubbed that prayer it was still inaccessible to a child wasn't possible (I got it down to about 10+ years). It was time for a reboot!

I'm hoping that what I write will be useful for children and for child spirituality practictioners. I hope it will be a prompt, too, for those working to design liturgies so children can understand a fair amount a first hearing.

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.

Index of Prayers

Sunday, January 03, 2016

Collect, The Epiphany, 6 January (Redub)

God, maker of the heavens,

a star led the Magi to the

place of Christ's birth.

Their journey changed them,

they went back different.

May we, with all people,

see your love and your creation

in a new way, today and forever.

Amen.

The Gunning Fog readability index suggests 9.41 years of formal education is required to understand this prayer on a first reading, the Common Worship prayer requires 27.85 years.

Here's the information on how this prayer is a redub.

The Epiphany Collection of 5 prayers is here.

You can also look at the full Index of Prayers.

The project began Advent 2012.

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.

Additional Collect, The Epiphany, 6 January (Redub)

God of the star fields,

the Magi saw a star and

went to where Jesus was born.

As we travel the road to freedom,

guide us to find your love

in our lives, in our world,

and in our cosmos.

Amen.

The Gunning Fog readability index suggests 8.0 years of formal education is required to understand this prayer on a first reading, the Common Worship prayer requires 12.8 years.

Here's the information on how this prayer is a redub.

The Epiphany Collection of 5 prayers is here.

You can also look at the full Index of Prayers.

The project began Advent 2012.

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

Post Communion, The Epiphany, 6 January (Redub)

God maker of heaven and earth,

help us follow your light.

Just as the shining of a star

changed the lives of the Magi,

may you reveal your love to us.

It is in you that,
we and the creation move and live
and have our being.

Amen.

The Gunning Fog readability index suggests 6.33 years of formal education is required to understand this prayer on a first reading, the Common Worship prayer requires 15.6 years.

Here's the information on how this prayer is a redub.

The Epiphany Collection of 5 prayers is here.

You can also look at the full Index of Prayers.

The project began Advent 2012.

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.

Saturday, January 02, 2016

Second Sunday of Christmas Post Communion (Children’s Reboot)

God you became like all of us,

first a tiny baby, in Mary’s womb.

Then you were born,

growing to be a child.

You found out what it is like to

be cared for by grown-ups.

Thank you that you know

what our lives are like.

Amen.

The Gunning Fog readability index suggests 4.7 years of formal education is required to understand this prayer on a first reading, the Common Worship prayer requires 25.63 years.

Here's the information on how this prayer is a reboot.

My collection of five prayers for the Second Sunday After Christmas are here.

You can also look at the full Index of Prayers.

The project runs from Advent 2012.

If you want to use the prayers, an acknowledgement of myself as author and, if there's space, the link to my blog would be much appreciated.

Second Sunday of Christmas Collect (Children’s Reboot)

God you have lived like us,

as a child,

growing up,

here on earth.

You know what it is like to love

and to be loved as a human.

Help us learn about love from Jesus.

Help us follow Jesus so we can find you.

Amen.

The Gunning Fog readability index suggests 4.5 years of formal education is required to understand this prayer on a first reading, the Common Worship prayer requires 29.34 years.

Here's the information on how this prayer is a reboot.

My collection of five prayers for the Second Sunday After Christmas are here.

You can also look at the full Index of Prayers.

The project runs from Advent 2012.

If you want to use the prayers, an acknowledgement of myself as author and, if there's space, the link to my blog would be much appreciated.

Second Sunday of Christmas Post Communion (Redub)

All praise to you,

all-loving and all-giving God.

You have shown us your humility

by Mary bearing you to birth and mothering you.

Grant that as we are born again in you,

that we may experience your

mothering embrace of our lives and our world,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Amen.

The Gunning Fog readability index suggests 8.68 years of formal education is required to understand this prayer on a first reading, the Common Worship prayer requires 25.63 years.

Here's the information on how this prayer is a redub.

My collection of five prayers for the Second Sunday After Christmas are here.

You can also look at the full Index of Prayers.

The project runs from Advent 2012.

If you want to use the prayers, an acknowledgement of myself as author and, if there's space, the link to my blog would be much appreciated.

Second Sunday of Christmas Additional Collect (Redub)

God, who nurtures our lives and creation,

in love you emptied yourself to live alongside us

that the world may have life.

Lead us to find the your gifts of love

in those peoples and places

so much in need of life

and gift us with life in all its fullness.

Amen.

The Gunning Fog readability index suggests 11.77 years of formal education is required to understand this prayer on a first reading, the Common Worship prayer requires 14 years.

Here's the information on how this prayer is a redub.

My collection of five prayers for the Second Sunday After Christmas are here.

You can also look at the full Index of Prayers.

The project runs from Advent 2012.

If you want to use the prayers, an acknowledgement of myself as author and, if there's space, the link to my blog would be much appreciated.